Where the Scholarships Are
By Pam Bazata
January 17, 2007
Where the Scholarships Are
Tavia Evans
As the cost of a college education rises, students are finding ways to foot the bill. Across the country, students have won scholarships to pay their way through school. What's their secret?
They know where to find scholarships, when to look for them and how to write for them. There's no guarantee you'll win a scholarship, but there are ways to skew the odds in your favor.
Where's the Money: Anywhere and Everywhere
* Do your homework. Take advantage of free online scholarship
searches, such as FastWeb.com. Also, research the Web sites of
colleges you want to attend because they have information about
scholarships. The reference section in the library provides books
and resources of federal, national and state sources of college
aid. The library also has scholarship directories that list awards
based on age, state of residence, cultural background or field of
study.
* Search in your community. Scholarships for college can be as
close as your neighborhood bank. Start by asking the organizations
and institutions in your community if they offer awards for
college. Don't forget about cultural organizations that grant
awards based on ethnic background.
* Talk to your school's counselor. They know your academic record
inside and out. Ask them about private and corporate sponsorships
that you qualify for.
* Don't limit yourself. There are also scholarships for unique
talents and abilities. Don't confine yourself to academic
scholarships or big national awards. Small awards will come in
handy too.
When: Start Early
It's never too soon to start your scholarship search. Some organizations give college scholarships as early as junior high school. Others require information that needs to be prepared in advance:
* Make a list. Focus on deadlines. List the scholarships with
the earliest deadlines and give them first priority.
* Test scores. Take the ACT and/or SAT well in advance; if you need
to improve your score, you'll have time to take the tests again
before the scholarship deadline. Take practice tests in the fall of
junior year in high school, then start taking the real tests during
the spring of junior year and fall of senior year.
* Financial Information. Most need-based scholarships require
family income and tax forms to prove financial need. Prepare these
forms ahead of time to qualify for scholarships.
How: Write Your Way to College
Most scholarship applications require short essays. The essay is your chance to tell the selection committee about your personality, interests and activities, and why you deserve their money:
* Write more than one essay. You should apply for more than one
scholarship to increase your chances of winning, so you should have
more than one essay. Select at least three essays from your
schoolwork that demonstrate creative thinking and good
communication skills. Write two more essays that answer general
questions, such as:
o Of the books you have read in the past year, which was your
favorite and why?
o What is your strongest characteristic and why? What is your
weakest?
o What person, living or dead, has had the biggest influence on
your life?
* Make an outline. Depending on the essay question, pick one main
theme to focus the essay and select three ideas that support your
theme. Your first paragraph should introduce the main idea and
provide any relevant background information, but avoid simply
summarizing the essay. The other paragraphs should highlight one
idea per paragraph. Wrap up the essay with a conclusion. Most
essays should be no longer than two pages single spaced.
* Show, don't tell. It's easy to say, "Martin Luther King was a
great person." But it's better to show the reader why: "He led
non-violent marches through the streets of Montgomery, Alabama, and
Atlanta, Georgia, to protest racial discrimination." Include
scenery so the reader can visualize your essay, rather than just
read it.
* Spellcheck. Many selection committees will automatically reject
applications with misspelled words and grammatical errors.
It's possible to go to college without drowning in debt. Don't be discouraged by the price tag on your favorite school. Remember, the secret's in the scholarships.
