Write your way into the new year
1/11/2012
By Katie Heino, Senior, Alverno College
Researching scholarships is an art. It requires knowing your strengths and ultimately, what works best for
you. With that said, pinpointing your strengths will help you to know which scholarships have the most
potential.
If you happen to be a person who enjoys writing, there are plenty of opportunities for you to express
yourself. Most scholarships are based on applications and submitting information, like your GPA and
ACT/SAT scores. However, an essay contest truly allows scholarship providers to learn more about your
personality and your ability to express personal beliefs.
As you delve into writing, keep these tips in mind:
1. Know Your Competition. Scholarships that require you to write an essay based on your
response to a novel or a particular situation can be time consuming. However, knowing your
competition will help you to budget your time more effectively and know if it is worth your time.
For example, the Ayn Rand Institute offers scholarships that involve reading a novel and in
response, writing an essay. It is very competitive, but if you have the time—go for it.
2. Use School as a Resource. Visit your school’s financial aid or career center. Professionals
working in these departments have the networking skills to help you research and they probably
have a list of scholarships available. Also, if you happen to know a teacher who is willing to edit
your work, this could be very beneficial.
3. Read Carefully. Essay contests are crafted so that the writer keeps-on-track and so that the
judge’s time is not being wasted. Make sure you follow key criteria, such as word count or page
limits, font, margins, and how it should be submitted (email, etc.), because simple mistakes can
cost you big points.
4. Save, Save, Save. Keep a large box in your basement or closet to store all of your
accomplishments, especially if your work has been published or is chosen as a winning piece for
a writing contest. They look great in a portfolio when you are looking for a job someday!
In addition to writing essays, if you enjoy creating artwork, taking pictures, blogging, and other
communication, visit websites such as The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers and the Young Voices
Foundation, to find other opportunities. Normally, I do not recommend paying a fee to apply for a
scholarship, but this practice is very common in these types of “award” contests and some students don’t
mind paying the $5. Use your own judgment.
How Parents and Students Can Find
College Scholarships
Teamwork could result in more money for college.
By Lindsey Mayfield and Julie MayfieldOct. 2, 2012 | 9:30 a.m. EDT+ More
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Lan Nguyen studies in the library at St. John's College in Annapolis, Md.
Looking for college scholarships can be confusing and overwhelming. And with college costs on the
rise, the competition can be stiff. That's probably why so many families stick to filling out the FAFSA,
completing a college's scholarship application, and then calling it a day.
Yet, there are scholarships out there if parents and students know where to look. Here are some
places you may not have considered.
JULIE:
Next to choosing an affordable, in-state school, scholarships have made the biggest difference in our
effort to put Lindsey through college without student loans. The scholarship area is one where
parents and students can work together for maximum gain.
[Get more advice on managing or avoiding student loans.]
Scouting out scholarships is something parents can do to help their overwhelmed or time-crunched
students, who will then need to pick it up from there and complete the applications. Here are some of
the options I discovered while researching scholarships.
1. Work: As a parent, ask your employer if they offer college scholarships for the children of
employees. Many do, especially if it is a large organization. If not, ask if your employer would
consider starting one. It may be something they hadn't considered before.
2. School networks: Think about the high school your child is leaving and find out if they offer any
scholarship opportunities for their graduating students.
And while your child is probably already planning to fill out the scholarship applications for the
college he or she will be attending, check with the alumni organization in your area and see if it
offers scholarships. Some will, and if there aren't a lot of students from your area attending that
particular college, the applicant pool may be low.
3. Community organizations: Lindsey's high school softball league gives away several $500
scholarships each year to league players who are graduating. The amount isn't large, but the
competition is low, and that's $500 that can pay for books, a plane ticket home, or some living
expenses.
I ran across this scholarship while registering Lindsey for softball during her high school years, so
keep your eyes open for this kind of information. Several smaller scholarships from community
organizations will quickly add up to the equivalent of one large award and may be easier to obtain.
4. Religious organizations: Catholic students whose fathers are members of The Knights of
Columbus, for example, have scholarship opportunities to available to them. And Hillel.org points
Jewish high school and college students toward potential scholarships, too.
Most religious organizations and affiliations will have the same type of options. Start by contacting
your church or by searching the Internet for scholarships that come from religious organizations. And
if you're a member of organizations like these as a parent, ask around. Our church's Knights of
Columbus even offered high school scholarships, and the only application requirement was a short
essay.
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5 Tips to Find College Scholarships
How to Find College Scholarships
In the new My College Guide Sophomore Edition, we shared an article about how to earn money
for college before your senior year through scholarships, video contests and essay contests. The
experts from Iowa State University and William Peace University we interviewed for the article
had lots of great scholarship advice—so much that we couldn’t include it all in the article. Here
are five more tips to help you find college scholarships:
1. It’s never too early to look for scholarships. Maura Flaschner, associate director of
undergraduate recruitment at Iowa State University, says sophomore and junior year is not too
early to look for college scholarships. “Students can get a grasp on criteria, dollar amounts
available and how student they can make themselves attractive candidates for when they apply
as a high school senior,” she says. Plus, you might even find some scholarships you can apply for
before your senior year.
2. Consult all possible resources. Amber Stenbeck, vice president for enrollment at William
Peace University, says high school students should tap into resources that surround them every
day, such as their high school guidance office, church or religious organizations, community and
local organizations, their parents’ network of friend, and of course, the internet. “It may sound
simplistic, but just ask everybody and anyone that you are able to have a conversation with
about education. We call this casting a ‘wide net,’ and it’s just smart,” Stenbeck says.
3. Be persistent. Did you see the article about a girl who applied for 100 scholarships and
ended up getting her college education costs covered? Stenbeck recommends being diligent in
your scholarship search and applying to any scholarships for which you meet the eligibility
requirements. “Search, search and then search some more. And then apply, apply, apply. It
works,” she says.
4. Use the power of the internet. “There are several legitimate websites that students can use
as sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school,” Flaschner says. But you also need to put in
the time and effort into looking for scholarships, since it will take time to find all the
opportunities
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College
Guide’sscholarships section for info on scholarship deadlines coming up each month.
5. Check with the colleges you’re interested in. Colleges may help you find scholarships.
William Peace University sends students a monthly scholarship newsletter that lists all the
external scholarships available. Iowa State University has a scholarship search tool on its
financial aid office website where students can search for awards based on major or area of
interest. Plus, ask your college admission counselor or financial aid counselor what scholarships