IUSB has a great little page devoted to their top ten scholarship application tips. My favorites:

• "Give concrete examples.

  If your answer to an essay question is abstract, support it with a concrete example that illustrates your point. The scholarship sponsor wants to see evidence that you satisfy their criteria, not just unsupported statements."

"I am a leader who would use this leadership scholarship to help lead others."

Besides being a really bad sentence, it says nothing about you other than you think you are a leader. Most people do and most people aren’t. Give examples - clubs you’ve headed, organizations you’ve founded or held leadership positions in, projects you spear-headed, etc.

How are you going to lead? Are you running for student body president in college? Starting an organization to help an underserved cause or population?

• "Apply only if you are eligible.

  Read all the scholarship requirements and directions carefully, and make sure that you are eligible before you send in your application. Your application will not be considered if you are not qualified to apply."

Why waste your time and the committee’s time applying to everything that moves? It’s annoying and heaven forbid the same people decide on a scholarship you are actually qualified for!

This scholarship is for graduating seniors from accredited high schools in Connecticut who will be attending the University of Connecticut.

The Kline Scholarship awards at least $250 every year. The application must be submitted by April 25th to:

Kline Scholarship
c/o Boyan, Balskus and Foran, LLC
62 Hyde Ave
Vernon, CT 06066

Since 1998 the Scholarship has awarded 33 awards totaling $14,900.

The Kline Family Community Service Scholarship honors Ernest, Kenneth and Nancy Kline - three family members affiliated with the University of Connecticut and its Alpha Phi Omega Chapter.

Scholarships are not only offered by institutions of higher learning. There’s no better reason for adults to bust out the checkbooks and jewels than a la-di-da fundraiser to fund some scholarship. Often, students and their parents may not be aware of the money that is out there and the only way you can learn is to network.

• Get the word out. Tell everybody and their grandma about your college aspirations and let them know you’re looking for scholarship monies. Grandma’s garden club or the neighbor’s golf course may offer a little known scholarship.
• Keep an eye out. The scholarship fundraising crowd love to hob nob, so check out the society/events section the organization will almost always list what the fundraiser benefits and when in doubt, give them a call. You never know, the organization itself may not have one, but the kindly, knowledgeable admin. assistant may be able to direct you to an insider that can help you out.
• Google your town. The right key words: scholarship, your city, your state, college or any combination of these will bring up scholarships that are offered in your area.
• Get on the phone. Not all community organizations are web savvy. Bust out the phone books and give them a call. Think outside the box - moms groups, action groups, neighborhood associations all great, but don’t forget to look to your parents and grandparents former employers. The big auto companies, postal workers, etc. all offer scholarships for children of workers.

A little hard work will go a long way to getting the scholarship dollars you need to get your degree, but hey - you’ve got the "work hard" thing down already!

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Hi motivated students (or parents)! Your weekend scholarship troll has paid off, I’ve got a little weekend link love for you with three more leadership scholarships.

Cedarville University Effect Leader Awards

Students must show evidence of extensive leadership and service and submit a letter of recommendation for this one time award of $1,000 - $1,500. Other criteria include:

• 22 or better on the ACT
• 1050 or better on the SAT
• 3.0 GPA
• Application

Chicana/Latina Foundation Scholarship

For undergrads and grads, the competitive scholarship is to help Latina students complete their degree. To apply for the $1,500 scholarship you must meet the following criteria:

• Chicana/Latina women of the Northern California Counties
• Enrolled in accredited colleges, universities and community colleges in the one of the listed Northern California Counties
• A resident for at least two years in one of the listed Northern California Counties
• Undergraduate Chicana/Latina students must be enrolled as a full-time college student, have completed a minimum of 15 college semester units after high school graduation, and have at least a 2.5 GPA
• Graduate students must provide verification of acceptance to a graduate school
• All candidates must have demonstrated leadership and civic/community involvement.
• Applicants must agree, if awarded a scholarship, to volunteer a minimum of 10 hours in the next year in support of the Chicana/Latina Foundation.
• Applicants who received a Chicana/Latina Foundation scholarship within the past four (4) years are not eligible to apply for a scholarship.
• All scholarship recipients are required to attend the Leadership Institute.
• Applications must be received by March 17th, 2008.

