by Bill Reynolds
Courtesy of www.freschinfo.com
Bill, whose son won 10 scholarships, shared seven excellent tips on how to make your scholarship application stand out. I liked his tips so much, I've given them their own page! Many thanks to Bill for sharing his experiences!
Tip #1. ATTENTION TO DEADLINES
Try and have your application arrive EARLY as possible, absolutely not after the deadline date! I like to send applications with a "return receipt requested" or "registered" to make sure they get there. I think that this also conveys a positive characteristic about the sender.
Tip #2 START YOUR APPLICATION WITH A "THANK YOU" COVER LETTER
Sample Packet Cover Letter:
1111 WinOne Street
Pensacola, Fl 32503
9 September 1999
Mary Smith, President
Whatever Scholarship Committee
Orlando Central Parkway
Orlando, Florida (zip code)
Dear Ms. Smith,
This letter is an introduction of myself, (your name), and my desire to participate in the (whatever it is called) Scholarship Program. I have been accepted to (Name of your College) for the 1999 fall term.
I would like to thank you and the (whatever) Scholarship Committee for supporting college bound students with an opportunity for financial assistance through your scholarship program. Enclosed you will find my application form, high school transcript, ACT results, letters of recommendation, and other pertinent information. Again, thank you for your interest on my behalf and for the youth of our state.
Respectfully,
(your name)
Tip #3 ANSWER THE "MAIL"
While this seems obvious, you must construct your application to make it EASY for the committee to see that you have provided every thing that was required. I like to provide items in the order that they are listed in the application. If possible, do not mix items on the same page. In another tip I am going to tell you to add extra items that were not requested to give your application that something extra. However, DO NOT add extra items if you are specifically told not to add anything extra. This means that you can not follow directions if you add items when your are forbidden to do so.
Tip #4 ADD EXTRA ITEMS TO YOUR APPLICATION (if not forbidden).
This is where you get to be creative to find ways and things that present you in a positive light to the selection committee. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Write a short essay on MY EDUCATION/CAREER GOALS. Try to keep to one page but no more than two.
Write a paragraph or two on how this scholarship award will help you reach your education/career goals.
My son's guidance counselor gave him a paper that congratulated him on being in the top 10% of his class and acknowledged his hard work to get there. We included this because it put him in a "positive light" and his hard work at his academics was recognized.
Before my son reached his 18th birthday, he registered for the Military Draft as required for all males when they reach the age of 18. He received a letter from the draft board congratulating him for doing his civic duty prior to his 18th birthday. You guessed it, this was also one of our "extra items". A lot of scholarship committee members have military backgrounds or see this as good citizenship for this applicant.
One of the best extra items is a letter of acceptance for admission to "any" college. If the scholarship application is not for a specific college, you will be able to use the award at "any" college. You do not have to use it at the college you used in your application. Later you can get more college acceptance letters and when your make your selection you can notify the scholarship award committee of where to send the award. Therefore, any letter of acceptance shows that your are serious but it does not "lock" you into using the award at that college.
These are just a few examples to get you thinking. I would limit my extras to three or four at the most. Too many and you "sour" your application.
Again, MAKE SURE you are not forbidden to add extra items before you do so.
Be creative to find things that make you look good and share them with the committee.
Tip #5 PERSONALIZE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
This is a tip that conveys you took the time to make this application special. When you have a letter of recommendation addressed to the specific organization or person that is administering the application process it says that you took the time and effort to make this letter "Special" for them. If all you have is a letter that starts "To Whom It May Concern", it is better than nothing. But if you can personalize the letter it says you cared to send the very best.
SUB TIP #5a Offer to do the work for the writer of your letter of recommendation. For example, you want to apply to twenty scholarship programs. When you ask someone to write you "1" letter of recommendation they say sure. When you say you need twenty letters they say "sorry" I don't have the time. Once they write you one letter, ask if you can put it on the computer so the TO ADDRESSEE can be personalized for each application and your writer only has to "sign their name twenty times". Now your writer is happy to help you because you have done the work and make it easy for them to help you. If they have nice letter head, ask for blank copies to be used in this process.
SUB TIP #5b This is an "ADD EXTRA ITEM/s" when the application does not require a letter of recommendation.
SUB TIP #5c Try and get three to five letters of recommendation in your files. This will let you pick and choose which one or ones to send in for a specific application. I would never send more than three for an application unless the directions ask for more. I will cover some tips to give your recommendation writer in a later TIP.
