My mini adventure for the last two weeks has involved fighting tooth and nail to get registered at UTEP. Three trips to the financial aid office, one student orientation, and camping out at the admissions office until they physically entered my transcripts and I can now happily proclaim that I am OFFICIALLY registered at UTEP.
While it has been a long drawn out, sometimes unnecessary process, the experience has taught me a great lesson. And of course I'm going to share my acquired knowledge with my loyal loving fanbase. Here's for you mom, lol.
1. Give yourself as much advance time as possible. The unforseeable might happen, so just plan for it to occur. While I started my progress to becoming a student at UTEP about 3 months ago, it still left me fretting and worrying about everything falling into place in time.
2. FIGHT! I wasn't originally offered the UTEP Promise, but I knew I qualified. I went to the financial aid office and requested an appeal of sorts to ensure that I was offered the aid I was intended to receive. When my transcripts weren't moving fast enough, within their allotted timeframe, I went and sat in a chair and politely informed the clerk I wasn't moving until I had my transcripts downloaded and processed. No One is going to fight for your cause if you won't.
3. Remain patient. This especially applies for the last few remaining weeks/days/seconds before the school bells ring. The helpful admissions/clerks/financial aid employees, work incredibly hard to keep the ball rolling. They could use alot more smiling, friendly faces than they probably receive.
4. This is your future school, don't burn any bridges. Park in areas designated for visitors, avoid losing your temper, play nicely with others. You know the drill. Don't let a bad reputation precede you into your classes.
5. Share whatever information you acquire with anyone about to start the process. Direct people where to go and inform them of any hardships you experience. Preparing the next generation of students by informing them of any papers they might need to bring with them to admissions will help speed up their process (and everyone elses involved) and can be your good deed for the day.
All in all this semester will cost the price of two textbooks, parking, and losing 8 hours at the office a week. I'm more than a happy Miner right now.
Showing posts with label College. Show all posts
Showing posts with label College. Show all posts
6.7.09
Military Families Save Money on College Expenses
Found this wonderful article and I just had to share it.
_______________________________________________________
How Military Families Can Save Money on College
By Karen Von Der Bruegge, Chief Marketing Officer for Pioneer Services, A Division of MidCountry Bank
Even if you’re still buying diapers and baby formula for your child, the thought of sending your little one off to college has probably crossed your mind at some point. It may also cause you some stress since, according to www.collegeboard.com, annual tuition can range between $5,000 a year for a public four-year university, to more than $20,000 for a private college.
But before deciding how—or even if—you’re going to help pay for those costs, it’s good to look at the numerous ways to pay for college. From tax-deferred savings plans, to grants, to scholarships, there are many different ways to send your little one to the quad without having her saddled with a mountain of debt afterward.
Start early with a 529 Plan
A 529 Plan is named after the section of the federal tax code that covers such deductions, and allows you to save pre-tax money to pay for college tuition. This money is, in turn, put into some type of investment that earns interest, allowing your money to grow.
Every state has at least one version of a 529 Plan, and all of them have features that make them a great savings tool:
The money you invest is set aside tax-free
You can withdraw money from the fund for qualified education expenses, also tax-free
You take advantage of compounded interest, giving you more money in the long run
Different types
There are two basic 529 plans, but some states (such as Arizona) offer as many as four varieties. Each of these offers different benefits, restrictions and methods of paying for college.
Prepaid Tuition Plans
These plans allow you to save for a college or university in a specific state. The advantage is that the cost of tuition is locked into the rate charged when you open the plan. With tuition costs continuing to rise, this is a good way to hedge against those raises. The money is also transferable to another family member without tax penalties if your child decides not to attend college.
The disadvantage of the prepaid tuition plan is that most of the states have some type of residency requirement—either you or the child for whom you are saving must be a state resident. If the state does not have a residency requirement, then you might not be eligible for a break on state taxes. This can be quite difficult for military families due to frequent moves and the generally mobile military lifestyle.