The New Mexico State University Leadership Scholarship

Leadership scholars receive a fat scholarship to NMSU worth over $25,000 for four years. These brains also receive the opportunity participate in the Honors College at NMSU. To apply you must :

• Be a New Mexico resident
• Be an entering freshman directly from high school
• Fill out FAFSA
• Demonstrate superior academic and leadership skills
• Fill out Application

Remember, leadership isn’t just student government or Prom committee, it’s leadership at your part-time job or heading a class or group project. It’s organizing a boycott of the cafeteria’s trans-fat-heavy mystery meat or it’s being on the decorating committee for the formal. Think creatively about how your activities and passions could help you get monies for college.

Inspired by both President’s Day and Black History Month, this week is all about leadership!

The Jackie Robinson Foundation’s Scholarship Program

Up to $7,500 is awarded annually to minority high school students with leadership potential and financial need.

Requirements:

• Attending a 4-year accredited college or university.
• U.S. citizen
• 1 letter of recommendation
• Official transcript
• SAT & ACT score
• Due March 31, 2008

AZUSA Pacific University Multi-Ethnic Leadership Scholarship

Twelve students are awarded $4,500 per year.

Requirements:

• Christian commitment
• 3.2 G.P.A. for freshman, 3.0 for sophomores and juniors
• Passion for multicultural awareness
• Proven leadership skills
• Undergrad admission to APU

The majority of scholarship deadlines are closing in and in the rush to get things finished, students may overlook one key to-do in their application process: proofreading.

Nothing says slacker like typos, misspelled and missing words.

Proofreading is more than running spell check or giving your essay the once over. Spell check doesn’t pick up on words that are spelled correctly, but used wrong. Words like "they’re" "their" and "there" are commonly misused words and could cost you college cash.

Your essay is not the only thing scholarship boards look at: what do you think your chances are of getting the scholarship if you can’t even spell your name correctly? It happens, trust me. Go over your entire application thoroughly. Check the school codes. One digit off could be the difference between scholarship monies going to Athens State University (code #001008) and Auburn University (code# 001009). Sure, they are both in Alabama, but who wants the trouble of having to go back and get things switched?

Quality proofreading is simple:

• Print it out. Proofread old school: print everything out, take a pen and have at the entire application. You’ll be amazed at what you catch when the information is in your hand versus on the screen. And remember, this the same way most committees will see your work. Don’t forget to recycle the paper afterward.
• Read it out loud. Sure, you may feel like a nut, but better to feel like a nut in the privacy of your own home than look like an idiot in front of a national scholarship committee. Reading things out loud allows you to find anything that sounds awkward or needs further tweaking. Your brain plays tricks on you when you read to yourself because it knows what you are trying to say. Saying it out loud, your ears hear what you are actually saying.
• Use fresh eyes. Take a break from the application and come back to it with fresh eyes. Let it marinate a day or so. Which means you can’t wait until the last minute.
• Use someone else’s eyes. Ask someone you trust and who can string two sentences together without using, "like" or "you know what I’m sayin’" to read over your entire application.

Go the extra mile. Take time a proofread, please…or resign yourself to giving the committees a good laugh at your expense.

I see you, even though today is a day off for most schools, you’re getting the jump on the other slackers by checking out the scholarship blog. Good job - stay ahead of the pack. While the rest of the student world catches up on sleep and wayward homework, you’re being hipped to some of the great president scholarships!

