Category Archives: scholarships

scholarships, test prep

Scholarships and the ACT: How to Apply and What to Score

ACT

 

For students who are juniors or seniors in high school, it’s time to start thinking about ACT scores and possible scholarships.

How to Find and Apply For Scholarships

While getting a top score on the ACT isn’t easy, it is simple. Or at least, the process for taking the ACT is simple compared to the process of hunting for scholarships.

Finding the right scholarship is complicated because scholarship money comes from so many sources. And of course, every scholarship foundation has different application requirements. When it comes to finding the right scholarships and figuring out how to apply for them, it’s hard to know where to start.

Fortunately, there are a lot of resources to help you on your scholarship hunt. For one thing, many scholarships are specific to one university. Every university you apply to has a scholarship page on its website. This page will include a full list of scholarships just for students at that school, complete with eligibility requirements and application instructions.

There are actually a lot fewer state and national college scholarships, compared to the number of single-school scholarships. Still, larger-scale scholarships can be a significant source of college funding too. One of the best tools for finding larger scale scholarships actually comes from the “other” university entrance exam provider. That’s right, I’m talking about the college Board, the maker of the SAT. If you look at the College Board’s Scholarship Search website, you can find all sorts of state and national scholarships. The site’s custom search tools help students find scholarships that match their personal eligibility. This search portal can be used to look up both SAT and ACT score requirements for specific scholarships.

And while we’re talking about other college-related tests, be sure to look into National Merit Scholarship options. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that national Merit Scholarships are only connected to PSAT scores. This scholarship network also gives out extra awards to students who have top scores on both the PSAT and the ACT. (Top SAT scores are useful too!) For more information, check out the National Merit Scholarship Corporation website.

What ACT Scores Do you Need for Scholarships?

Now that’s the big question, isn’t it? There’s really no one answer to that question. If an ACT score is good enough to get someone into a university somewhere, it’s good enough to get them some kind of scholarship.

Still, for the biggest, best selection of scholarships, you’ll want to aim for an ACT score of at least 30. And the higher above 30, the better. The most competitive scholarships tend to require an ACT score of 33+.

To get that top score and get access to as many scholarships as possible, you’ll want to study, study, study. Preparation is everything when it comes to ACT success and scholarship readiness. That’s where a site like Magoosh ACT can really help you. Go to Magoosh to read up on important ACT Math topics, tips for ACT English, ACT Reading, and ACT Science, and advice about the ACT Essay.

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Today’s guest post is provided by David Recine of Magoosh. Magoosh is an online test prep company that offers affordable study programs and apps for the standardized tests.

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.

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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.

scholarships

Top 5 Tips for Winning Scholarships

winning scholarships

The burden of college tuition is too harsh for a hard-working parent. No matter how much you planned your expenses and tried to save money for years before this moment came, you’re put in front a huge challenge: you have to invest thousands of dollars in a single year of education. The average annual tuition fees in a prestigious private college in the USA are $35,000, and state institutions charge around $25,000 per year.              

There are many families and students that cannot afford making such investment in higher education. That’s why the idea of a scholarship sounds incredibly appealing. The only problem is: scholarship programs are incredibly competitive. You have to try very hard to submit proper applications, achieve academic success, and commit to extracurricular activities if you want a chance to get into a program. The good news is: it’s possible. There are plenty of organizations and governmental programs that give opportunities to talented students.

The Benefits of Scholarships: High-Quality Education for Free

If you cannot afford high-quality education, then you would have to make peace with low-rated programs that don’t guarantee a bright professional future. The truth is, even the best universities don’t guarantee that, but a talented student has better chances to get noticed by recruiters if they pick Harvard, UCLA, or another reputable school.

The mere fact of gaining a scholarship is an accomplishment the student feels proud of. They start believing in their talents, and they have a motivation to expand their capacity. With that encouragement, students are pushed towards a better future.

Here are few examples of famous people who received scholarships:

  • Bill Gates won a National Merit Scholarship in 1973. He attended Harvard and became one of the most influential men of his time.
  • Edwin Hubble, a famous astronomer who played a critical role in the establishment of extragalactic astronomy, also received a scholarship. He was the brightest student at his high school. At the graduation in 1906, the principle of the school said: “Edwin Hubble, I have watched you for four years and I have never seen you studying for ten minutes… Here is a scholarship for the University of Chicago.” Hubble’s athletic skills also gained him a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford.

How did Bill Gates and Edwin Hubble get their scholarships? They were certainly among the brightest students of their generation, and that helped them get noticed. However, we have to keep in mind that there are thousands of students with similar skills and accomplishments.

How does one get noticed in all that competition? We have 5 great tips that can help a student get there. 