To find out your “state of residence” (which may not be where your family is currently stationed) is the one you selected on DD Form 2058, and also appears on your LES.
College Savings Plan
These plans differ from prepaid plans in a number of ways, but the main one is that a savings plan accrues much like a retirement savings plan—the money you contribute is invested in mutual funds and can increase as the stock market increases. And since this is a long-term savings plan, the chances of it increasing in value are very good since it won’t be affected by temporary fluctuations in the market.
The advantage to this type of plan is that you can use it for higher education in any state. Most have no residency requirement—if you lived in Georgia, you could contribute to a plan in Michigan and send your kids to school in Oregon. However, there are a few states (such as South Dakota) that require residency in all cases. Another advantage is that you can use the money for your own education, or that of other family members.
The disadvantage is that, if you choose to use an out-of-state plan, you may not receive the full tax advantages offered by an in-state plan. Also, the state or federal government does not insure your 529 investments in any way, so be aware that there is a possibility of the fund losing money.
Similar traits
All 529 plans have a few things in common:
Beneficiaries
The College Savings Plan Networks notes that “anyone can be named the beneficiary of a 529 account, regardless of their relationship to the person who establishes the account. You can even establish an account with yourself as the named beneficiary.” This allows you to save for anyone at any time, just so long as they are “a U.S. citizen or a resident alien” and “have a social security number or federal tax identification number.” You can also have multiple 529 accounts for a single person.
If your child decides not to attend college, you can change the beneficiary and transfer the funds, so long as it is transferred to a family member. You can also withdraw the money for non-education purposes, but any earnings will be taxed, and some plans have penalties for doing so.
Contributors
Anyone can contribute to a 529 plan—grandparents, cousins, friends, even companies and non-profits. This can lead to many opportunities to save, since people can make a donation in lieu of a present at a birthday and contribute to other family members.
Tax implications
You will not be taxed when you withdraw the money for educational costs, nor are funds from investments in the plan taxed. But contributions are not tax deductible.
To find a listing of the 529 plans offered where you live, and more detailed information, visit www.collegesavings.org, or www.savingsforcollege.com; both have a state-by-state listing of the plans available.
Scholarships can be plentiful
While your child may be able to get traditional athletic or academic scholarships, there are literally thousands of scholarships available just for military families. Private and public companies, non-profits, and even the Department of Defense offer scholarships for service members, their spouses, and their children. Even students that have a lower grade point average or test scores may qualify for scholarships that encourage them to continue their education beyond high school.
Where to start
The first and perhaps easiest place to find scholarships is the Internet. A simple Google search can yield more results than you can realistically sort through, so try to be as specific as possible with your terms to start.
For example, if your spouse is U.S. Army officer at Fort Hood, Texas, and you’re searching for scholarships for your daughter, try “scholarships for daughters of U.S. Army officers in Texas” rather than just “Army scholarships” since the first is more likely to generate the results you want than the second. Take your time, make a thorough search, and be sure to bookmark any sites that fit your profile.
You can also go through the appropriate military relief agency, military non-profit (i.e. AUSA) and even the commissary system, which has one of the most popular military scholarship programs (found at www.militaryscholar.org).
Tips on applying
Every scholarship will have different criteria, whether branch of service and school, to race, gender or nationality. Some are very specific, while others are more general. The key is to double check all of the criteria and know the exact requirements—the last thing you want to do is spend time filling out an application and collecting paperwork, only to find your child doesn’t qualify.
It’s also important to apply for as many scholarships as you can (keeping the criteria in mind) to ensure you’re getting as much as you can. Again, though, make sure to read the fine print carefully to ensure there are no rules that may limit your access to other scholarships. For example, one may have some sort of requirement about only paying for room and board, yet you already have that covered with another scholarship.
Whether your child’s entire schooling is paid for through scholarships, or if you’re just applying for a few hundred dollars, it’s more than worth the effort.
