- FastWeb.com
–Millions of scholarships worth billions of dollars available
–Personalized matching of scholarships to your profile
–Gives away $1,000 each week - Scholarships.com
–2.7 million scholarships worth over $19 billion
–Scholarships match your academics, talents & interests
–Review your scholarships by deadline, dollar amount
–Create custom scholarship application request letters - CollegeBoard.com (Scholarship Search)
–Complete the brief questionnaire and Scholarship Search will find potential opportunities
–2,300 sources of funding
–nearly $3 billion available in aid - CollegeScholarships.org
–The College Scholarships Foundation is the non-profit entity behind the scholarships provided here on this site
–This siteoffers traditional scholarships for minorities and women, while also introducing popular offers such as the First Ever Blogging Scholarship
–College grant and student loan information also available - CollegeScholarships.com
–Offers a new ‘Scholarship of the Month’
–Also has many scholarships based on geographic region available
5 Great Scholarship Websites
Considerations for a Successful First Year
When it comes time to look for an institution of higher learning, there are many considerations that need to be made. Certainly, the year before heading out to college is one that is filled with stress, uncertainty, and anticipation. From the standardized tests to the copious amounts of forms that need to be filled out, there is plenty to keep the mind occupied for sure. Take a look at some of the other considerations that you will need to keep I mind before making your final decision.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is a wonderful thing to help out college students with their financial obligations as they enter their institution of choice. Keep in mind, however, that financial aid will only cover a portion of your tuition, books, and other fees. There are some grants available, which are based on income, but most financial aid will come in the form of loans. These student loans will need to be paid back eventually and this needs to be considered before you make your final decision.
Work-Study
Work-study programs are another way to help you earn money for college and will help you support your lifestyle while attending college. These programs are great because they generally keep you occupied on campus and the employers understand when it comes to studying, exams, and other school-related needs. Employers outside of the college may not be as understanding.
Educational Goals
If your educational goals are lofty, you may need to find a program that will ensure that you are able to achieve these goals with minimal struggle. Sometimes students decide to work more throughout their course of study and are unable to take a class load that will help them graduate in a fair amount of time. Figure out your goals and devise a plan that will help you achieve them with the least possible resistance.
Distance from Home
Choosing a university that is further from home may make things difficult when it comes to break times. If you are comfortable staying away during holidays, this may be an opportunity to earn some money to keep you afloat throughout the academic year. However, many students find that returning home during breaks helps them to rest and rejuvenate before the upcoming semester. Discuss this with your family and figure out what your best course of action will be.
–This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of best online university. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12@gmail.com
8 Great Tips for Your Campus Interview
The college interview is an important step in the college admissions process. It gives you a rare opportunity to show colleges who you are as a person, rather than just test scores and essays, and allows you the chance to find out more about the school. The application you submit only shows a college a limited amount about you, so this is your chance to shine. If a college is on the fence about admitting you to their school, the interview is what can push you over the top. Admissions counselors are looking for students who embody what their college is all about, so do some research, check out their website and let them know why you would be an excellent addition to their campus.
- 1. Research before you get there – become familiar with the school and think about the reasons you’d like to attend that specific institution. They want to know why their school appeals to you.
- 2. Be on time – it shows you are responsible and that the interview is important to you.
- 3. Let your personality shine – be warm and friendly.
- 4. Get excited – above all, colleges want students who will dive right in and contribute to campus life.
- 5. Explain yourself – this is where you can make up for any shortcomings on your application. Let the school know why you struggled, and how you are better because of it.
- 6. Ask questions – the interview is not only for the school to get to know you but also a great way for you to get to know the school. Plus, asking intelligent questions shows your level of interest and can help avoid those dreaded awkward silences in the conversation.
- 7. Don’t stress – remember, you only want to be admitted into a school if it will be right for you, not someone else, so be yourself.
- 8. Make a lasting impression – be polite to everyone you meet while on campus and write thank-you-notes to the people who interviewed you.
The Admissions Advantage of Summer Programs
College-sponsored summer academic programs are increasingly popular among high school students, partly because students and their parents believe that these programs can give a boost to college applications.
That’s a reasonable expectation, says Senior Admissions Consultant Nadine C. Warner – but only up to a point. Moreover, the advantage gained by summer program participation is not quite the one some people think it is.