5 Tips that Lead You to a Scholarship

Start the Search as Early as Possible

The biggest mistake you could make is waiting. Start the search for scholarship programs before the start of senior year, and mark all deadlines in Google Calendar. Set the app to send you reminders at least a month before the application deadlines.

Focus on the scholarship your future college student is qualified for. Analyze the requirements very carefully, and encourage your son or daughter to meet them. No pressure is needed; only encouragement. Remember: you should never force your kids too hard. You need to motivate them to achieve goals they will benefit from.

Go Local

When you’re supporting your son or daughter to apply for scholarships, you should definitely encourage them to aim high. The National Merit Scholarship and other prestigious programs are worthy of a try. However, you should also be aware of the fact that the competition there is overwhelming.

Local scholarships, on the other hand, are open to much smaller groups of students. Conduct an online research and ask around: are there companies, NGOs, small business, clubs, and benefactors that offer scholarships on a local level? Teachers and guidance counselors have this information, so don’t forget to ask them for advice.

Unigo’s Scholarship Search tool can give you a list of scholarships your future college student is qualified for.

Make the Application Personal

A student has to showcase academic or athletic achievements in order to gain a scholarship. However, they need to show some personality, too. That’s why the application essay is so important. It has to be very unique, specific, and personal. Support your kid through all stages of completion. If necessary, invest in a writing course.

The essay has to explain why the student deserves that scholarship more than any other applicant. Great writers can write monumental essays even when they are inspired from the simplest experience. That’s the effect you want to achieve.

Edit, Proofread, and Be Very Diligent

You never send the first draft of a personal essay in the application. Never! That paper will need some editing and proofreading. When your kid writes it, advise them to proofread the content very diligently. Then, you can offer to check it out. The best thing to do at this point would be to hire an online editor. They will improve the quality and logical flow of the paper, so it will be ready to become part of the application.

Your kid should make sure to go through the directions for application once again and provide all necessary documents.

Don’t Get Disappointed. Don’t Give Up!

No one can guarantee you a scholarship. No matter how hard the student tries to meet all requirements and write the perfect essay, they might get rejected. If that happens, don’t be disappointed. Do not give up! Keep finding other opportunities and keep applying. Sharon Stone was awarded a scholarship to Edinboro University when she was 15 years old. If she didn’t get that scholarship, do you think she would’ve given up? No way; you can recognize a persistent person when you see one. Keep applying and keep trying.

Scholarship applications may seem overwhelming. There are too many opportunities to explore and essays to write. However, some people get the awards pretty easily. They apply and they win! That can happen for your kid, too. Devoted studying, exploring different interests, and a diligent applying process – that’s the key to winning a scholarship and working towards a bright future. Good luck! 

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Today’s guest contributor is Jessica Freeman, a professional journalist and a freelance content writer at the company Australian Writings. She focuses her content writing on education, career, success, and academic topics. You can follow her on Facebook and Google+.

financial aid, scholarships

Crowdfunding to Pay for College

 

crowdfunding

Crowdfunding. It’s the new way to raise money for all kinds of worthwhile endeavors. But did you know that your student can use it to raise money for college? In the spirit of the famous quote, “It takes a village to raise a child”, crowdfunding takes college savings to a whole new level.

Though it might seem awkward asking for money for college, crowdfunding sites act as intermediaries. These sites allow students to submit a personal appeal for funds. Much like wedding registries that everyone is familiar with, crowdfunding sits act as a college registry to seek money to pay for college.

Is this something that interests you and your student? Here’s a list of crowdfunding sites to explore and help you get the ball rolling:

Acentive

Acentive, is a unique crowdfunding platform designed to help students raise money for college from their community, allows pledges to actually incentivize students to excel academically. Pledges from family, friends, and the community are tied to academic performance (such as $25 for every A earned); this means the better the grades, the better the payout.

Other crowdfunding platforms generically ask donors for money. Acentive provides a way for donors to set academic targets and reward students for success so they feel good knowing students had to work hard to earn those donations.

The company believes that monetary rewards are a great way to incentivize academic performance and have found that family and friends are excited to offer support when it gives students a goal. The short-term rewards help students focus on short-term performance, particularly during freshman year when the pressures of college are high. According to co-founder Jeremy Bolian, “Acentive is the best way to raise money for college because it leverages community support in a way that actually incentivizes students to excel in school.”

YouCaring

Is the cost of college standing in the way of your educational goals? Every year, the cost of education rises twice as fast as medical care costs! College costs show no signs of slowing. In your lifetime, the price of attending college has increased over 1100%. Student loan debt has doubled in the last 10 years. YouCaring makes raising money for college tuition fast, easy—and free. Students on our fundraising platform get the tools they need to offset the rising costs of getting a quality education, absolutely free.

