Category Archives: Scholarship Friday

financial planning, Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarship Friday: $6000 for Black Women in Stem

When I come across a scholarship that can help students and their families pay for college, I like to share it. Today’s scholarship is from BestColleges and there are five of them available for $6000. If your student qualifies, make sure they apply.

scholarship

Scholarship Overview

On average, Black women in STEM earn salaries that are 45% lower than their highest-paid peers. BestColleges is committed to breaking down barriers for students in underrepresented communities, who desire careers in the most competitive fields. This year, we’ll be giving away five $6,000 scholarships to Black women who are currently pursuing careers in STEM.

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financial aid, Scholarship Friday, scholarships

What Are the Odds of Winning a Scholarship?

winning a scholarship

Over 1.7 million scholarships are awarded annually; however, only 7% of college students will receive a scholarship. On average, first-time undergraduates who receive government grants and scholarships at a 4-year college receive about $14,890 annually. On average, a student who receives a scholarship or grant at a private 4-year college will receive $8,005 more than a student in a public 4-year college.

That sounds depressing and you might ask what are my odds of winning a scholarship, but all hope is not lost. Many students and their families have applied for scholarships and used them to pay for college. But, you need to know the facts.

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5 Tips, Scholarship Friday, scholarships

5 Tips for a Focused Scholarship Search

scholarship search

With the myriad of tasks in a student’s life, it’s difficult to find the time to devote to a scholarship search. Not only is it difficult to find the time, but it’s even more difficult to stay focused. If scholarship money is the largest part of your college budget, then staying focused with your eye on the prize should be a priority, especially during junior and senior year.

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The Truth About Athletic Sholarships

athletic scholarships

Most of us have seen the movie Blind Side. The young man achieves his dream of a college education by receiving a full-ride athletic scholarship to the University of Mississippi. While this was indeed a true story, it is apparently a rare occurrence.

Karen Weaver, an Ivy League-educated consultant shared her expertise on the athletic recruiting process.  Karen’s experience includes positions as a Director of Athletics, adjunct professor, and head coach for schools at the NCAA Division I, III, and small college levels.

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Scholarship Friday, scholarships

9-11 Scholarships

 

9-11 scholarshipsToday marks the 22nd anniversary of  September 11th. Twenty two years ago today our country was attacked by terrorists. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 2,977 victims. The victims included 246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,606 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon. All of these victims left behind families. In these families, there were children who would eventually be pursuing higher education.

Seeing the need to help these families of the victims, scholarships rose up across the country to help their dependents fund higher education. The Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund was established. According to the fund’s declaration, their purpose is:

“… to provide education assistance for postsecondary study to financially needy dependents of those people killed or permanently disabled as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and during the rescue activities relating to those attacks.”

Scholarship America played a major role in the creation of the September 11 Scholarship Alliance, formed by leading scholarship providers and associated organizations to coordinate the various scholarship funds for postsecondary education created in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy. Although the Scholarship Alliance officially concluded its activities, there are still a number of scholarship funds in addition to the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund that provide assistance for postsecondary education for 9/11 families. Start your search here, in any of the following categories:

Memorial Funds and Other Funds
Scholarship America manages and administers Memorial and Other Funds. These Funds are managed and administered separately from the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund and have separate eligibility criteria. Generally speaking, Memorial Funds are provided for a group of families associated with a specific funder, while Other Funds are open to all 9/11 families.

College Funds
There are scholarship funds managed by individual colleges and universities, for use on their campuses only. Many of the colleges and universities provide matching scholarships to students who receive Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund education assistance.

Outside Organization Funds
Citizens throughout America stepped forward and donated funds to many relief efforts in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America. The establishment of scholarship funds was one means of providing such relief and assistance.

The fund this year will recognize an exciting milestone – this summer they awarded over $100 million to financially needy families since the inception of the Fund in 2001. The great news is that the Fund has been invested well and there remains over $96.5 million for the thousands of students who are yet to apply for awards.

