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An interviewer asked me the other day which scholarship search engine would I recommend. Hands down–it’s Zinch. I chose them for these 5 reasons:

1. Their scholarship search engine is second to none

You can search for over $1 billion dollars in scholarship awards, set deadline reminders, and get scholarship advice from past winners. Their scholarship home page features a current scholarship and posts scholarships with approaching deadlines.

2. They connect students to colleges–2 for 1 (scholarship and college match)

Zinch is a free service that allows high school students to present themselves to college admission officers – as real people and more than just as SAT/ACT test score.

Importantly, college admission officers want this information. More than 750 colleges and universities work with Zinch to identify students who might be right for their schools.

3. The Double Your Money Program & $1000 Weekly Scholarship

They will match scholarship winners (up to $1000) if they apply to an eligible scholarship on their website and win. Who doesn’t need more money for college? They also offer a weekly $1000 scholarship based on the answer to a simple question (in 3 sentences or less).

4. They connect with students

Zinch simply summarizes this by saying: “The admissions process is very stressful. We know. So we let students connect with other students who are going through the same frustration, struggles and pains as they are. Hopefully that way the process can be a little bit easier.”

They engage and connect with students on their Facebook page as well. Every parent knows that nagging their students to apply for scholarships can be taxing. Zinch knows that and does a great job motivating them. They also connect with their high school blog for students: More Than a Test Score.

5. They connect with parents

Zinch offers parents the information they need to help students in their college process. On their parent page, they give parents free resources to download, a forum to discuss concerns with other parents, and some candid conversations with admissions officers and financial aid experts. Parents can also sign up for their email newsletter and read relevant articles on their high school blog, especially for parents.

Zinch is so much more than a scholarship search site. You can search for and apply to scholarships, connect with colleges, connect with other parents, and connect with other students.