September 2017 DoSomething Scholarships

Do you like making a difference in your school or community? If you do, DoSomething has many campaigns to make a difference, and for participating, you will be entered to win a scholarship! Below are campaigns from DoSomething accepting entries in September. Read More

Scholarship Saturday – September 2, 2017

The deadlines for the scholarships that were on this list have passed. To see scholarships that are still accepting applications, visit more recent Scholarship Saturday posts.

September 2017 Newsletter

Can you believe it is already September? The weather is cooling down and many students have returned to school. Many college applications are now open and students can submit their applications now. The SAT and ACT has multiple test dates this fall. It is a busy time for college bound students.


High School Seniors

A big misconception is that students who submit their applications earlier have a better chance of being admitted. Many colleges will review all applications that arrive by the deadline the same way. Many admission offices say students who submit their applications earlier in the application window will not have an advantage. Therefore, take your time with your applications and essays to ensure you are submitting the best application possible!

Most colleges will need transcripts, test scores and recommendations before they will read applications and make decisions. You may want to rush to your school counselor and teachers’ offices to request these documents. However, keep in mind they, too, are just returning to school and have a lot of things on their plates. They may not be able to submit documents as fast as you like, but as long as they receive notice from you, they will submit materials by the deadline. Be patient with them because they have other duties and have a lot of other students also needing documents.


Younger Students

Look at your class schedule and make sure you are challenging yourself. If any changes need to be made to your schedule, make sure to reach out to your counselor as soon as possible before it is too late to make changes.

Look at your extracurricular activities. Have you found that activity that brings out passion in you? If possible, dig in to the activity you love and do more if you have just been sitting back. Take a lead by running for an elected position, coordinating an event, or by participating in activities.


Parents

It doesn’t matter if you have a high school senior or a high school freshman, if they are looking at colleges, have a financial conversation. Learn about your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and the amount of money your family can afford to contribute to their education. Colleges award financial aid differently and no financial aid award will look the same. As your children are looking at colleges, there will be colleges that are better financial fits than others. In addition to looking at the academic offerings, extracurricular activities and admission requirements, check out the net price calculator at the colleges your child is considering to learn about the amount of financial aid they may receive if they are admitted in the future.


Pay Attention to Deadlines

Know the deadlines for college applications, scholarships, and everything else. Keep these dates in mind and make sure everything is submitted before the deadline. If you submit something just one minute past the deadline, you will be late and many colleges and scholarships will not consider your application. And, just because the deadline is on a certain date, strive to get everything in at least a few days before the deadline. Sometimes, unfortunately, life happens and you may not be able to meet the deadline. You might have a family crisis or the weather will take out electricity. While some colleges and scholarship providers might be understanding of the situation, there is no guarantee. To ensure you meet the deadline, strive to get everything in a little early.


More Scholarships

Continue looking for outside scholarships. As you know, I have a lot of scholarships available on my website. Don’t forget to check out the scholarships with September and October deadlines. Scholarships are added to the list as I learn about them or once they open for submissions. In addition, I have recently added some scholarships for interests, hobbies, and talents.

More scholarships for interests, hobbies, and talents will be added soon!


Good luck with the start of the school year! If you ever have any questions or think there is an article that could be helpful, send me a message. My goal is to help students and their parents as much as I can as they move through the college admissions and financial aid process.


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Presentation Skills for College Students: The Beginners Guide

We’re going to let you in on a little secret: nobody likes public speaking. In fact, it’s the thing that people are afraid of more than anything – including death.

But despite that, it’s also a vital skill that every college student should make a point of learning. Presentation and communication skills are useful in all walks of life, but it’s particularly noticeable once you enter the workforce and need to deliver presentations to clients and colleagues.

Believe it or not, college is the best place to learn and to perfect these skills. After all, the stakes are a lot lower and you’re usually presenting to your peers in an environment of constructive criticism, which allows you to learn in a controlled environment so that you’re ready for the future.

Don’t worry if you’re a beginner because everyone has to start somewhere. Instead, teach yourself these key skills to get started. Read More

Colleges to Consider in Nashville

Nashville is the capital and largest city of Tennessee. The city has almost 700,000 people and has been named the friendliest city for three years in a row. Nashville is also known as “Music City, U.S.A.” because it is home to Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and many major record labels. In addition to music, visitors to Nashville visit Civil War battlegrounds, art centers, museums, and eat the great food. Some of the popular foods in Nashville include hot chicken, hot fish, barbecue, and meat and three (choice of one meat and three side dishes).

Nashville is also known as “Athens of the South” because the area is home to 24 post-secondary educational institutions. Below are some of the colleges that are located within the city of Nashville. Read More