TIP #6 - PROOF READ ALL MATERIALS and NEATNESS IS A MUST
When you write anything you must use correct grammar and spelling. If you have a problem in this area ask your English teacher to help you with proofreading your essay, cover letter, extra items you have included, and even letters of recommendation prepared by others. When there are hundreds or thousands of applications to review, correctness and neatness become the first screen out factor. Only when the "pile" is smaller does the content of your application start to become a factor in the selection process.
TIP # 7 - SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION IN A CLEAR PLASTIC FOLDER
Now that your application is complete, the final "presentation" tip is to place all of your items in a clear plastic folder, with a slide locking binder. I like the cheap clear ones so that your "Thank You Cover Letter" (Tip #2) is on top. For that final "touch" I also like to include a wallet size picture of the student in the lower left side of your packet. The next item/s in you application packet are those required in the application (Tip #3 Answer the mail). Next I add any extra items (if not forbidden) and finally I place any letter(s) of recommendations.
If "extras" are forbidden, you should consider NOT using a plastic folder, however, this can be a judgement call on your part. Read the application carefully again regarding extras. Some judges feel the plastic folders "give them more work" (to remove the applications from the plastic folder) while others have no problem with it, even though they may forbid extras. I know, this can be confusing!
Your application packet is a great looking presentation of YOU, don't mess it up by folding it to fit a small envelope. Use an 8X10 type envelope so your application arrives looking great. Consider sending it "Return Receipt Requested" so you know it arrived!
Scholarship Applications that Win!
Unique Job Search Concerns of Graduate Students
by: Peter Vogt
Earning a graduate degree is a big accomplishment -- one many students hope will clear a path to a great job. But grad students typically confront unique barriers to job search success, especially if they're seeking opportunities outside academia.
Be ready to work around these internal and external roadblocks, either alone or with the help of a school career counselor, with this guide.
Internal Barriers
- Overconfidence or Underconfidence: You might feel your graduate degree is a ticket to a job with a great salary and outstanding benefits and perks. Unfortunately, your undergraduate degree offered no guarantees, and neither does your grad degree.
- Conversely, you may feel you have little to offer a prospective employer, or that your academic experiences have no value in the workplace. And you may lack confidence in performing basic but critical job search tasks like writing resumes and cover letters and interviewing, especially if you went straight from your undergrad days to a graduate program.
- Hazy Career Goals: "Some graduate students lack a clear career focus," says Sharon Goodyear, assistant director of career development at the William Mitchell College of Law and former director of career services at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health. "I am continually surprised when I meet law students who don't know what they want to do with the degree, but they think that a law degree would be useful even if they're not sure they want to practice law."
- Difficulty Identifying and Selling Transferable Skills: If you're like many grad students, you may not know you have probably developed valuable skills in research, analysis, writing and verbal communication that transfer nicely to the workplace.
- You might also be prone to giving prospective employers too much detail about a topic you've studied in depth instead of highlighting the important skills you developed along the way.
- "Many employers...are not as interested in the details of a project as they are that job candidates possess the skills that enable one to complete an independent project -- research, writing, curiosity, collaboration, persistence, persuasion, self-motivation, etc.," says Briana Keller, PhD, a career counselor at the University of Washington who works frequently with graduate students.
- Student Loan Debt: Nellie Mae's 2002 "National Student Loan Survey" reveals that the average graduate school debt rose from $21,000 in 1997 to $31,700 in 2002. According to the survey, student loan debt prompted nearly one in five college and professional school graduates to change career plans.
- In short: It's tough to come up with a $600 monthly student loan installment on a $28,000-a-year salary.
- Tough Competition: Goodyear recently chatted with a third-year law student who said she'd never been turned down for a job until now, when she's about to complete her law degree.
- You may have had similar success throughout your academic and working career. But you're up against stiffer competition from your peers, not to mention higher expectations from employers.
- "Sometimes graduate students think that having an advanced degree should be enough to get them a fabulous job," Keller says. "Grad students interested in the business, nonprofit or government worlds still need to make sure they supplement book learning with real-world experience."
- Employer Perceptions: Some hiring managers -- although not all, Keller stresses -- have negative attitudes about graduate students. You may be viewed as everything from elitist and flaky to out of touch and ignorant about the world of work.
- But if you demonstrate you possess the opposite traits -- and more -- thanks to grad school, you'll position yourself to be hired as the serious, capable candidate you are.
Clements International's Expat Youth Scholarship
Award Amount: $3,000
The Clements International's Expat Youth Scholarship is available to students between the ages of 12 and 18 who have spent at least two years living outside their home country. You must submit and essay of at least 500 words on the theme "Life in a Flying House" that describes how your life has been affected by living as an expatriate to qualify for this award. Photographs, illustrations, paintings or video must also be submitted to illustrate the topic of the essay.