Federal financial aid
The federal budget always includes several billion dollars in financial assistance. To receive it, however, you must first carefully complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and include all the required information. Students can pick up a copy of the FAFSA form from the high school counseling office, or from the college financial aid offices. You can also download them, or even complete them online, at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Because financial aid is distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, it is critical you submit the form as soon as possible after January 1, during your child’s senior year in high school. Once your student’s FAFSA form is reviewed, he or she will be sent a Student Aid Report that outlines the types of government financial aid available based on the information submitted.
To find complete information about the federal financial aid process, visit www.students.gov.
Other places to look
If you decide to apply for financial aid, you and your child should pay a visit to your child’s high school guidance counselor. They will have a current listing of available scholarships and grants. These professionals are experts in the college application process and can provide assistance with the application. If necessary, they can also review essays and provide computer time. Be sure to check back with the counselor often, as updates to available scholarships are frequent.
You can also visit a college financial aid office, even if it is not the college your child plans to attend. College financial aid offices can be a great help in finding the best financial aid. In addition, your spouse’s workplace, civic clubs, not-for-profits and other organizations may offer money for college.
Just remember that there are many untapped scholarship and grant dollars just waiting to be had by those willing to do the research. And with the rising costs of college tuition, every dollar counts.
Scholarships and aid resources on the Web
There are many sites that can help you track down money to help pay for a college education.
➢ www.militaryhelp.org—A large, comprehensive listing of military-specific links to educational resources.
➢ www.students.gov—A portal into federal dollars for education, information about employment, and other issues concerning students
➢ www.pueblo.gsa.gov—Helpful Information about 529 plans.
➢ www.collegboard.com—General information about college costs.
➢ www.salliemae.com—The largest provider of student loans in the country.
___________________________________________________
Related ISaveYousave.org posts:
Collosus College Expenses
Local Scholarships
Google Your Way to Scholarship
_______________________________________________________
How Military Families Can Save Money on College
By Karen Von Der Bruegge, Chief Marketing Officer for Pioneer Services, A Division of MidCountry Bank
Even if you’re still buying diapers and baby formula for your child, the thought of sending your little one off to college has probably crossed your mind at some point. It may also cause you some stress since, according to www.collegeboard.com, annual tuition can range between $5,000 a year for a public four-year university, to more than $20,000 for a private college.
But before deciding how—or even if—you’re going to help pay for those costs, it’s good to look at the numerous ways to pay for college. From tax-deferred savings plans, to grants, to scholarships, there are many different ways to send your little one to the quad without having her saddled with a mountain of debt afterward.
Start early with a 529 Plan
A 529 Plan is named after the section of the federal tax code that covers such deductions, and allows you to save pre-tax money to pay for college tuition. This money is, in turn, put into some type of investment that earns interest, allowing your money to grow.
Every state has at least one version of a 529 Plan, and all of them have features that make them a great savings tool:
The money you invest is set aside tax-free
You can withdraw money from the fund for qualified education expenses, also tax-free
You take advantage of compounded interest, giving you more money in the long run
Different types
There are two basic 529 plans, but some states (such as Arizona) offer as many as four varieties. Each of these offers different benefits, restrictions and methods of paying for college.
Prepaid Tuition Plans
These plans allow you to save for a college or university in a specific state. The advantage is that the cost of tuition is locked into the rate charged when you open the plan. With tuition costs continuing to rise, this is a good way to hedge against those raises. The money is also transferable to another family member without tax penalties if your child decides not to attend college.
The disadvantage of the prepaid tuition plan is that most of the states have some type of residency requirement—either you or the child for whom you are saving must be a state resident. If the state does not have a residency requirement, then you might not be eligible for a break on state taxes. This can be quite difficult for military families due to frequent moves and the generally mobile military lifestyle.
To find out your “state of residence” (which may not be where your family is currently stationed) is the one you selected on DD Form 2058, and also appears on your LES.
