Thursday, September 29, 2011

Time Sensitive Scholarship $10,000

This is a new and recently endowed scholarship.

Single parent
Attending an accredited post-secondary institution
Receiving some type of financial aid.
Online degree program or program which has a material online component

Money can be used for:
Rent
Chidcare
Books and school supplies
Utilities-Gas and electric
Utilities-Internet
Groceries

ONLY THE FIRST 100 APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED.

Emailed or postmarked by November 1, 2011

www.onlinecolleges.org/scholarship

If you qualify, HURRY!!

$2,700 Prize Package to Puerto Rico

Three night getaway to Wyndham Rio Mar Beah Resort & Spa in Puerto Rico

Application Start & Finish Dates
September 12, 2011 to November 12, 2011

womansday.com/giveaways

$25,000 Sweepstakes

Woman's Day Magazine--Dream of a Lifetime Sweepstakes
Grand Prize--$25,000 Cash or Dream Vacation
1st Prize--$2,000 Cash or Gift Certificate
2nd Prize--$1,000 Cash or Panasonic Blu-Ray Home Theatre System
50 3rd Prizes--$100 Cash or DeLonghi Coffe Bar & Espresso Maker
1,000 4th Prizes--Quartz Fashion Watch

Begins October 15, 2011 & ends January 31, 2012

www.womansday.com/sweeps

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Happiness

"The secret to happiness lies not in getting more but in wanting less."
--Elaine St. James
Author of Simplify Your Life

Monday, September 26, 2011

Three FREE Places to Set Up Shop

A good way to make some extra money is to sell arts and crafts online. If you are not into crafts, you can sell vintage items or supplies. Here are some choices:

ArtFire.com
It doesn't limit you to your own handicrafts. You can also sell clothing designs and patterns, e-books, movies, music, art supplies, vintage collectibles and antiques.

Starting an ArtFire store is simple. Just sign up, enter your information and list your items for sale. You'll want to include useful item descriptions and plenty of pictures to entice buyers.

The first month of the service is free. After that, it's $12 a month to keep your store going - no per item or transaction fees to pay.

Etsy.com
This popular site operates somewhat the opposite of ArtFire. It's totally free to create a store and keep it open. However, you pay a per-item posting fee and a transaction fee when the item sells.

The posting is $.20 per item. You can keep the item active for four months. Etsy also takes 3.5 % cut of every transaction.

Zibbet.com
This site is probably the most versatile for creating a shop. You can set up a free Basic Account. It charges you no fees whatsoever, but limits you to 50 items.

The Basic Account gives you decent features. It lists your items on Google and Find.com, has respectable shop management tools and even offers free business cards.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Starting Your Personal Essay

Before you even start writing, it is important to read the scholarship application requirements first. Sit down with highlighters and/or colored pens and very carefully read and note details. Following directions is a vital first step - be careful not to skim over important information.

It is also critical that you find out about the organization offering the award. You need to know what they stand for and what is important to them. You want to be sure that you agree with their guiding principles. (Obviously, they will not give a scholarship to someone who has opposing values.)

Although scholarship and award essays have much in common with admission essays, the standards are higher for the scholarship essay. The competition for money (especially in this economy) is stiffer. Remember, it is important to create an outstanding personal essay.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Do You Know a High School Student?

KFC Colonel's Scholars Program has a scholarship for a high school senior. The awards can be up to $5,000 a year and the scholars could receive up tp $20,000 over four years. The deadline is February 8, 2012.

http://www.kfcscholars.org/scholarships

For other opportunities see:
http://scholarships.fatomei.com/college.html


Share what you learn in class with other students.

Friday, September 23, 2011

2012 Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards Program

Applications are now available for the Soroptimist Award. This is not a scholarship, but a $1,800 cash award to offset any costs associated with attaining higher education. (tuition, books, supplies, childcare, transportation).

In addition, it then goes on to regional and international competitions where the award money reaches $15,000.

To access, please Google 2102 Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards Program.

