JLV College CounselingScholarships for athletes
Current Scholarships Available Here
Being an athlete requires a lot of time and dedication. Some students are able to secure athletic scholarships from the college or university they will be attending, but others are not. Luckily there are some scholarships out there specifically for students who participate in sports.
Below are 33 college scholarships for athletes. Some are specific sports, while others are open to any sport. Only brief information is listed. Therefore, students are encouraged to visit the scholarship website to get further details about eligibility and requirements. In addition, some deadlines have passed, but many of the scholarships are offered every year. Read More
College prep for new high school freshmen
Many high school freshman and their parents are curious about college prep. Many think the most important thing is to start building the college list. However, college prep includes a lot more than just deciding what college to attend. College prep for freshman is all about doing well academically and building their “resume.” Choosing colleges can wait. The most important thing for new high school freshman is to ensure they are on the right academic path to college. Here are four things high school freshman should focus on as they enter high school.
- Meet your school counselor. Your school counselor will be a wealth of knowledge and a great resource throughout your time in high school. They should be able to answer many of your questions about school and college. In addition, they can make recommendations for classes, extracurricular activities, and colleges, when the time comes. It is also great to get to know your school counselor because in a few years they will need to write a letter of recommendation for your college applications. Counselors who genuinely know their students have an easier time writing an authentic letter in your favor.
- Review your academic schedule. You chose your classes for your freshman year while you were still in middle school. Some students might have had guidance, but others may have chosen classes solely based on friends or other non-academic reasons. Students should make sure they are in the right classes for their college preparation. Discuss your class schedule with your counselor and look into taking more academic classes. In addition, if you are up for the challenge, get into honors or Advanced Placement classes. The classes you take freshman year can dictate your courses through senior year. Make sure you are on track to take the most challenging classes because grades and course selection can play a huge role in the college admissions process.
- Join extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities and volunteer activities can give students a boost in college admissions. Students who have a history of quality activities will have an advantage over students who did not participate in anything outside of the classroom. Freshman year is a great year to explore activities, as well as getting to know your passions and interests. As students spend more time with an activity, they can work their way up to a leadership role later during their high school career.
- Do well academically. There is a myth out there that admissions officers do not care about freshman year. That is far from the truth. If freshman year is included on transcripts, admissions officers will see it. If students have poor grades freshman year, admissions officers will question it. Use freshman year to build good academic habits and learn to ask for help when you need it.
Students who do well academically and are involved in quality activities will have many opportunities. This is why it is important to focus first on doing well and getting involved than what college you will attend. You will have the opportunity to learn more about colleges during your time in high school, but first make sure you will be on the best path to get admitted to the colleges you will soon discover.
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Join me on #CampusChat as we discuss scholarships
Are you applying for scholarships? I will be the guest on this week’s #CampusChat Twitter chat where we will discuss the scholarship application. As a former admissions officer, I served on many scholarship committees and made recommendations and decisions on who would receive the scholarships. Come learn more about the scholarship application, what judges are looking for, and what can help you stand out from the crowd. While I’m the guest on the chat, other admissions and scholarship experts will be sharing their thoughts and ideas and well.
From the SmartCollegeVisit.com website ______________________________________________________________________________
What: Breaking Down the Scholarship Application
When: Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Where: Twitter, using hashtag #CampusChat
Who: Follow @collegevisit, @AidScholarship and @Admissions411
CampusChat is a weekly discussion held on Twitter Wednesdays, from 9 – 10 p.m., Eastern time (6 – 7 p.m. Pacific time).
To participate, please include the hashtag “#campuschat” with your tweets. Our goal is to engage, entertain and inform our followers on college-related topics.
If you miss any of our chats, we always publish a transcript and, if the original Q & A with the expert guest, we will publish that as well on the Smart College Visit blog.
Scholarship Saturday – August 1, 2015
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.
9 tips to make your college admissions essay stand out
College admissions essays can play a big part in the college admissions process, especially if students are applying to selective colleges. When numerous competitive students apply and only a small amount of spots are available, the essay could be the thing that helps the student stand out. The essay could also encourage an admissions committee to take a chance on a student they may not otherwise admit. Whatever institution it is, the essay could play a major role in the decision process and students should take their time crafting a great essay to submit with the rest of their college application.
Here are nine tips that can help your college admissions essay stand out from the crowd.
- Grab the reader’s attention early. Admissions readers will read hundreds or thousands of college admissions essays every year. Essays that start off slow may lose the reader’s attention very quick. Instead, students should consider doing something very early in the essay that will grab the reader’s attention and will make them want to continue reading. This can be done by making a bold statement or speaking directly to the reader.
- Don’t tell the same story others will tell. When reading many college admissions essays, the stories will start to blend together for the readers, especially if the stories are similar. When brainstorming topics for college admissions essays, students should ask themselves if someone else could send in the same type of story. If numerous students could tell the story, the student might want to consider something more unique. Make an impression on the reader! Some of the best college admissions essays are the ones that stay with the admissions reader long after the admissions decision has gone out.
- Be yourself. Don’t try to be the person you think the admissions committee wants to admit. These types of essays are usually easy to recognize and do not come off as authentic. Instead, write the essay in your voice and show your personality. The college admissions essay may be the only personal introduction the admissions committee will have to get to know you as an applicant.
- Show, don’t tell. It is easy to tell a reader something about yourself. However, it is important to show the reader. For example, if you want the admissions committee to know that making a difference in your community is important, don’t just say it. Give an example of what you have been doing to make a difference. Anyone can say something about himself or herself, but it can mean so much more by showing it to the reader.
- Don’t make it an academic paper. There is no need to use big words and show off all of the vocabulary words you know from your SAT prep. Instead, the college admissions essay should use the words you might use on a regular basis. Replacing “common” words with words found in the thesaurus does not always make a person sound smart. Instead, adding big words when they do not come from you naturally can feel forced and make the whole essay not flow well. It is okay to write the college admissions essay using the words and tones you use on an everyday basis.
- Answer the questions. Sometimes people get so caught up in sharing a story and they forget about answering all of the questions. Many college admissions essay prompts are layered and have multiple questions. Don’t just answer the first part of the prompt. Complete your thoughts and answer everything the prompt asks.
- Proofread. Before sending anything, proofread your essay to make sure it does not have any errors and flows naturally. In addition, go through the list above and ask yourself the questions about your essay. For example, did you grab the reader’s attention early? Could someone else send in the same essay? Is it unique?
- Have someone else review your essay. Sometimes we are too close to our work. When you are too close to your work, it is possible to miss something that others might not. Therefore, it is important to have someone proofread your essay and get their thoughts. While proofreaders might catch something you missed or give you an idea you think will help your essay, don’t let them rewrite your essay. The essay should remain ‘your’ essay and in your voice.
- Start early. Don’t wait until the last minute to start writing your essay. Take your time. Give yourself enough time to brainstorm ideas, write, edit, and get feedback from others. Waiting until the due date can push you to rush the essay and miss something that could make a difference in the admissions decision. Plus, waiting until the last minute can put a lot of stress on you, and being that it is senior year, you will already have enough stress.
Want to stay in the loop? Follow my blog to be notified when new articles are published. You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest for information on college admissions.
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