The University of Texas at Austin President’s Achievement Scholarship

This scholarship is to recognize high schoolers who have overcome adversity while getting top grades. Being able to study while your little sister practices her oboe isn’t quite good enough. They’re looking for adversity, not annoyances :0)

Requirements according to their site:

1. Complete your ApplyTexas Freshman Admission Application for The University of Texas at Austin by February 1 of the Spring semester of your Senior year in high school.
2. Submit your completed ApplyTexas Freshman Scholarship Application by December 1 of the year prior to entering UT Austin to be considered for all Freshman scholarships.
3. Take entrance exams early.
4. Apply for need-based financial aid by March 1 using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

American Legion Auxiliary

The National President’s scholarships are for children of veterans. Fifteen scholarships totaling $27,500 will be awarded. Students must also have completed fifty hours of community service during their high school years to be eligible.

Indiana State University President’s Scholarship

This competitive scholarship awards students full tuition, room and board, books and supplies stipend and a personal laptop computer. The scholarship is renewable for seven semesters.

Applicants must be ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class or have a 3.7 G.P.A. Application deadline is December 1st ever year. Put this in your stack for next year - maybe that’s enough time to get your G.P.A. tight.

Tags: veteran, academic scholarships

It’s the national day of love and we’re smack dab in the middle of Black History Month.

So, in honor of the great beating muscle that has been the subject of so many love songs and the month that reminds us that there are more contributions to history than students are taught in standard American History classes, I’ve gathered some medical and Black History Month Scholarships for ya. Enjoy!

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Summer Medical and Dental Education Program

• A six week academic enrichment program for undergrads from minority groups, rural areas and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Submit application online
• Send in transcripts - it takes 10 days for processing.
• Send in letters of recommendation - 10 days to process that as well.
• Deadline: March 1, 2008 *Get on the ball with this one, time’s running out!

"A Day in Black History" Scholarship Contest

• Based on essay submission, students could win $500!
• Any student of any ethnicity and grade level is eligible to participate.
• Just write a 600 - 800 word essay about your favorite African American contributor to society,
• And send in your scholarship form.
• Deadline is Feb. 29, with the winner announced on March 31st.

The great thing about the medical scholarship, it allows you to learn how to mend a broken heart, something that usually takes years and many relationships to figure out.

And the Black History scholarship prompts everyone to delve a little deeper into black history, nothing like a pause for the cause.

Now that we’ve established the FAFSA as your friend it’s time to learn how to help your friend help you.

• Get it in early. Most schools have a pretty long deadline for getting your information in, but the early bird gets the money. Often financial aid is first come, first serve.

• Gather your materials beforehand. You’ll need your W-2 if you work, your parent’s previous year’s tax return or an estimation. You’ll be able to update the information later. You’ll also need social security info for you and your parents, your driver’s license, etc. Check the FAFSA Web site for more info.

• Request your PIN. Stop over at Pin.Ed.Gov. You’ll need your pin to fill out your FAFSA online. You can also fill out a paper version of the FAFSA, forms are available at schools, the library or can be downloaded from online.

• Follow-up. You’ll receive your Student Aid Report or SAR via email or in the mail if for some reason you like going old school. Look over the information carefully and make sure it’s correct. If there is information that has changed update it.

It’s that simple. The FAFSA is an easy, but important step to funding your college education.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is your buddy. It’s your key to unlocking the vault that is financial aid, and often scholarship committees use the FAFSA as a factor in determining need-based scholarships.

With all that is riding on this seemingly innocuous application, it is amazing how many students discount the FAFSA’s importance. So students will ignore, fill out incorrectly, or never follow up on their application.

All students, whether you have a full-ride scholarship or not, should fill out the FAFSA. It’s not that hard, really it isn’t. It’s all online, plug in a few numbers and a little info and presto!

The key to preparing a FAFSA is to plan ahead: have all the information you need in advance. Stopping every three minutes to yell "Mom, what’s on line 44 of your 1040 income tax return for last year?" is going to get old real quick.

And don’t let your parents take over filling out the information. Even if they insist on doing the whole application, stay there and watch what’s happening. You wouldn’t have your parents do your comparison paper on Romeo and Juliet versus Othello right? If you said yes, we’ve got more issues than completing a FAFSA to discuss.

Tomorrow: Tips on Filling Out Your FAFSA!

Tags: FAFSA, Financial Aid

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