Although the local award (four will be offered this year) of $1,800 is pretty great, think beyond that to the $15,000. BUT, come in for help with your statement if you are planning on competing on the regional and international level. Your application needs to shine in order to be competitive.

This award is specifically for women who have primary financial responsibility for their families.

Deadline is December 15, 2011.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Winning Scholarships

In class I have talked about finding and applying for scholarships. I have stressed the importance of having several credible letters of recommendation and how critical it is to have an excellent essay. No doubt, a neat and professional looking scholarship application is vital, but being a winner of anything in life starts with attitude. Yes, being a winner is an attitude - it is believing in yourself.

If you truly believe that you deserve to win a scholarship, you will convey that message in the application that you submit. To start, it will look neat and organized - the first impression carries a lot of weight. You need to follow directions to a tee - one of the reasons that I am adamant about following my instructions is to get you in the habit reading and listening and following through.

BUT, you need to perform like a winner. You need to convince the scholarship readers that you are a winner and that their award should be given to you. What you are learning in class is the method for developing an outstanding scholarship application which demonstates that you are special and a WINNER. A positive attitude and determination cannot be beat. Speak from the heart and read the directions carefully. You will WOW the reader with your excellence.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

"To Whom It May Concern"

This opening has seen its day. It concerns nobody and only shows that the writer is not familiar with current forms. It is functionally counter-productive and handicaps your purpose from the beginning.

Ideally, you do a little researching and find the name of the person you are addressing - if you have a name, use it. If a person's name is not an option, you can use the name of the department. In the case of writing letters of recommendations for scholarships, simply use Scholarship Selection Committee - follow it with a colon (:).

Please encourage the people who are writing a letter on your behalf to read the Guidelines for Writing a Letter of Recommendation. A poorly written letter or one that uses outdated forms does not have much credibility. In fact, it can work against you. You need wonderful letters which look and sound professional.

By the way, don't even think of using the above salutation when writing to a company. To quote recent research, it is "cringe-worthy".

Tanabe Scholarship

Check out the Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship for $1000. The deadline is December 31, 2011.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Avoid Scams

If a scholarship requires a fee to submit the application, it may not be legit. Be super careful of scams - there are many out there.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Motivation

"People always say, "Motivation is great, but it does not last." I just tell them bathing doesn't last either, that is why I recommend it daily." Zig Ziglar

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Scholarship Links

Although I will be posting the December scholarship links, you might want to check out the December scholarships. Go to the College of the Desert website and click Transfer Center. On the lower left click scholarships.

A special thanks to Amanda Phillips (instructor for the other section of Intro to Scholarships) for entering all of the materials in the scholarship binders to the Transfer Center site--it was a monumental task.

Even though so much of the work of searching for scholarships has been made easy for you, I want you to actively start your own research. Start with FastWeb and complete your profile. Remember to set up a new email account specifically for your scholarships. Make it sound professional--nothing cutsey or anything that might reveal a negative side of you.

Scholarship Essay

This week we will start working on the personal essay which is the MOST important component of your application. You will eventually have several versions of your profile and typical answers to essay questions. The following are some typical questions that you may encounter:
1. Discuss some challenge that you have faced and how you grew from that experience.
2. Talk about someone who has been a great influence in your life--it could even be a character in fiction or an historical figure.
3. Perhaps it is an issue of current concern.
4. On occasion something may come up on integrity, ethics, values and the meaning of love.

You will note that there are some questions in the textbook to give you a jump start.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Workshop on Monday

For extra info on scholarhip resources, you might want to attend a workshop (Scholarship Research and Resources)which I will be presenting in the Multi-Purpose room in the Cravens Student Services Center. It will be held from 1:00 to 2:00. The same workshop will be repeated on Tuesday from 9:00 to 10:00 at the same place.

