Hello FCS Subscriber, the grass is always greener on the other side, so the saying goes. Many of you receiving this newsletter are preparing for mid-terms and probably would want to be doing something else. Just think that there are many people out there would like to be in your spot - in school and working towards a degree.
Whether you have a mid-term coming up or not, FreeCollegeScholarships wants to help you pay for college. We're holding our next 10k scholarship drawing on Oct. 30th, 2009 . Click Here to Register.
 In this newsletter we'll talk about the different strategies in finding awards. Many parents and students don't know where to start, so here's the rough guide.
It's Overwhelming...
...but it doesn't have to be. When we first decide to find scholarships we might get discouraged by the lack of a clear path. There is so much information available, it seems it would take forever to search all potential sources. Take a deep breath and rest assured that your hard work will pay off.
Easy-to-do Components
The real key is to make the search manageable. Break the task down into easy-to-do components. Set a financial goal and tell yourself that when you have been awarded enough money in scholarships and grants to reach your goal that you will stop your search. Now you have a clearly defined ending point.
Begin with the Media
One way to start is to identify the media you will use to find potential scholarships and grants. The three most commonly used are: 1) the internet, 2) advisors, and 3) books. The internet will be the fastest. Start by simply entering the key word scholarships. Meanwhile call and set up appointments with your high school and college/university financial aid advisors if the institution is close enough. Of course the widest selection of scholarship books can be found in your local library. |
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Search Categories
Next determine the search categories you want to start with. Some of the more common categories are searches by major (your subject of study), career goal (the job you want), academic institution, ethnicity, location, religion, and special interests. There are many other categories as well. For example, there are scholarships for people with physical disabilities, for former or current people in the military, for employees or children of employees of large companies, and for those with specific hobbies. Almost all of the scholarship books you find in the library will have lists of search categories.
Once you have determined the search categories of interest to you, rank them. You might start with the job you want, for example resort management. Search for all scholarships for people who want to get a job in resort management. Next, you might look at your proposed major - in this case, Hospitality. Search for scholarships for hospitality majors. Your third search category might be by minority. Search for scholarships designated for females. Now you have determined that the grouping for your search will take the following path:
1) Resort Management scholarships
2) Hospitality major scholarships
3) Scholarships for Females
Segment by 3-4 Categories
Work back and forth between search media and search categories. Start with only three or four search categories. When you have finished exploring scholarships based on these categories, apply for them and move to three or four more search categories. You will find that if you keep each segment of your search within a reasonably narrow framework (a small number of search categories), moving from one segment to the next, the overall task will not seem so overwhelming. Continue grouping segments of three to four search categories and applying after each segment until you reach your predetermined dollar goal for money you obtain.
Please remember to register for the Oct. 30th FCS scholarship drawing, and stay tuned for next week's newsletter!
Good Luck,
FCS Scholarships
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