Scholarship Search Secrets
Find FREE Money for College
Make optimal use of Internet technologies to find scholarships.
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Tip #4: The devil is in the details
What's the number one killer of scholarship applications? If you guessed simple, preventable mistakes, you'd be right. Attention to detail is vital for scholarship applications, from when to meet deadlines to the format in which you submit your application.
Some common mistakes:
- Missing deadlines. Probably the number one killer mistake of scholarship applications is missing a deadline. This is a great time to invest in a notebook or day planner, whether it's on a computer or it's a paper one.
- Incorrect information in applications, such as misspelling your name, address, or college/university.
- Omitted information, such as leaving required boxes blank on an application form or failing to include required documentation.
- Not following directions for essay length requirements. If an essay question specifies 500 words, aim for exactly 500 words, no more, no less.
All of these mistakes are preventable. If you want to win, get organized from the very beginning and stay organized!
Tip #5: Scholarship search is a year round sport
Since scholarship deadlines are scattered throughout the year, scholarship searches should also be performed throughout the year. As you'll see later on in this guide, there are ways to automate part of the process of scholarship search so that you can have agents working on your behalf - for free - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Be sure to set aside time each day - even if it's only 5 minutes - to review new scholarship opportunities. As fishermen say, don't let the big one get away because you weren't ready!
Tip #6: There are scholarships for everyone
While it may seem that many scholarships are intended for the very top academic performers or the poorest students, the reality is that there are scholarships for everyone. For example, the Duck Tape Brand Duct Tape Prom Dress Award for students who attend their prom wearing nothing but duct tape isn't awarded to the valedictorian, merely someone who shows up at the prom in a nice outfit made solely of duct tape. While that sounds absurd, the $3,000 scholarship that comes with it is money to be taken seriously.
Other fun or unusual scholarships include a David Letterman Scholarship for communications students who are talented but have mediocre grades, scholarships for left handed students, scholarships for students interested in arson investigation, and so on. These and many more can be found at the free scholarship search site, www.StudentScholarshipSearch.com on the web.
Tip #7: It's never too early or too late to search!
When is the best time to start searching for scholarships? Right now - and never stop until you're out of school and debt free. There are even scholarships which will help you pay off school debts, so keep searching. The best time to start is always right now, even if you're halfway through your last year. Obviously, the earlier you start, the better, but better to be late to the game than not playing
