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.
Continue reading 5 Tips for a Focused Scholarship Search
Need help with your scholarship search?
I’m a Twitter fanatic. I hopped on the bandwagon early and I’ve been using it ever since. If you aren’t on there, you should be. If you want your student to find and apply for scholarships, you most definitely should be. Scholarship sites tweet daily about current and upcoming scholarships. If you (and your student) follow them, you can easily find scholarships daily to apply to.
and don’t forget to follow me @SuzanneShaffer because I follow these and RT any additional scholarships I become aware of.
In addition to following these accounts, use the Twitter search engine by typing in “scholarship” and “scholarships”. Then check under each category: Top, Latest, People and Broadcasts to add an additional level to your search.
Create a list in your Twitter account and add these accounts and others you find to it. Then, each morning you can check their feeds for the latest scholarships posted. Dig a little deeper and visit their websites to find additional postings.
There’s no lack of scholarship information on Twitter. All you have to do is know where to look.
Once you find the scholarships you want to win them. For the best chance to win, check out Monica’s ebook: How to WIN College Scholarships. She will help you package the scholarship to stand out among all the other applicants. It’s a small investment with a “HUGE” payoff!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 searching is an art. It requires a commitment of time, energy and perseverance. As in any worthwhile pursuit there are tips to make it easier and more effective.
Here are 10 tips for your scholarship search:
Yes you can (win that scholarship)! “Yes you can” are the call words for many motivational speakers, school programs, political campaigns and even song lyricists. The scholarship hunt requires that type of motivation: perseverance, attention to detail, and the desire to succeed. We all know that success requires attention to the goal and focusing on the prize. The scholarship search is no different.
“If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again!” That pretty much sums up the search process. Scholarships are the icing on the cake in the college admissions process–get into the right school and fund it with free money. Winning a scholarship to pay for college is every parent’s dream and the scholarship search process is every student’s nightmare. But with a little effort and some good advice on how and where to search, the effort will be worth their time. There is money out there for every type of student and every area of interest. Yes you can (win that scholarship)!
Read about five cliches that apply to the search for scholarship bucks>>
Question: Is it worth my time to apply for scholarships?
It is if you want FREE money. Because that’s what scholarships are: FREE money. The key is to apply for those scholarships that “fit” you. Each scholarship is looking for students with specific qualities. If you meet those, you’ll have a much better chance of winning the scholarship.
Question: I’m not the best student. Is there a scholarship out there for me?
Absolutely. Many scholarships aren’t based on grades, but on specific criteria. Many are essay contests. Many are based on heritage or affiliation. Many are based on specific talents or abilities. So even though you’re not a “straight A” student, there are scholarships out there that would be a perfect fit for you.
Question: Do I have to have a long list of extracurricular activities to win a scholarship?
The great thing about scholarships is that you can distinguish yourself by being focused on a particular activity. It’s not how many you have, but what you have spent your time on during your teen years. If you communicate your strengths (such as working all throughout high school), you won’t need a long list of activities.
Question: Are all scholarships the same?
Absolutely not. Scholarships are as varied as people. There are scholarships for academics, writing, inventing, music, lineage, creativity, geographic residence, and the list goes on and on. As I said previously, finding the ones that “fit” is the key to success.
Question: What is the easiest way to find out about scholarships?
Go online to scholarship sites (you can find some on my TOOLS page) and register. Ask your counselor. Visit your local library reference desk.
Sign up for me FREE Ebook for many other suggestions!