Huntley Wealth Care Scholarship

This scholarship is for students who have lost one or both parents who either had no life insurance or were underinsured. Students can either submit an essay or a video essay

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

4 Excuses to Not Apply for Scholarships

 

scholarshipsIf you haven’t heard them, you have made them. These four excuses will keep you from getting a piece of the free money that’s out there and ripe for the picking. Make these excuses and you will be throwing away money that could be used to pay for scholarships.

It’s a waste of time.

If you think winning thousands of dollars of scholarship money isn’t worth your time you’re wrong. It’s worth every cent of your time and more. A few hours can net you thousands of dollars.

I hate writing essays.

There are plenty of “no essay” scholarships available. If essays scare you, look for the scholarships that don’t require them.

I never win anything.

You can’t win if you don’t apply. It’s a guarantee you won’t win if you don’t make the effort and apply.

Only smart kids win them.

Not all scholarships are academic scholarships. Many do not have a GPA requirement. This excuse doesn’t hold water. Many average students win scholarships.

If you want to know why scholarships are worth the effort, read this article I wrote for TeenLife.com: Are Scholarship Applications Worth the Hassle? You Bet!

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Scholarships with April Deadlines

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april deadlines
It’s the last day of March and #MarchMadness is coming to a close. Is your student’s college or your college in the final four?

March comes to a close and it’s time to look ahead to April. What will you do with the next month?

Help your student apply for these scholarships with April deadlines.

My absolute favorite source for monthly scholarship deadlines is JLV Consulting. Every month she posts a lists of current scholarships. While you are there, check out all her scholarship lists.

April scholarships

Scholarships.com is a great resource for scholarship searching. You can search by date, name, criteria, and more. Check out their list of scholarships with April deadlines.

Scholarships with deadlines in April

Unigo has some great scholarship opportunities that break the mold. Each one is unique in format and purpose. While you are there, check out all their scholarship listings.

Unigo scholarships with deadlines in April

Wonder how you can help? Check out Monica Matthews advice here AND grab an affordable copy of her How to Win College Scholarships Guide.

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Green Mountain College Offers $200,000 Sustainability Scholarship

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sustainability scholarship

Green Mountain College Announces $200,000 Scholarship Award to Help a Student Pursue Sustainable Education

The most pressing challenges of our time await your innovative solutions. Green Mountain College, the nation’s number-one college for sustainability based education, wants to empower you to make a better world. Today, the college is announcing a new First in Sustainability Scholarship Award for one student who is passionate about ensuring social, economic and/or environmental sustainability. The winning student will receive free tuition, room, board and fees for all four years at Green Mountain College—a total value of $200,000.

sustainability scholarship

Recognized more than any college for its leadership in sustainability, Green Mountain College of Poultney, Vermont provides a personal, practical and purposeful education that prepares graduates to “do well by doing good.” The college offers 22 academic majors and 32 additional minors and certificates, all built on its core sustainability focused general education curriculum. Students also gain extensive practical experience, from working at a community farm to building a solar garage that charges an electrical tractor (a student project), which gives them a leg up in the “green jobs” market. Ninety-seven percent of graduates are employed or in graduate school and ninety-five percent of graduates are satisfied or very satisfied in their work.

“More than twenty years ago, Green Mountain College became the first college in the nation to dedicate its curriculum to sustainability. Now, the imperative to take meaningful action is stronger than ever. We hope this scholarship will help catalyze today’s students to ensure a more sustainable world for generations to come,” said Robert (Bob) Allen, President, Green Mountain College.

Green Mountain College Offers $200,000 Sustainability Scholarship to High School Seniors
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About the Sustainability Scholarship

Get a head start fulfilling your life’s purpose! Any high school senior applying for admission to Green Mountain College’s class of 2021 is eligible for this scholarship award. Applicants are required to submit an additional essay, describing what change they would like to make for a better and more sustainable world. The piece (up to 800 words) should address these two topics:

  1. This is what you would change.
  2. This is how an education at Green Mountain College will prepare you to make the change.

All First in Sustainability Scholarship Award applications must be submitted online and received by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on February 15, 2017. One winner will be announced April 15, 2017.  The online application form can be found at greenmtn.edu/sustainabilityscholarship.

