College Scholarships

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Scholarship Essay Contests

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Winning College Scholarships: Five Tips

by AJ Kerr

Whether you're applying for an undergraduate degree or a graduate degree, winning college scholarship money can go a long way toward helping to pay your educational expenses. Here are five tips to help you apply for and win college scholarship dollars.

Tip #1: Think small

This might sound counterintuitive, but when you're searching for college scholarship opportunities consider local scholarships first. Think about any hobbies or organizations you or your family are involved with and find out if they offer any kind of scholarships. Check with local businesses as well. These should be the scholarships you consider first.

Why? Local and small scholarships often have a smaller applicant pool, meaning your chance of getting the scholarship is increased. Also, smaller college scholarship organizations are usually more willing and able to answer any questions you may have during the application process. Often these groups are more than happy to help applicants through the scholarship process, and you often make great local contacts in the process.

Tip #2: Do your research

When applying for a college scholarship, make sure you clearly understand the guidelines and the application process so you don't waste time applying for college scholarships you aren't likely to win.

Start by checking out college scholarship directories and look for any scholarships you qualify for. The internet is great for conducting scholarship searches. You don't have to pay for college scholarship information on the web, although pay sites are available. There are also several free websites available.

In addition to online searching, you can also go to your local library and search one of the many scholarship directories published each year. While you're there, you can also browse some of the countless scholarship guidebooks that have been published over the years.

One resourse that many people have found helpful is The Scholarship & Grant Guide by Jerry Bohlken. Bohlken's guide holds a wealth of information on what types of scholarships are available for college students, how to apply, and how to win the scholarships that are right for you. It can easily be ordered online.

You'll want to make a list of all the college  scholarships you potentially qualify for. Locate as many scholarships as you can. With so many students vying for a limited number of scholarship dollars, you'll want to apply for as many scholarships as you possibly can

Tip #3: Sell, sell, sell

Once you've targeted a list of college scholarships you qualify for, you have to sell yourself and your abilities to the scholarship committee. There are many, many books written on this topic that can be found in libraries, and there are countless websites dedicated to teaching you how to sell yourself. Any of these resources will give you detailed information, but the bottom line for winning college scholarships is: you'll want to submit a killer essay.

Many scholarships require an essay or personal statement, so this where you'll spend most of your energy. Give yourself plenty of time to work on it and take the time to perfect your essay. You'll want to show the scholarship committee that you are worthy of the scholarship and that you'll use the money to actively contribute to society.

Start by making a list of your achievements, personal and academic. You'll also need to think of a personal story that demonstrates how you've succeeded at a task or overcome some obstacle. The story is the core of your essay and it serves as a frame to showcase your accomplishments. This is the time to show your passion and your ability to succeed. Take your time and craft a compelling essay.

Tip #4: Be early

When applying for scholarships and college, always plan ahead. If you need letters of recommendation, make sure you ask people well in advance. Get your personal statement finished well in advance of the deadline so you'll have plenty of time to do any edits and have someone else look it over.

Never wait until the last minute to turn in a scholarship application. It's almost guaranteed that if something can go wrong, it will. If you need letters of recommendation, there will probably be unexpected delays in getting them. Make all your requests early, follow up with your recommenders, and allow for plenty of extra time before the deadline. There are few things more nerve wracking than trying to put together an application packet days before the deadline.

Tip #5: Give thanks

Whether you receive the college scholarship or not, always be sure to send a thank you card to anyone who wrote you a letter of recommendation or helped you with your personal statement or application. It's a huge time investment on their part to write a letter or review an essay for you so show your gratitude. Tell them how much their help meant to you. In addition to being the polite thing to do, it also keeps the lines of communication open between you. After all, you may need to ask them for assistance again during the next round of scholarship applications.

Getting a college scholarship can help lower the cost of going to college.

You may find yourself applying or reapplying for them every year you're in school. By doing your research and following a few common-sense tips, you can increase your chances of winning scholarships. This is great for your resume and your pocketbook.  Good luck with your scholarship search.

Scholarships Search Tools and Guides

The Scholarship & Grant Guide's extremely comprehensive scholarship tool and resource. Highly recommended!

FastWeb is a free scholarship search to find information on more than 600,000 scholarships! Did I say it is free?

Kaplan Scholarships 2008: Billions of Dollars in Free Money for College (Kaplan Scholarships) This book is great for High school students. It contains information on scholarships that are not school spesific and tips and advice on how to win them.

The College Board Scholarship Handbook 2008 (College Board Scholarship Handbook) The Scholarship Handbook is a well handbook for students and parents who need help winning Scholarship. It provide information on about more than 2,100 scholarship, internship, as well asloan programs offered to undergraduates.The book explains each program and indexes them help students find scholarships for which they may qualify and win.

Free Money For Nursing School!

My Scholarships Story

When I started college, I did qualify for student loans but did not receive a Pell grant. Student loans only go so far and the mortgage still needs to be paid and food still needs to be put on the table. Read the rest of the scholarships story.

Related: Money and College: financial aid, budgeting and money saving tips.