The 4 biggest myths are:

1. It's too late (or too early) to apply.
2. The good scholarships are gone.
3. I need to have special circumstances, skills, and luck.
4. I need to spend hundreds of hours on the process.

The 5 mistakes that increase the cost of college are:

1. Not submitting the FAFSA;
2. Not applying for scholarships;
3. Eating out (use your meal plan);
4. Bringing a car to campus (gas, insurance, parking permit, tickets, damages);
5. Buying brand new textbooks.

The time is NOW!  Let the search begin!

1. It's not too late to apply.  Start the search process as soon as possible!
   • Scholarships are offered year round.
   • Conduct a search regularly throughout the year to ensure you find recently added scholarships.
2. The large majority of deadlines are within the months of February, March, and April.

1. Get organized!
   • Pull together the information that may be needed for all scholarship applications:
     • Academic information (GPA, Starfish Kudos, Dean’s List, etc.)
     • Recommendation letters
     • Scholarship essay
     • Community/volunteer work, extra-curricular involvement
2. Create a list of eligible scholarships.
3. Sort the scholarship list by deadline.
4. Start applying.

Strategies:

• It’s a numbers game.
  • Even among talented students, who wins involves a bit of luck, not just skill.
  • To win more scholarships, apply to more scholarships, but only if you qualify.
• You can’t win if you don’t apply.
  • One in four students never applies for financial aid.
• It gets easier after your first six applications.
  • Essays can be reused and tailored to each new application.
• Don’t miss deadlines.

Tips:

• Prioritize your applications by deadline and the expected value of the scholarship.
• Use a calendar and checklist to get organized.
• Tailor your application to the sponsor’s goals.
• Read and follow the instructions, carefully!
• Make your application stand out from the crowd.
• Practice on a copy of the application form.
• Pursue less competitive scholarships, such as small awards and essay contests.  Since they are easier to win, the money adds up, and they help you win bigger scholarships.
• Use a professional email address, such as firstname.lastname@gmail.com.
• Clean up your Facebook account.
• Google your name to see what shows up.
• Make a photocopy of your application before mailing it.
• Send the application by certified mail, return receipt requested or with delivery confirmation.
• If rejected, ask for the reviewer comments.

Common Errors:

• Missing deadlines
• Failing to proofread the application
• Failing to follow directions (essay length, number of recommendations, etc.)
• Omitting required information
• Applying for an award when you don’t qualify
• Failing to tailor the application to the sponsor
• Writing a boring essay

Writing the Essay…Stand Out!

• Read directions thoroughly and completely understand before writing.
• Use an outline to organize your thoughts.
• Give examples and be specific.
• Personalize your essay and be passionate.
• Write about something of interest to you.
• Talk about your impact on other people.
• Proofread a printed copy of the essay for spelling and grammar errors.  Use the ARC (Academic Resource Center) for writing assistance.

Letters of Recommendation:

• Ask to write a great letter of recommendation.
• Recommendation should be relevant to the scholarship’s goal.
• Provide the recommender with scholarship details.
• Give the recommender at least two weeks to write a letter.
• Thank the recommender for writing the letter.

Beware of...

• Scholarship searches that require payment.
• False Promises – Nobody can guarantee that you’ll win a scholarship.
• Scholarships that ask for personal information.  Do not give out information such as bank account numbers, credit card numbers or Social Security numbers.
• If a scholarship doesn’t have these 5 sections, it’s probably not legit:
  • Basic information about you
  • Grades/academics
  • Involvement
  • Essay
  • “Anything else” section

• Use your resources:
  • Online scholarship services, e.g. Fastweb.com or Scholarships.com
    • Answer the optional questions on a scholarship search site for possible matches.
    • Look for near-miss matches.
  • Scholarship books at the library or bookstore (check publication deadline)
  • Look for scholarships on bulletin boards outside the financial aid office.
  • Check with local organizations and community foundations.
  • Parent’s employer
  • Parent Civic Organization
  • Shopping – Target, Kohl’s Sears
  • Church
  • Social Media
• Websites to visit:
  • www.fastweb.com
  • http://www.viterbo.edu/financial-aid/scholarship-applications-and-searches
  • www.finaid.org/scholarships
  • www.finaid.org/websearch (keyword scholarship search)
  • https://www.scholarships.com/
  • https://www.salliemae.com/college-planning/college-scholarships/
  • https://www.goodcall.com/scholarships