Monday, September 24, 2007

Tips for Student on How to Apply Schoolarship

Education is invesment. Expensive of expense of education can be overcome with looking for source of fund like from scholarship. To submit the application of scholarship there are some tips which must be known:
  • Do your research. Take the time to look for various scholarships and their requirements and deadlines. Ask your friends, guidance counselor, and local community foundation for information on scholarships. Look at scholarship websites like www.fastweb.com. Make sure that you qualify for the scholarship before spending your time filling out the paperwork! Apply only if you are eligible, and check that you are able to complete the requirements before the deadline.
  • Start early. Give yourself plenty of time to fill out the application, ask for the necessary letters of recommendation and transcripts, and submit it in on time!
  • Follow the directions. Don’t go to all the work if you’re not going to do it right – make sure you print legibly and that you have answered the questions asked. Do not leave information incomplete.
  • Review the application. Edit your essay. Read it out loud to yourself. Have a friend or family member look over it for mistakes.
  • Be honest and let the application show your true self. Your own stories and thoughts are great because they are your own, and they help your application stand out from the rest! Many applicant reviewers are looking for students who are more than their résumé – they want to help real people who are interested in furthering their education.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Use your resources – ask for help and do your research. You can quickly become a “pro” at filling out applications but it takes practice and patience to do it right. The time and energy will pay off if you receive a scholarship!
  • Make a copy of the application for your file. Also, keep a written record of the scholarships for which you have applied.
  • Follow deadlines! Late applications are not considered.

Top Ten Tips for Winning Scholarship Applications

Top Ten Tips for Winning Scholarship Applications — by Kay Peterson, Ph.D. at FastWeb
Before you submit your scholarship application, check out these tips, provided by scholarship sponsors nationwide.

Tip #1: 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.

Tip #2: Complete the application in full. If a question doesn’t apply, note that on the application. Don’t just leave a blank. Supply all additional supporting material, such as transcripts, letters of recommendation and essays.

Tip #3: Follow directions. Provide everything that’s required, but don’t supply things that aren’t requested—you could be disqualified.

Tip #4: Neatness counts. Always type your application, or if you must print, do so neatly and legibly. Make a couple of photocopies of all the forms before you fill them out. Use the copies as working drafts as you develop your application packet.

Tip #5: 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.

Tip #6: 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 at all.

Tip #7: Make sure your application gets where it needs to go. Put your name (and Social Security number, if applicable) on all pages of the application. Pieces of your application may get lost unless they are clearly identified.

Tip #8: 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.

Tip #9: Give it 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.

Tip #10: Ask for help if you need it. If you have problems with the application, don’t hesitate to call the funding organization.