-
Ask Early and Nicely for Letters of Recommendation
Tweet Share on Facebook February 24, 2011 Comment (1)We know high school students are extremely busy. Between homework, after-school activities, and everything that comes along with applying to college, you barely have a moment to breathe, let alone research and apply for scholarships. But it's worth it. The more free money you get for college now, the less you have to pay back in student loans later.
It's imperative that you start early, not only to save yourself the stress that often comes along with procrastination, but also because as the year progresses, you won't be the only one with a huge workload. Your teachers and advisers—the very people you'll rely on for letters of recommendation for scholarship and college applications —will be busy with dozens of recommendations, on top of grading papers and projects and wrapping up the year.
-
Search Early—and Often—for Scholarships
Tweet Share on Facebook February 17, 2011 CommentEach week we've repeated some form of the same message, which is now almost our mantra: start your scholarship search early. Be prepared. Take your time.
But with the announcement last week of a new scholarship program by the GM Foundation, we'd like to add: search often! New opportunities may present themselves at any time.
-
Get Your Scholarship Application Noticed
Tweet Share on Facebook February 10, 2011 Comment (6)Once you've developed profiles on several scholarship search engines and have checked for scholarship opportunities in your community, it's time to get down to the business of filling out those applications. Before you do, Scholarship America's Scholarship Management Services® division—which has been evaluating scholarship applications for 35 years and last year alone processed more than 350,000—offers some advice to consider.
These tips are all pretty much common sense. No single thing will make an application stand out—but if you follow all of these suggestions, your application will be noticed for its completeness and professional presentation.
-
Turn Your Community Service Into College Cash
Tweet Share on Facebook February 3, 2011 Comment (3)The great poet and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote that "no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." Never does that statement ring more true than when you're looking at higher education. Helping others in your community—whether it's by building houses, delivering meals, or feeding animals—is truly its own reward, but it can also have tangible benefits when it comes to attending and paying for college. Here are a few avenues through which your volunteer service can translate into college scholarships or student loan forgiveness:
1. Local, national, and nontraditional scholarship programs: As always, the first place to look for scholarships that feature a community service component is in your own backyard. Much of my own volunteering in high school was initially spurred on because I knew the local Rotary, Elks, and Kiwanis clubs based their scholarship awards not only on academics and activities but also on self-started community service. Scholarships like these can add up; some, like the Dollars for Scholars Community Volunteer Service Award, also enter their local winners into national competitions.