Green Mountain College offers rolling admissions. To apply for next year’s freshman class at Green Mountain College, please visit discover.greenmtn.edu/applynow/inquiryform. For additional information about the scholarship award, please email Karen Martinsen Fleming at flemingk@greenmtn.edu.

About Green Mountain College

The nation’s number-one college and curriculum for sustainability, Green Mountain College prepares students seeking to build meaningful careers pursuing social, economic and environmental sustainability. The college’s holistic sustainability based education, built on a core sustainability focused general education curriculum, enables students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in our rapidly changing world. Benefiting from a purposeful, personal, and practical education, 97 percent of Green Mountain College alumni are employed or in graduate school and 95 percent of Green Mountain College graduates report satisfaction from their careers. The college also offers online master’s degree programs, and a three-year B.S. degree in partnership with The Killington Resort. For more information, please see www.greenmtn.edu.

 

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

2017 Frame My Future Scholarship

Frame my future scholarship

Unlike most of the traditional scholarships, there are no essays to write, no grade or academic requirements—it is all about creativity. With the Frame My Future Scholarship, students are challenged to create a visual entry, whether it is a photograph, collage, painting, illustration, poem, short story—any single piece that demonstrates what he/she would like to do in their personal and professional life after college. Entrants are asked to follow the theme: This is how I Frame my Future.

Award Information

  • Five $1,000 scholarship awards
  • One $1,000 donation to Grand Prize Winner’s college/university

Eligibility Criteria

The 2017 scholarship contest is open to students who are:

  • Attending a U.S. college or university full-time for the 2017-2018 academic year (including community college, undergraduate, or graduate school)
  • A legal U.S. resident

How to Apply

Students can apply for the Frame My Future Scholarship by visiting this website: www.framemyfuture.com

The entry period is from November 1, 2016 to March 1, 2017.

Selection Criteria

Church Hill Classics will select 24 Finalists based on the creativity of the full entry, including the entry image and accompanying description (maximum of 500 characters). The full entry must:

  • Be your own work and relate to the theme – This is how I Frame My Future
  • Contain correct grammar and spelling

The 24 Finalists advance to a one-month public voting phase. The five entries with the most votes will each earn a $1,000 scholarship. The top vote-getter also earns the $1,000 donation for his/her college or university’s scholarship endowment fund. Each winner will also receive a custom diploma frame.

____________________

About Church Hill Classics/diplomaframe.com

Church Hill Classics known online as diplomaframe.com is located in Connecticut, where for the past 25 years they have manufactured custom diploma frames for colleges, universities, and high schools.

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

October Is a Busy Scholarship Month

 

october

While you are thinking of fall colors and Halloween, there are so many opportunities to apply for scholarships. October is a busy deadline month for scholarship seekers. Take advantage of the many scholarships with October deadlines and score some free money for college.

According to Jessica Velasco of JLV College Conseling, “attending college can be quite expensive for students and their families. Luckily, there are many college scholarships and contests available to help pay for a college education. Students should seek out and apply for scholarships in which they meet the eligibility requirements.” Jessica provides a full list of scholarships with October deadlines.

Niche’s scholarship list of October scholarships allows you can choose a category and filter by states, majors, minorities and easy to apply. Or you can look at the entire list of scholarships with October deadlines.

Allen Grove, a college admissions expert for About Education says, “October is one of the busiest months of the college admissions process, and many applicants are so preoccupied with their college applications that scholarships aren’t on their radar. They should be. Many scholarship opportunities expire in October.” Allen provides a sampling of 42 scholarships with October deadlines.

Although October is full of frivolity, it’s also one of the best months for you to ‘carve out’ some time for scholarships. There are many fall programs available to high school and college students, but just like ghosts, they will evaporate soon. Unigo has compiled a list of “Spooktacular Scholarships with October Deadlines”.

DoSomething.org provides unique scholarship opportunities for you to make a difference in your community. After you participate in one of their campaigns you are entered to win a scholarship. These scholarships are great opportunities to blend community service with scholarship awards. Check out this list of DoSomething’s scholarship campaigns with October deadlines,

Scholarships.com has an extensive list of scholarships for students who need funding for college. They have provided a list of scholarships with deadlines in October. While you are there, check out their other lists of scholarships listing deadlines by the months.