College Savings Plan
These plans differ from prepaid plans in a number of ways, but the main one is that a savings plan accrues much like a retirement savings plan—the money you contribute is invested in mutual funds and can increase as the stock market increases. And since this is a long-term savings plan, the chances of it increasing in value are very good since it won’t be affected by temporary fluctuations in the market.
The advantage to this type of plan is that you can use it for higher education in any state. Most have no residency requirement—if you lived in Georgia, you could contribute to a plan in Michigan and send your kids to school in Oregon. However, there are a few states (such as South Dakota) that require residency in all cases. Another advantage is that you can use the money for your own education, or that of other family members.
The disadvantage is that, if you choose to use an out-of-state plan, you may not receive the full tax advantages offered by an in-state plan. Also, the state or federal government does not insure your 529 investments in any way, so be aware that there is a possibility of the fund losing money.
Similar traits
All 529 plans have a few things in common:
Beneficiaries
The College Savings Plan Networks notes that “anyone can be named the beneficiary of a 529 account, regardless of their relationship to the person who establishes the account. You can even establish an account with yourself as the named beneficiary.” This allows you to save for anyone at any time, just so long as they are “a U.S. citizen or a resident alien” and “have a social security number or federal tax identification number.” You can also have multiple 529 accounts for a single person.
If your child decides not to attend college, you can change the beneficiary and transfer the funds, so long as it is transferred to a family member. You can also withdraw the money for non-education purposes, but any earnings will be taxed, and some plans have penalties for doing so.
Contributors
Anyone can contribute to a 529 plan—grandparents, cousins, friends, even companies and non-profits. This can lead to many opportunities to save, since people can make a donation in lieu of a present at a birthday and contribute to other family members.
Tax implications
You will not be taxed when you withdraw the money for educational costs, nor are funds from investments in the plan taxed. But contributions are not tax deductible.
To find a listing of the 529 plans offered where you live, and more detailed information, visit www.collegesavings.org, or www.savingsforcollege.com; both have a state-by-state listing of the plans available.
Scholarships can be plentiful
While your child may be able to get traditional athletic or academic scholarships, there are literally thousands of scholarships available just for military families. Private and public companies, non-profits, and even the Department of Defense offer scholarships for service members, their spouses, and their children. Even students that have a lower grade point average or test scores may qualify for scholarships that encourage them to continue their education beyond high school.
Where to start
The first and perhaps easiest place to find scholarships is the Internet. A simple Google search can yield more results than you can realistically sort through, so try to be as specific as possible with your terms to start.
For example, if your spouse is U.S. Army officer at Fort Hood, Texas, and you’re searching for scholarships for your daughter, try “scholarships for daughters of U.S. Army officers in Texas” rather than just “Army scholarships” since the first is more likely to generate the results you want than the second. Take your time, make a thorough search, and be sure to bookmark any sites that fit your profile.
You can also go through the appropriate military relief agency, military non-profit (i.e. AUSA) and even the commissary system, which has one of the most popular military scholarship programs (found at www.militaryscholar.org).
Tips on applying
Every scholarship will have different criteria, whether branch of service and school, to race, gender or nationality. Some are very specific, while others are more general. The key is to double check all of the criteria and know the exact requirements—the last thing you want to do is spend time filling out an application and collecting paperwork, only to find your child doesn’t qualify.
It’s also important to apply for as many scholarships as you can (keeping the criteria in mind) to ensure you’re getting as much as you can. Again, though, make sure to read the fine print carefully to ensure there are no rules that may limit your access to other scholarships. For example, one may have some sort of requirement about only paying for room and board, yet you already have that covered with another scholarship.
Whether your child’s entire schooling is paid for through scholarships, or if you’re just applying for a few hundred dollars, it’s more than worth the effort.
