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Edited By: Create Success
Find Money for College
It's true: after you receive your first scholarship award, the sky becomes your limit. You've succeeded in gaining recognition and praise from someone other than a family member. Bonus cash aside, earning such recognition is an impressive achievement that should motivate you to continue towards success. Attending college is just the beginning. Once you're there, you begin to decide who you want to become. Having a passion for your interest will always put you head and shoulders above the rest in class, in your social life, and in your career.
If you are just looking for easy money, the truth is that winning scholarships may be difficult for you. But if you are attempting to distinguish yourself from your peers, set a standard for excellence, and ease the financial burden of funding your education so that you can focus on your studies, you have a much better chance at succeeding. Before you begin your scholarship search, remember that success is created, not found. Money is earned as a result of that success.
How to Create Success
Research
Research the scholarship opportunities available to you. You should have a good idea about what your options are before you begin submitting scholarship applications. There are millions of scholarships available, but you won't qualify for all of them. Gathering information about your options should help you prioritize the best offers for you.
Prepare
Research should give you an idea of the criteria for the scholarships for which you qualify. If you fall short in any areas, like community service or extracurricular activities, establish a background in these areas by getting involved while you have the chance. Additionally, build your writing skills. This is critical; most merit scholarships require that you respond to an essay question or submit a writing sample. Prepare a couple of solid essays on common topics like future goals or interests. These are good practice, and you might even be able to repurpose them for some of the essay scholarships to which you eventually apply.
Organize
Many scholarships will require you to submit the following articles:
- Letters of recommendation from teachers or employers
- A small photo
- Cover letter
- History of community service
- School transcripts
- An essay
Have these items compiled ahead of time so that when you find a scholarship you are interested in, you are prepared to apply as soon as possible.
Submit
Submit your portfolios to the scholarship providers in whose awards you are interested. If you choose to send your scholarship application by mail, be sure that the address is correct. Follow the guidelines and be certain that you meet all of the criteria for a specific scholarship so that you don't waste your time.