Indiegogo

Indiegogo is a crowdfunding platform that doesn’t decide who does or does not get funded – it’s all in the hands of the public. With it, you can raise money for college.

Gift of College

If you’re reluctant to solicit gifts for their children’s college funds, Gift of College would be an excellent crowdfunding source. With this unique offering, friends and relatives have an option to contribute to a 529 saving account by purchasing a gift card for special occasions and holidays.

The cards offer a tangible way to contribute to a college fund, rather than simply writing a check. You can purchase these gift cards online at their website or at various merchants to use as gifts.

GreenNote

You may not realize it, but there are lots of people out there rooting for you. Friends, family, friends of family and your community. Even people you may not know directly. People want you to get an education, they want you to graduate and they want you to have a successful career.

So why not consider asking them for help? Using the GreenNote online service, you can request donations from your social network and provide them with a really simple and convenient way to send funds just when you need them the most!

Go Fund Me

GoFundMe is a popular fundraising/crowdfunding site. Why not use it to raise money for college? College is expensive. Ease the financial burden by fundraising for higher education costs, including those not covered by financial aid or scholarships, such as room and board or study abroad trips.

PigIt

PigIt’s co-founder describes the site as “education’s entrepreneurial piggy bank.” On the site, students are able to offer their personal skills, abilities or products in exchange for financial contributions. It’s a great way for students to actively gain control of their current debt situation, without the temptation of spending the funding elsewhere.

Rally

Rally.org makes it easy for individuals, groups, social causes and non-profits to fundraise online with no tipping points or hassle. It’s easy to create a beautiful, inspiring, online-fundraising page with Rally.org. Simply upload a photo or video with your fundraising story and you’re ready to go! Their expert team has designed a fundraising website with your goals in mind.

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.

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarship Friday: Savor Summer College Scholarship

“Apply to scholarships with the least number of applicants to increase your odds of winning.”

savor summer college scholarship

This advice applies not only to local scholarships, but also non-nationally known scholarships as well. Today’s scholarship is awarded by How to Win College Scholarships’ founder Monica Matthews.

The Savor Summer College Scholarship (sponsored by how2winscholarships.com) is a $500 scholarship award.

To be eligible, students must meet the following guidelines:

  • Have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or above
  • Be a U.S. Citizen
  • Be a high school sophomore, junior, or senior (2015/2016 school year)
  • Submit one letter of recommendation from a current high school administrator, teacher, employer, or community leader
  • Submit a copy of most current high school transcripts
  • Submit an essay of 500 words or less answering the question, “How are you planning on using your summer vacation?”

This is a non-renewable, one-time award of $500 to be used exclusively to offset costs and fees related directly to the student’s first year of higher post-secondary education at an accredited institution of the student’s choosing within the United States.  The winner will be chosen on or before July 14, 2016.

ONLY COMPLETE APPLICATIONS WITH REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION WILL BE CONSIDERED.  Questions about the Savor Summer College Scholarship may be directed to how2winscholarships@gmail.com.

Deadline:  Applications must be postmarked by July 1, 2016.  No fax or email applications will be accepted.

scholarships, test prep

Your SAT Score Can Help Win Scholarships

 

sat score

Working hard in school can help you land great scholarships that will help you with the cost of going to school. Scholarships are a much better alternative to student loans because you don’t have to pay them back. How well you do in school can have an impact on the amount of scholarship money you will receive. Scoring high on your SAT exam is one way to ensure you have a good chance at receiving a scholarship.

Preparing for your SAT Exam

Since most colleges in the United States require students to take the SAT exam, it’s important to be prepared on testing day to get a good score. The current 2016 SAT exam takes approximately three hours to complete, with an additional 50 minutes given for the essay portion. Scores can range anywhere from 400 to 1600 and is usually taken by high school juniors or seniors. Being prepared for the exam is the best way to ensure you’ll receive a good score. Read Kranse SAT reviews to learn about a great course that will ensure you’re prepared and confident on testing day.

Merit-Based Scholarships

If you’ve done exceptionally well in school and if you received a good score on your SAT exam, you may be eligible to receive a merit-based scholarship. Merit-based scholarships are granted to individuals who have great academic records, high GPAs, good standardized test scores and other types of achievements. Many merit-based scholarships are sponsored by colleges and universities, so if you think you may qualify for one, be sure to find out more about them.

Outside Scholarships

Merit-based scholarships aren’t the only scholarships available. Many also require a high SAT score to apply. There are hundreds of different types of scholarships available. The first place you should look for scholarships is local. Browse the websites of the high school in your area because they might have scholarship information on them. Social media and scholarship search engines are also great resources. If you’re really good at something, such as art, you can use that to find specific scholarships based that interest and expertise.