Federal financial aid
The federal budget always includes several billion dollars in financial assistance. To receive it, however, you must first carefully complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and include all the required information. Students can pick up a copy of the FAFSA form from the high school counseling office, or from the college financial aid offices. You can also download them, or even complete them online, at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Because financial aid is distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, it is critical you submit the form as soon as possible after January 1, during your child’s senior year in high school. Once your student’s FAFSA form is reviewed, he or she will be sent a Student Aid Report that outlines the types of government financial aid available based on the information submitted.
To find complete information about the federal financial aid process, visit www.students.gov.
Other places to look
If you decide to apply for financial aid, you and your child should pay a visit to your child’s high school guidance counselor. They will have a current listing of available scholarships and grants. These professionals are experts in the college application process and can provide assistance with the application. If necessary, they can also review essays and provide computer time. Be sure to check back with the counselor often, as updates to available scholarships are frequent.
You can also visit a college financial aid office, even if it is not the college your child plans to attend. College financial aid offices can be a great help in finding the best financial aid. In addition, your spouse’s workplace, civic clubs, not-for-profits and other organizations may offer money for college.
Just remember that there are many untapped scholarship and grant dollars just waiting to be had by those willing to do the research. And with the rising costs of college tuition, every dollar counts.
Scholarships and aid resources on the Web
There are many sites that can help you track down money to help pay for a college education.
➢ www.militaryhelp.org—A large, comprehensive listing of military-specific links to educational resources.
➢ www.students.gov—A portal into federal dollars for education, information about employment, and other issues concerning students
➢ www.pueblo.gsa.gov—Helpful Information about 529 plans.
➢ www.collegboard.com—General information about college costs.
➢ www.salliemae.com—The largest provider of student loans in the country.
___________________________________________________
Related ISaveYousave.org posts:
Collosus College Expenses
Local Scholarships
Google Your Way to Scholarship
16.6.09
Colossus College Expenses
As a parent, it weighs on your mind what will happen when free education calls it quits. What will you do to pay for your child’s college tuition? It is stressful and worrisome for just about any parent that has dreams of their child going off to college to become a doctor…a lawyer or something else. Saving for college is a big decision and it is something that we must take into consideration.
My Child Will Get A Scholarship
Many parents think that a scholarship is the best way for them to pay for their child’s education. Today, there are all types of scholarships available ranging from local scholarships to the school’s themselves taking on the child without any cost to you. The problem is that although this number of programs has gotten higher, so has the number of students that are now enrolled in college. That means that there is still only a small portion of students getting a “free ride” through school. Even if your child does get a scholarship, it probably will not cover the total cost of their education and needs.
The next thing to consider, then, is the cost of sending them to school. There is no doubt that this price tag will continue to grow and that means an increased number of students that need to find the funds somewhere. Most students that do not have funding for their education through their parents will get student loans and grants to help subsidize their costs. While this is a choice for most students, it is one that comes with a finance charge at the same time. That means that your child’s graduation always comes with a price tag that puts them in debt right off the bat.
If it sounds frustrating and stressful, you are not alone. The process of sending your student to school is one that is likely to cost you a decent amount of money. Yet, funding it is something that all parents have to think about in some way. Saving for college may be something that you have to do. If it is, there are programs and services that can help you to make that happen. The longer that you wait, though, the more costly it will become to you.
Saving for college presents a wide variety of saving vehicles that you can use. You don't need to be told how costly college will be, and unfortunately it will keep getting more expensive. In the next years, college education just continues to become more and more expensive. Starting to save today is the best way for you to possibly have the funds needed to make sure he or she gets the education that they need.
Crunching the numbers can be very difficult,but, you have to do it. For your child’s sake, make your first step figuring out the overall cost of the child’s educations. There are easy to use financial calculators available to help you. What you want to do is to insure that the college savings is enough. All you need to do is enter your child’s age, the type of school he will likely attending and the various factors that play a role. Out comes a large number, the cost of college that you need to save for.