“Summer programs can be a great way for high school sophomores and juniors to earn college credit while gaining a first-hand look at undergraduate life,” says Nadine. “These programs can range in length from a few weeks to the bulk of the summer, and cover topics as diverse as architecture, theater, medicine, and law.”
“But participation in a school’s summer program is not a guarantee for later admission to the college involved,” Nadine stresses. That’s partly because there is usually no overlap between a college’s summer program administration and its admissions office. The two offices have separate staffs and often use different selection criteria. That means that being selected for a competitive summer program doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be a strong candidate for undergraduate admissions.
“All the same,” says Nadine, “participation in a summer program is viewed favorably by admissions committees. It shows initiative on the applicant’s part and a genuine interest in a given area of study.
“To get the most out of a summer program experience, students should make an active effort to get to know their classmates and professors. They should also make time to explore the campus and the surrounding city.
“Remember, a summer program gives students an opportunity to learn more about a target college than viewbooks, websites, or even campus visits can provide,” says Nadine. That experience can be invaluable when it’s time to address the ‘Why College X?’ question in your application essays.
– Senior Admissions Consultant Nadine Warner previously served as Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and now works for AdmissionsConsultants.com.
5 Ways to Go Green in Your College Search
Looking for a way to be more environmentally friendly during your college search? Here are 5 tips to do just that!
1. Enough with the brochures and printed college information! Use college websites for research and bookmark pages that interest you. Ask colleges to send you materials electronically rather than sending you a massive packet in the mail!
2. Visit only the campuses that interest you the most. Did you know that a lot of colleges offer virtual tours on their website? Many colleges have taken this step to be more green while offering high school students a chance to see the campus before they arrive.
3. When visiting campuses, carpool! What could be more fun than visiting college campuses with your high school friends? Less cars on the road means less pollution and a blast of a road trip!
4. Attend a virtual college fair! Virtual College Fairs are a perfect way for you to go green during your college search. You can attend these fairs from home, download materials, go on virtual tours of colleges and even apply to schools online. No paper, no driving and no waste!
5. Submit your application online. Most schools offer online applications as a way to apply to their college. Take advantage of this. It is easier, faster and greener than the traditional paper applications!
10 Tips for a Great Admissions Essay
The admissions essay is extremely important. It can knock an excellent candidate out of the running, but it can also propel a marginal student to acceptance. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind while you’re sharpening your pencil:
1. Reveal your personality, passions and character
Colleges use essays to gain deeper insight into the true “you”, and this is your chance to show a different side of yourself than grades and extracurriculars. A great way to express your personality is by telling a personal story – something that exemplifies your positive traits or a major event that helped shape who you are as a person.
2. Use solid structure
A basic structure you can use begins with an attention grabbing anecdote or quote that clearly fits the main idea of your essay. Then, everything written in the body supports your main idea clearly and concisely. The conclusion should refer back to your intro to create a nicely wrapped and focused essay.
3. Keep the focus on you
While you’re telling stories and funny anecdotes it is easy to get distracted from your purpose. Don’t forget that colleges only want to learn more about you – not your Uncle Ned and his crazy antics.
4. Don’t just list everything that makes you so great
Colleges do not want to read another list of all your academic awards, honors, and ping-pong trophies. Remember, this is your chance to show them something different. It’s hard not to come across as a braggart when your writing an essay that’s supposed to reveal your best qualities, so try to use a tone that expresses some humility and schools won’t think your head is too big to fit on their campus.
5. Don’t whine
Perhaps nothing is worse than an admissions essay filled with excuses and complaints about why your academic achievements are not up to par. No one wants to hear sob stories about why your SAT score or GPA isn’t higher. If you didn’t do as well as you would have liked in certain areas, write about how you’ve learned from the experience.
6. Get feedback from those you trust
When you are finished rewriting it once or twice, have your parents or teacher take a look at your essay and let you know their honest opinions. Constructive criticism can be difficult to take, but it can be extremely helpful when it comes from people you trust.
7. Use good mechanics
This one is obvious, but I still have to say it. Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes will have a negative impact on how colleges perceive you. Mechanical mistakes make you appear lazy and careless since you didn’t take the time to read it over carefully.
8. Take it easy on the thesaurus
When you write to impress, it is tempting to bust out that trusty thesaurus and fill your essay with words that you can barely pronounce. Too many words that are not in your normal vocabulary will affect your overall tone, your ability to appear genuine, and possibly your ability to make sense. All of these things are not in your best interest, so keep the thesaurus under control.