College is stressful enough for most people, but with scholarships you will worry less about the cost of going to school and focus more on your studies. Do well in school now and prepare for standardized tests so you can ensure you have a better chance at receiving some great scholarships to help you out. 

 

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarship Friday: Fishing Scholarships

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fishing scholarships

The #1 searched item on my website is this: Snag a Fishing Scholarship. Who knew there were so many students and parents looking for fishing scholarships? But how do you win these scholarships in high school? First, you have to compete in competitions that award scholarships. If your high school doesn’t have a fishing club, start one. Then get registered for all the fishing competitions in your area. Check out this Washington High School State Championship, and search for others within your state.

”College-age anglers are getting the opportunity to keep casting, and it’s more than just a hobby. Bethel University, a college in McKenzie, Tenn., with an enrollment of 5,825, first laid the roots for its fishing program in 2009. They weren’t the first school to offer bass fishing, but they were the first to offer scholarships for anglers.”

As I’ve said previously, the best scholarships are often offered by the colleges themselves. But where do you find these colleges? Here are a few places you can look:

If you like bass fishing, these colleges will be right up your “lake, river, stream”. Here is a list of colleges, by state, that have affiliated with the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series. Each state is listed along with its College Series conference (Central, Eastern, Midwest, Northern, Southern or Western) Check to see if your college of choice is listed.

https://www.bassmaster.com/news/find-bass-fishing-college

Fishing League Worldwide surveyed National Guard FLW College Fishing anglers in the country on their clubs, their schools, their fishing lifestyles and more, and we scored the results based on the factors we thought most important for a college angler: proximity to bass fisheries, tournament opportunities, club activities, etc. We also interviewed club officers and tournament winners. We then tossed all the information together, combined our “editors’ rankings” – completely ignoring the Bowl Championship Series computer scores – and ended up with the results that follow: the top 25 bass fishing colleges.

http://www.flwfishing.com/tips/2010-02-01-top-25-bass-fishing-colleges

When searching for specific scholarships like fishing, you have to be a detective. Do a Google search for “fishing scholarships”, “fishing scholarship competitions” and “colleges with fishing scholarships”. Follow all the links and keep researching. This will take some time, but the reward will be worth it!

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Scholarship Friday, scholarships

The 5 Best Places to Search for Scholarships

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search for scholarships

I can’t stress enough the importance of adding a scholarship search strategy to your college prep. Even if you’re prepared to foot the entire bill, your student should have some “skin in the game”. Searching for scholarships is one way to make that happen.

Where does your student begin? Here are five great places to search for scholarships, but don’t stop there. Think outside the box and keep your eyes peeled for scholarships in the most unexpected places–like posters at fast food restaurants, info cards at retail cash registers, etc.

1. Search Locally

Always begin with local scholarship searches. Watch the news. Look on local high school websites. Get a list of organizations that provide scholarships at the library or from your school counselor. Get a list of local companies and inquire about scholarship opportunities.

2. Take advantage of social media

Since your teen is no social media 99% of the time, it’s one of the easiest places to search for scholarships. Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter provide students with a wealth of scholarship opportunity. Don’t forget about college prep blogs like this one–and Monica Matthews’ How to Win Scholarships and Jessica Velasco’s monthly scholarship list.

3. Use the best scholarship search engines

Scholarship search engines abound, as do reviews on these engines. I recommend several, but find the one you like the best and stick to that one. If you don’t, you’ll become overwhelmed with emails and trying to find the ones that best fit your student.

4. Ask friends and family

Never discount the help of friends and family, especially those with students who have already graduated and won scholarships. Ask your companies if they provide scholarships for family members. Ask friends who are members of local organizations like Kiwanis and Elks if there are scholarships available.

5. Focus on specific interests

Look for scholarships that are the best fit for your student. Is he interested in making videos and film? Is she a budding scientist? Is he a tech whiz? Are they fans of Star Trek or The Walking Dead? These are just a few of the areas that students can use when doing a scholarship search.

Use these five techniques and your student will be on their way toward winning free money for college!

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Short Video Scholarships with April Deadlines

 

short video scholarships

 

Just about every teen these days makes videos using their smartphone or other device. Why not put that everyday activity to good use and apply to these short video scholarships?

These short video scholarships with April deadlines are just the ticket for future filmmakers and YouTube stars.

What type of videos does the student have to submit? There are varying topics like disarmament, distracted driving, and public service announcements. One of the video scholarships ask your student to make a video about something that inspires them.

There truly are scholarships for every interest and you don’t have to have a stellar GPA to apply for these. The awards range from $5000 to $500. That’s a decent amount of pocket change for creating a short video!

Instead of spending the weekend texting friends, encourage your student to involve them in his video scholarships creations. It could be tons of fun and in the end, could add some serious money to your student’s college fund.

Read more for all the details of these scholarships with April deadlines