What You Need To Consider
Now that you have an idea of the cost, you can begin to figure out just how you will save for it. There are several things to consider when it comes to college savings vehicles. Obviously, you want the best and safest method to saving for college available to you. Here are some things to consider about the type of savings you plan to use.
• How much time before your child starts college.
• The growth of the savings vehicle. How much does this type of savings plan grow per year? What potential does it have for you?
• Who owns and controls the funds? How are your investment dollars invested?
• What are the fees and costs of using this savings vehicle to you?
• What about taxes? Are the funds taxable prior to investing, while earning money or when the funds are withdrawn?
• What is your risk level? How likely is it that you will lose it all?
• Is the plan easy to manage? Can you make changes to it as you see fit when you see fit?
Take the time to consider several methods to saving for college. Which methods are the best choices for you and for your child? The safety of your funds is important. Getting the most that you can for your investment dollars is also important. Although it is stressful to find the right solution, once you do make a choice, you will know that it is the right one if you have completed this research. Remember the sooner you START the easier it will be!
Upromise
I just signed up for Upromise. They have devised a way of linking your Upromise account to your club cards at major supermarkets, debit cards and credit cards. When you spend money at their partners or just use your cards, you earn money for college. It doesn't matter if you have already been. You can register your student loans and use the rewards you earn to pay off student loans. They also offer a Citibank credit card which also helps you save.
You can even earn money when you eat if you eat at affiliated restaurants. Why not? You have to eat to live. It's been a nice suprize when I have been out to eat to see a surprise bonus on my Upromise account.
Looking to purchase a home in the near future? If you use their affiliated realtors, they contribute $3000 back to you! What? Buy a condo and pay off your loans in part? Fantastic!!
You can invite other family to register their credit cards online--aunts, uncles, older brothers and sisters, family friends...the list goes on.
Don't miss out! Visit Upromise today!
529 Plan
A fabulous way of saving for college! Don't have student loans yet? Upromise can also link to a 529 plan. Pre-tax contributions can also be made from a paycheck--just like a retirement account. This includes parent contributions or a student's jobs before or even during college. A 529 Plan has another benefit over a regular savings account. The government does not tax the interest you earn in a 529! This means even more money for college!
Fidelity.com offers a College Rewards American Express credit cards that links directly to a 529 account if you have one with them. They give 1.5% cash back rewards straight into your account!
Vanguard.com offers a 529 account through Upromise. It makes the application process easier because all of your information is in their system.
The best thing is to find a 529 administered by your state. You can also search 529 and your state. What are you waiting for?? Start saving today!
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4.3.09
Google your way to scholarships
Ohhhh google google google. How I love thee. Let me count the ways... Results 1 - 100 of about 8,860,000 for engineering scholarships. SAY WHAT?!?!?
There is no way I could sift through that many results to find the perfect scholarship for me. So the goal is to get the results to a more manageable number.
Google reacts well to certain parameters. If you are looking for a nursing scholarship, you can search by that specific phrase by placing it in quotation marks. "Nursing Scholarship" pulls up 368,000 results while just searching for nursing scholarship without the quotes pulls 559,000.
Another great parameter is the OR/AND function. These two little words may not give you a lot of points in scrabble but using them in conjunction on google will beef up your scholarship results score immensely. Try searching for Pediatric Nursing Scholarship. 271,000 results. Try searching for "Pediatric Nursing Scholarship". 18 results. Now we're going to add just one word, this is going to be your favorite word out of the entire English language because it will provide more information on how to successfully put your scholarship opportunities within reach: Application. You need to fill out an application to apply for a scholarship. You know that, so make sure you include it in your search query. "Pediatric Nursing Scholarship" AND "application" returns 10 results. That eliminates 8 results you didn't need to look at because they did not pertain to applying for a scholarship.
