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For a comprehensive
search of scholarships, we recommend that you visit
ScholarshipExperts.com-a complete database of 2.4
million scholarships. This will save your time finding
money. It is Fast, Free, and Easy.
There is nothing like getting scholarship information
directly from someone who has already had the experience.
Here are a few tips that one parent shared about getting
scholarship money for college. Her son went to a private
college for four years on a full scholarship and her daughter
earned a scholarship at a state school. Below are some
brief thoughts to consider when looking for your scholarship.
Her words of wisdom, for getting the scholarship that
you want, were to start early, start early, start early!
There are two important scholarship dates to make sure
that you stay ahead of the deadlines. One of the most
important things to start doing early, is to study and
sit for the ACT or FAT. Many students start studying for
and taking the test in the seventh or eighth grade . She
says that it does not matter how many times you take the
test. So many people take the test several times. The
most important thing in qualifying for a scholarship is
your final test score.
It would be good to check to see what test is required
in your state for scholarships. Because of making a 32
on the ACT, her son won the governor's scholar award and
received scholarship money from the state program called
the academic challenge. Watching for test deadlines is
very important because they missed one test that could
have given them more scholarship money.
The second important date is the deadline set for applying
to be eligible for the various scholarships. You will
start testing at least in the eighth grade and it does
not hurt to start learning what scholarships are available
by the time you reach the tenth grade. For sure by the
eleventh grade, you need to know the scholarship rules
that you are interested in pursuing because the deadlines
for applying for many scholarships can be nine months
before the fall that you would enter college.
Another start early point for scholarship success is when
applying for a scholarship, you would treat it like you
were preparing a good resume. You need to put as many
scholarship enhancing details as you can about how involved
you are in the community, how you are serving at the home
for senior citizen, you volunteer at the hospital, you
are a life guard at the pool in the summer, you have a
part time job at the mall or anything that enhances your
chances of being selected for the scholarship. A good
idea is to document anything to use when applying for
your scholarship that shows you are an asset to your family,
your church, your school and your community.
Here is a Good Way to Start Your Scholarship Success!
Now you have one eye on the test dates and test scores
and the other eye on the scholarships that you want and
the scholarship application deadlines. Then you want to
contact the college that you wish to attend to see what
their scholarship requirements are. The college should
be very helpful and interested in your success not only
in applying for your scholarship but in your success throughout
your college experience. They will be able to tell you
what scholarships you will qualify to receive and the
tests and test scores that will be required for that scholarship.
A good way to get a general idea and overview of what
scholarships could be available is by searching the internet.
This a great place to start to get a broad base scholarship
information. The college that you are interested in attending
should have scholarship information online and your state
department of higher education should be a very good scholarship
source online. You can do scholarship searches for free
on some websites and get a feeling of what is available
and what additional questions that you should ask about
any scholarship. There are some sites where you have to
pay for scholarship searches and there are government
supported counseling services along with paid seminars
that would give you more scholarship information.
When you are selecting a scholarship, be aware to consider
the source of the scholarship funds and the organization
that is behind the scholarship. The Federal Trade Commission
warns students and parents to always be aware. If the
scholarship sounds too good to be true, then you need
to be careful. Below is one of their announcements.
Scholarships guaranteed or your money back! Beware of
scholarship "guarantees." Before you pay for a search
service, get the refund policy in writing. Call the Federal
Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP to learn how to avoid
scholarship scams.
Once you get a scholarship, the money should go directly
to the school and they will take care of the details on
your behalf. Something to be aware of after you get into
school is the requirements to keep your scholarship. Once
you get your scholarship, you do not want to lose it by
not keeping your grade point to the required level or
missing one of the other scholarship rules.
Here is one last point. Treat it like a business. Be serious.
Be diligent. Treat your scholarship search like you are
getting paid to do it. Actually, you are getting paid.
About the author: Dewitt Shotts
is President and Founder of Marketing Solutions, Inc.
Marketing Solutions serves the proprietary school industry
as a full service company including television production,
media buying, direct mail and internet lead generation.
For a comprehensive search of scholarships, we
recommend that you visit
ScholarshipExperts.com-a complete database of 2.4
million scholarships. This will save your time finding
money. It is Fast, Free, and Easy.
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Scholarship
Advice