I'd love to see you there.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Basic Scholarship Tips

1. The more scholarships you apply for, the better your chances.
2. You have a better chance by applying for small scholarships. Everyone is attracted by the big numbers, but the small ones add up.
3. Without a system, you will miss deadlines. Check out my websites for directions on setting up a portfolio. You'll also need more than one version of a scholarship essay.
4. Enhance your chances of winning by being aware of some of the common mistakes like:
Not following directions
Wrong or lacking information
Missing deadlines
Not being neat and organized--appearances do count
5. Apply all year round--set aside time each day for scholarships (treat it like a job).
6. By using Google, you will find scholarships that are suitable for everyone.
7. Start now--it is never too late to start the search.
8. Remember, finding money for your education is more important than ever.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Following Directions

One of the areas that is very critical when applying for scholarships is reading and following directions. Completing an application is not just a matter of filling in the blanks and submitting an essay along with all of the documents requested.

Being in college is preparing you for a future career and that involves learning how to complete work tasks following specific instructions. It also takes having pride in your work and demonstrating that by producing results that are neat and organized.

Everything you are instructed to do in the Scholarship Class is a means to that end. Although my expectations may seem too high and, at times, unreasonable, there is an important purpose for your getting in the habit of carefully reading directions and meeting deadlines.

In order for your application to be read, it must look as though you took the time to show your best effort and, yes, appearances do count. Expect that I will not accept sloppy work or missed deadlines. The competition is stiff for scholarships even though there are billions of dollars in scholarships. You need to stand out from the crowd - your application needs to shine.

You may have realized by now that this is a really tough one unit class. You are here to be a winner and be awarded as many scholarships as possible. I am teaching a system which allows the average student, who follows directions, to win $5,000 to $8,000. Your investment in the necessary materials for the class and your commitment to details and following directions will pay off.

As I have mentioned , this is a very unique class. Treat it like any other class and you'll get a grade and one unit credit which transfers to CSU as an elective. Listen and read directions carefully; take pride in the appearance of your binder and portfolio; and don't allow yourself to miss class or be late. That's what it takes to be a winner.

I have made a pledge to you to do everything in my power to help you succeed, but you must meet me at least half way. My high expectations of you will pay off and my reward is hearing that a student has won one scholarship after another. You still have time to catch up.

Deadline TODAY

You still have until 11:59 tonight to email your essay for the Real Simple Essay Contest. I'm sure you can use $3000. What have you got to lose?

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Quote

"We all need someone who inspires us to do better than we know how."
Unknown

Real Simple Essay Contest Deadline

Everyone in the class qualifies for this contest unless you are under 19 years of age. The deadline is this Thursday, September 15th. This is a potential $3,000 - you must not forfeit this opportunity.

For those of you who are too young to qualify, I would still like you to answer the question and submit your essay on this Thursday.

Monday, September 12, 2011

More October Scholarships

1. Hispanic Scholarship Fund
http://www.hsf.net/innercontent.aspx?id=34 - Various scholarships available.

2. Mexican-American Dream Scholarship
http://cofem.org/programs/scholarships.html - For students regardless of immigration status.

3. Miss Teenage California
http://www.missteenageca.com/ - For young women 13 - 19 years of age.

4. Wells Fargo College STEPS Scholarship Sweepstakes
https://wfefs.wellsfargo.com/csteps/rules.jsp - Fpr high school students.

5. Xerox Technical Minority Scholarship Program
http://www.xeroxstudentcareers.com/why-xerox/scholarship.aspx - For minority students enrolled in a technical degree program at the bachelor level or above.

Deadline Tomorrow

Grace period for having your textbook, portfolio or electronic portfolio is TOMORROW. You MUST have your materials in order to be successful in the class. If you are going to do the electronic portfolio, you need to go into http://www.thesearchforscholarshipsportfolio.com/ and print out a page from the site. NO excuses will be accepted.

Also, in order to received credit for past assignments, they must be in tomorrow.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Scholarship Links/October

1. AES Engineering Services
http://www.aesengineers.com/scholarships.php - For high school and all students
attending a post-secondary educational facility in engineering.

2. The American Association of Japanese University Women
http://www.aajuw.org/Scholarship.htm - For women attending cololege as an
undergraduate.

3. Building Industry Association of San Diego County
http://www.biasandiego.org/pdfs/College_Application_REVISED_09-28-10.pdf -For full
time two, three and four year technical, vocational and college/university students who are
pursuing a career related to the building industry.