Probably one of the best parameters to use is the filetype parameter. Filetype will only show specific file extensions like pdf or word documents, which is the primary format most scholarship applications are in. Example. Search scholarship application in google, receive 9,950,000 results. Search "scholarship application", receive 924,000 results. Search "scholarship application" AND "nursing", receive 124,000 results. Search (filetype:doc OR filetype:pdf) "scholarship application" AND "nursing", receive 2,310 results. From almost 10 million to just over 2 thousand, that is a much more manageable number.
Add in a few extra ingredients, your city (example: (filetype:doc OR filetype:pdf) "scholarship application" AND "nursing" AND "los angeles"), your school, your state, your field of study... mix it up, try different arrangements and you'll have a very strong scholarship portfolio to choose from.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to comment here and I genuinely wish you the best of luck on your scholarship quest. I'm in the same boat with you so I feel the exasperation.
Good Luck!
There is no way I could sift through that many results to find the perfect scholarship for me. So the goal is to get the results to a more manageable number.
Google reacts well to certain parameters. If you are looking for a nursing scholarship, you can search by that specific phrase by placing it in quotation marks. "Nursing Scholarship" pulls up 368,000 results while just searching for nursing scholarship without the quotes pulls 559,000.
Another great parameter is the OR/AND function. These two little words may not give you a lot of points in scrabble but using them in conjunction on google will beef up your scholarship results score immensely. Try searching for Pediatric Nursing Scholarship. 271,000 results. Try searching for "Pediatric Nursing Scholarship". 18 results. Now we're going to add just one word, this is going to be your favorite word out of the entire English language because it will provide more information on how to successfully put your scholarship opportunities within reach: Application. You need to fill out an application to apply for a scholarship. You know that, so make sure you include it in your search query. "Pediatric Nursing Scholarship" AND "application" returns 10 results. That eliminates 8 results you didn't need to look at because they did not pertain to applying for a scholarship.
Probably one of the best parameters to use is the filetype parameter. Filetype will only show specific file extensions like pdf or word documents, which is the primary format most scholarship applications are in. Example. Search scholarship application in google, receive 9,950,000 results. Search "scholarship application", receive 924,000 results. Search "scholarship application" AND "nursing", receive 124,000 results. Search (filetype:doc OR filetype:pdf) "scholarship application" AND "nursing", receive 2,310 results. From almost 10 million to just over 2 thousand, that is a much more manageable number.
Add in a few extra ingredients, your city (example: (filetype:doc OR filetype:pdf) "scholarship application" AND "nursing" AND "los angeles"), your school, your state, your field of study... mix it up, try different arrangements and you'll have a very strong scholarship portfolio to choose from.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to comment here and I genuinely wish you the best of luck on your scholarship quest. I'm in the same boat with you so I feel the exasperation.
Good Luck!
26.2.09
America Saves...Day 5!
I for one have applied for a majority of the scholarships available to me on FastWeb. And after I exhausted that resource, I realized that the majority of those were scholarships that almost anyone could qualify for. I needed to find scholarships that were more pertinent to my degree plan, my region and my academic standing.
I didn't graduate in the top ten and my parents don't make alot of money, but still enough that the government says they should pay for school even when I know they can't afford it. Whats left to me then? Scholarships and Student Loans... My ambition is to not have dug myself into a giant pit of debt upon graduation. So scholarships it is.
So how do I get the opportunity to apply for more?
A few simple steps I utilize and hope to have work in my favor.
1. Don't sit there and wait for scholarships to come to you. No one is going to walk up to you on the street and hand you a wad of cash, so don't expect scholarships to work that way either. Even top academic and athletic students had to earn their scholarships, its only right that you do legwork too.
2. Write you essays! I know that its exhausting and you may not be pleased with the end result but getting your essays written long before the deadline approaches will allow you to make any edits you deem necessary. Have a teacher or professor proofread and edit your paper for you to ensure that you come off as professional.
