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 FastWeb Guide to Scholarships
FastWeb.com. Take advantage of free online scholarship searches, such as www.fastweb.com. Also, look up the financial aid pages of your prospective colleges. This is where most college sites list information about scholarships. The reference section of your library may provide books and resources of federal, national and state sources of college aid, in addition to scholarship directories that list awards based on age, state of residence, cultural background or field of study.
Search in your community. Ask organizations and institutions in your community or city if they offer awards for college. Don't forget about cultural organizations that grant awards based on ethnic background. Talk to your school's counselor. Ask about private and corporate sponsorships that you qualify for. Don't limit yourself. Scholarships exist for unique talents and abilities. Don't confine yourself to academic scholarships or big national awards. Small awards will come in handy too. Keep looking even after you're in college. Don't give up on your scholarship search once you've entered college. Scholarships are not just for students entering college as undergraduate freshmen. Many awards are available to students already enrolled as undergraduates as well as students who are pursuing graduate studies.
It's never too soon to start your scholarship search. Some organizations give college scholarships as early as freshman year in high school. Generally, it isn't too late to start looking for aid, though an earlier start is preferable. Don't think that once you've gotten to college that there aren't scholarships available for you. FastWeb.com has many scholarships open to enrolled undergraduate and graduate students. You can search for them at: www.fastweb.com.
Apply only if you are eligible. Read all the scholarship requirements and directions carefully to make sure you're eligible before you send in your application.
Complete the application in full. If a question doesn't apply, indicate that on the application. Don't just leave a space blank. Supply all additional supporting material required. This may include a transcript, letter of recommendation and/or an essay. Follow directions. Provide everything that's required, but don't supply things that aren't requested. You could be disqualified. Neatness counts. Always type your application. If you must handwrite it, do so neatly and legibly. Make a couple of photocopies of all forms before you fill them out. Use the copies as working drafts as you develop your application packet. Write an essay that makes a strong impression. The key to writing a strong essay is to be personal and specific. Include concrete details to make your experience come alive: the who, what, where, and when of your topic. The simplest experience can be monumental if you present honestly how you were affected. Watch all deadlines. To help keep yourself on track, impose your own deadline that is at least two weeks prior to the official deadline. Use the buffer time to make sure everything is ready on time. Don't rely on extensions-very few scholarship providers allow them. Make sure your application gets where it needs to go. Put your name on all pages of the application. Pieces of your application may get lost unless they are clearly identified. Send your application via certified mail, if you are sending a paper copy. Keep a back-up file in case anything goes wrong. Before sending the application, make a copy of the entire packet. If your application goes astray, you'll be able to reproduce it quickly. Give your application a final "once-over." Proofread the entire application carefully. Be on the lookout for misspelled words or grammatical errors. Ask a friend, teacher or parent to proofread it as well. Ask for help if you need it. If you have problems with the application, don't hesitate to call the funding organization. Think before you write. Brainstorm to generate some good ideas and then create an outline to help you get going. Originality counts. The judges may be asked to review hundreds of essays. It's your job to make your essay stand out from the rest. Be creative in your answers. Show, don't tell. Use stories, examples and anecdotes to individualize your essay and demonstrate the point you want to make. Specific details will make a stronger impression for the scholarship judge. Develop a theme. Don't simply list all your achievements. Decide on a theme you want to convey that sums up the impression you want to make. Write about experiences that develop that theme. Know your audience. Personal essays are not "one size fits all." Write a new essay for each application-one that fits the interests and requirements of that scholarship organization. You're asking to be selected as the representative for that group. The essay is your chance to show how you are the ideal representative. Submit an essay that is neat and readable. Make sure your essay is neatly typed. Double-space the essay and provide adequate margins (1" to 1 1/2") on all sides. Make sure your essay is well written. Proofread carefully, check spelling and grammar and share your essay with friends or teachers. Another pair of eyes can catch errors you might miss.
Be suspicious of a scam if you are asked to pay money to get money. This is often in the form of an "application/processing fee."
Beware if you have been notified that you have won a scholarship for which you have not applied. Often you will be asked to pay a "disbursement" or "redemption" fee or the taxes before they can release your prize. Guaranteed scholarship matching services should be approached with caution. If you have to pay a service to help you get a scholarship, think twice. Many times the promised "refund" never materializes and neither does the guaranteed scholarship. Be skeptical of "free" financial aid seminars and interviews. These frequently turn out to be cleverly disguised sales pitches for financial consultants, investment products and overpriced student loans. Unusually low-interest educational loans that require you to pay a fee before you receive the loan are often too good to be true. Your loan may never appear. Demonstrate caution if your credit card or bank account information is needed in order to apply for or receive a scholarship. You should never have to give credit card or bank account information to award providers. Legitimate sponsors should provide contact information upon request. If the sponsor does not supply a valid e-mail address, phone number and/or street address (not a PO box) after you've asked for one, that could be the sign of a scam. Scammers sometimes go out of their way to appear "official" by using official-sounding words like "national," "education" or "federal" or they display an official-looking seal to fool you into thinking they are legitimate. Check with your school if you question a scholarship provider's legitimacy. If you can't get a straight answer from a sponsor regarding their application, what will be done with your information or other questions, proceed with caution.
Protect your wallet. Trust your instinct in these situations. If you don't believe an organization is operating in good faith, don't let them pressure you into paying for anything or revealing any of your financial information.
Document all your dealings with any company that you suspect of fraud. Include details about the offer, your response and the dates of your communications. Take notes during any future meetings or telephone conversations with these organizations. Record the date, time, place, nature of the conversation, the name of the person with whom you spoke and a detailed account of your conversation. Report them! Any of the following organizations can help:
National Fraud Information Center (NFIC)
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
State Attorney General's Office
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) |
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