4. Coca Cola Scholars Program
Google: Coca Cola Scholars Foundation-this one is for high school seniors(DEADLINE: October 31, 2011

Friday, September 9, 2011

COD Events

How about some free entertainment?
#1
Tomorrow, Saturday, September 10, Jazz and Jazz-Rock--original compositions by Wayne Shorter and Miles Davis with music instructors Mikael Jacobson (bass) and MAtt Howe (drums)

Pollock Theatre at 7:00 pm

#2
Art show: A Contemporary View of Pre-Columbian Art (Reception and Entertainment by local musicians). Wednesday, September 14, 5:00--7:00 pm COD's Marks Art Center

Here's your chance for some free entertainment and food at the recption. Treat yourself.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

September 15 Deadline

Since everyone qualifies for the Real Simple Essay Contest, I'm making it a requirement for the class. If you haven't already done so, please google Real Simple Essay Contest. The prize is $3,000. You have this weekend to work on it. REMEMBER, the deadline is September 15th.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Due Tomorrow (Important)

Tomorrow is the deadline for having your textbook, portfolio and one inch binder. I will be checking them in class. IMPORTANT that you bring everything to class.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Scholarship a Class

Only two or three students did their assignments. Remember, you need to turn in one scholarship each class even if I gave it to you. It must be a scholarship for which you meet the eligibility requirements.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

For Students in All Classes

Supplies Checklist

Being a top student starts with establishing good study skills; having an appropriate place to study and having the proper supplies. Although each student will have individual preferences, the following list of materials and tools have proven invaluable in preparing papers and maintaining study materials in an organized fashion.

Textbooks /Pencil Case/
College Handbook/ Eraser
Dictionary/ Extra Staples/
Thesaurus/ Glue Stick/
Index Cards/ Highlighters/
Card Box/Envelope/ Paper Clips/
Folders/ Paper Punch/
Labels/ Pencils #2 /
Notebooks/ Pencil Sharpener /
Yearly Planner/ Post-its/
Daily Planner/ Rubber Bands/
Daily Planner/ Ruler /
Audio Recorder/ Scissors /
Stapler/ Staple Remover/
White Out/ Staple Remover/
Blue Books/ Scantron Answer Sheets/
Computer/ Flash Drives/
Black Pen/ Colored Pens/
Book Bag/ Printer /
Calculator/ Paper for Printer /
Clipboard

FAFSA

For those of you who haven't applied for FAFSA, please do so as soon as possible. Remember, even if you don't qualify, you need to apply. Most scholarship applications will want a copy of your SAR's report (student aid report) as part of your scholarship application.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Sallie Mae Resources

Please google SALLIE MAE SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH for potential scholarships. Become familiar with Sallie Mae and what it has to offer.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Letters of Recommendation

Please start working on your request for letters of recommedation. Here is a checklist:
1. Select at least three people.
2. Make requests in person. (Do you feel comfortable writing a wonderful letter in my behalf?)
3. Write a formal letter with the request. See sample in downloads on my website-- findingmoneyforcollege.com
4. Complete your personal data form--my website (downloads).
5. Complete your scholarship resume form--my website (downloads).
6. Printout a copy of "Guidelines for Writing Letter of Recommendation".
7. Once you have a personal essay, include it in the packet.
8. You'll need two white envelopes (8 1/2 X 11).
9. Give a deadline--two weeks is adequate.
10. Be prepared to frequently check on the status of your recommendation.
11. Once you receive your recommendation, send a thank you note or letter.
12. Go the extra step and include a bookmark, post-its or even a candy bar in your
thank you. Show your appreciation in some way, but don't go overboard.

Please stay on track and avoid being overwhelmed.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Real Simple Contest

How is your application for the contest coming along? Remember that September 15th is the deadline. If you haven't located it yet, please access through Google and type in Real Simple Magazine Contest. Be sure to keep a copy before you submit it. This is a great opportunity to win $3000. Good luck.