9. Don’t procrastinate
Do not wait until the day before the application deadline to start on your essay. You should revise and rewrite at least three times. Plus, you’ll need time to get feedback from others and proofread the final draft.
10. Be funny, but not too funny
Don’t be afraid to add some humor. It shows your personality and makes your essay more memorable. One warning to all the comedians though, too much humor will make both you and your essay look foolish.
Get Involved in the Process
Have you ever been told that you need to get more involved at school? Maybe you’ve been advised to pick up an extra curricular activity or join a sports team? Well as hesitant as you may be to take that advice, you absolutely should, especially once you get to college.
Once you begin your college search, don’t just look at the school’s location, job placement rate or available majors. While those are all valid things to consider, there is more to think about. What are some of the things that you enjoy doing? Do you excel at art or baseball or have a knack for writing? When you start researching schools, look into the clubs, teams and groups they have because you’ll want to make sure that you can continue doing what you love once you go to college.
Ask your college admissions representative about the activities on campus. Talk to coaches or student group presidents to determine if the campus will be a good fit for you. Are you an athlete who loves the game, but won’t be making it a career? There is a school out there for you where you’ll be able to compete and continue playing the game! Is your dream to be a journalist? Then wouldn’t it look great on your resume to have been on the staff of a college newspaper? Ask about these types of things while you search for a school.
You’ll get burnt out if you can’t pursue your interests while you earn your degree. Start thinking hard about what you want to do while you attend college and then go out there and find the school for you!
Remember, it’s important to get involved in college. The more you get involved, the more people you will meet and the more fun you will have. It’s that simple!
-Julie, 2006 college grad
Higher education is going green!
Colleges and universities across the nation are embracing the need to be environmentally conscious, and adopting practices that reflect a culture of sustainability. What started as a small groundswell of eco-friendly colleges in the 1990s has grown by tsunami-like proportions. Quite simply, college students today will undoubtedly meet with some level of environmentalism at whatever institution they choose. Now it is the rule, rather than the exception, that concern for our fragile eco-system is part of the college experience.
The Princeton Review recently surveyed prospective students about what influenced their college selection process. Two-thirds stated that a commitment to the environment was valuable, and nearly 25% said that would strongly affect their choice. This reflects the growing awareness and intense concern that young people are feeling about their world and its future. Even on campuses where environmental majors are not specifically offered, students form or join clubs and initiate projects. Their efforts are usually aimed at combating global warming, reducing the campus carbon footprint, and using sustainable practices in every possible area of operations.
For those who consider the environment to be a high priority in their lives, higher education is more than recycling and reducing the campus carbon footprint. Some students may also want to integrate sustainability and regenerative living into their academic programs. This is somewhat difficult for colleges to achieve, since the environment tends to cross multiple disciplines. Students interested in an environmentally focused learning experience should investigate one of the schools that offer a major in Environmental Studies or related programs. Some schools that offer environmental liberal arts curricula include Green Mountain College, College of the Atlantic, Prescott, Northland, and Alaska Pacific University. These schools are part of the Eco League, and students enrolled at one may seamlessly take a semester or more at any other League school. For the environmentally-minded student, this is worth exploring.
Sandra Bartholomew, Ph.D.
Dean of Enrollment Management
Green Mountain College
Poultney, VT 05764
802-287-8220
bartholomews@greenmtn.edu
Save money during your college search
It is important to visit the campuses of the schools that interest you, but that can require a lot of travel and expenses. Some families plan to visit ten or more schools for each child that will attend college. After spending money on travel, hotel rooms and food while visiting all of these schools, the costs can really add up.
So, new plan. As you continue your college search, do more research ahead of time. This way you can narrow down the number of schools you plan to visit to 3-5.
Our virtual college fairs are a great way to gather information on schools that interest you before you visit campus. You can chat with college representatives, view pictures and videos and get a general feeling about the school. You can virtually visit many schools in one day which will help you determine the colleges that interest you the most. Plus, you’ll be saving money! In fact, we were just featured in an article titled 10 ways to control the cost of college visits in the USA Today as a way to save money during your college search. Click here to gain free access to attend all our fairs and keep some more money in your pocket as you continue looking for your perfect school.