3. You will never run out of scholarship opportunities. GUARANTEED. I can say this with confidence because when I thought I was done, I learned to open more doors for myself. When FastWeb wasn't producing the results I needed, I contacted my school to find out if they had any leads. When that was exhausted I contacted the chamber of commerce in my area to see if they had any funding or monies designated for scholarships. When that was exhausted I turned to my degree plan and began searching for organizations and affiliations within my city that might have a scholarship fund for engineers. When that was exhausted I turned to my church to see if they had any information on scholarships for active christian students. The only thing I had to lose was time, but while it was time-consuming it was well worth the effort. As the saying goes, Rinse and Repeat. Start over again, scholarships become available all year round. And don't forget to check with your state's education page. They may have more scholarship lists available to you.
4. When all else fails... Google. This is the most time-consuming venture of all as you have to actually sift through scholarship opportunities and figure out if you're eligible. With the right search parameters, Google can pull up anything. "Nursing Scholarships" or "Nursing Scholarships in California" or "Pediatric Nursing Scholarships" all produce results. But don't give up. Draft up a letter to send to any scholarships that you have missed the deadline for and request information about applying for the scholarship next year. Requesting this information will give you time to prepare as well to make sure they are having the scholarship once more. Nothing I dislike more than putting together a scholarship only to release: I'm ineligible, I missed the deadline or it's inactive. While search engines can produce a wealth of information, its quality over quantity.
5. Never mislead others about yourself on a scholarship application, this could come back to haunt you. Always have backup copies of your resume, letters of recommendation, biography and general essays in the event your computer crashes. Store them online with your email provider for fast submission and for added security
I didn't graduate in the top ten and my parents don't make alot of money, but still enough that the government says they should pay for school even when I know they can't afford it. Whats left to me then? Scholarships and Student Loans... My ambition is to not have dug myself into a giant pit of debt upon graduation. So scholarships it is.
So how do I get the opportunity to apply for more?
A few simple steps I utilize and hope to have work in my favor.
1. Don't sit there and wait for scholarships to come to you. No one is going to walk up to you on the street and hand you a wad of cash, so don't expect scholarships to work that way either. Even top academic and athletic students had to earn their scholarships, its only right that you do legwork too.
2. Write you essays! I know that its exhausting and you may not be pleased with the end result but getting your essays written long before the deadline approaches will allow you to make any edits you deem necessary. Have a teacher or professor proofread and edit your paper for you to ensure that you come off as professional.
3. You will never run out of scholarship opportunities. GUARANTEED. I can say this with confidence because when I thought I was done, I learned to open more doors for myself. When FastWeb wasn't producing the results I needed, I contacted my school to find out if they had any leads. When that was exhausted I contacted the chamber of commerce in my area to see if they had any funding or monies designated for scholarships. When that was exhausted I turned to my degree plan and began searching for organizations and affiliations within my city that might have a scholarship fund for engineers. When that was exhausted I turned to my church to see if they had any information on scholarships for active christian students. The only thing I had to lose was time, but while it was time-consuming it was well worth the effort. As the saying goes, Rinse and Repeat. Start over again, scholarships become available all year round. And don't forget to check with your state's education page. They may have more scholarship lists available to you.
4. When all else fails... Google. This is the most time-consuming venture of all as you have to actually sift through scholarship opportunities and figure out if you're eligible. With the right search parameters, Google can pull up anything. "Nursing Scholarships" or "Nursing Scholarships in California" or "Pediatric Nursing Scholarships" all produce results. But don't give up. Draft up a letter to send to any scholarships that you have missed the deadline for and request information about applying for the scholarship next year. Requesting this information will give you time to prepare as well to make sure they are having the scholarship once more. Nothing I dislike more than putting together a scholarship only to release: I'm ineligible, I missed the deadline or it's inactive. While search engines can produce a wealth of information, its quality over quantity.
5. Never mislead others about yourself on a scholarship application, this could come back to haunt you. Always have backup copies of your resume, letters of recommendation, biography and general essays in the event your computer crashes. Store them online with your email provider for fast submission and for added security