College Alumni Associations
by: Elisa Kronish
As a college student, what can your school's alumni association offer you?
Alumni associations provide a variety of services for students after they graduate, but they can also benefit students while they're in school. From money for college, to a welcoming greeting, to the power of networking, school alums can help you throughout college and beyond.
Benefits During College
Scholarship Money
Alumni associations often have scholarship programs for incoming students. Donations and fund-raisers provide the cash, and awards are typically based on academic performance rather than need. For example, at Xavier University in Ohio, the alumni association runs a collegiate license plate program. For $35, alumni can purchase Ohio plates with the Xavier logo, and $25 of the proceeds fund university scholarships.
Leadership Opportunities
Some schools give current students the opportunity to work with the alumni association. At Xavier University, current students participate in alumni event-planning. "They learn how to work with alumni and they have their own fund-raising events," says Joan Thompson, coordinator of Xavier's National Alumni Association. "They are trained to get skills and hopefully transition into leadership in one of the chapter associations when they graduate," she says.
Orientation for Freshmen
Before the school year begins, regional chapters often host get-togethers for incoming freshmen and their families from the area. "It gives students the opportunity to meet each other," says Sarah Weeks, a program director for the University of Tennessee Alumni Association. "They can organize carpools or just have someone from home to touch base with on campus," she says.
Early Career Networking
Students can get a jump-start on job-hunting by contacting alumni around the country. Campus career centers and alumni association offices usually keep lists of alumni, detailing where they live and what they do. Alumni can also help students find internships or part-time jobs during school or after graduation.
Benefits After College
More Networking
"One of the main benefits is career contacts in all different states," Weeks says. Alumni associations can usually supply a list of alumni (often free) according to location, graduation year or profession. The alumni connection can often provide the "in" you need for job and career assistance.
Money-Savers
Many alumni associations cut deals to save members money - and provide a "kick-back" to the school. For example, members of the Stanford University alumni association get discounts at both Avis and Alamo, as well as thousands of hotels worldwide. Another perk is the college credit card. Typically, the cards come with a low introductory annual percentage rate, and sometimes give a percentage of purchases back to the alumni association. Many associations also offer group insurance programs.
Keeping in Touch
Alumni associations are great for helping alumni stay tuned in to the happenings back at school and with other alumni. Some schools like Xavier give their alumni free e-mail accounts for life. "It allows us to follow them after they graduate," Thompson says. Most schools publish college magazines and alumni directories.
Even if graduation's years off, you should to take advantage of all your school's alumni association has to offer. Check out what the association at your school - or prospective school - has in store for you.
Alternative Spring Break
by: Roxana Hadad
What do think of when you hear the words "spring break"? Hitting the beach in Florida? Or the slopes in Colorado? For many students, spring break means social activism, all because of an innovative program called Alternative Break.
A Different Kind of Break
Break Away is a non-profit group that help schools and community organizations develop their own Alternative Break programs. Alternative Break is a program that places teams of high school and college students in communities to work on service projects during their summer, fall, winter or spring breaks.
These projects are located everywhere from rural Mississippi to the inner city of Los Angeles to the small towns of northern Mexico.
In the process of working on short-term projects for community agencies, students learn about issues like poverty, racism, literacy and the environment. Students have tutored migrant farm workers in Florida, promoted health education on a Native American reservation in Arizona, and assisted adults with disabilities in Louisiana.
The Alternative Break Experience
Alternative Break programs can offer an up-close-and-personal approach to community service. Students travel all over the country and live in the community they serve. As a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Junirose Zaide spent her Alternative Break living in a renovated homeless shelter in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "We worked with the homeless, renovating and coordinating with other shelters, feeding and providing shelter for those in need," Zaide says.
Even though the break can be brief, it's typically varied and intense. "There was nothing routine about the job. It was something different everyday," says Alternative Break alum David Osta. During his freshman year at the University of Illinois, Osta worked in Detroit, Michigan, with Save our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD), a program to prevent urban youth violence. His project took him from local schools, where he promoted a peace curriculum, to juvenile prisons, where he spoke to inmates.
Benefits for Now ... And Later
Like any vacation, Alternative Break gives you a chance to see the country. In addition to living in a new community, students have time to go sightseeing in their area of service. But Alternative Break offers many more benefits you don't get from a typical spring break.
With Alternative Break, you work closely with a group of students and get a chance to work on your team-building skills. "I started out the week in a group of people I didn't know, and ended the week with a lot of close friends," Zaide says. "It's a great chance to build a network of people who share a vision of social change."
While you work with that team, you explore social action and learn about the world at large. "I got a new perspective on the world and I got a new perspective on people," Osta says.
"It definitely gets students' feet wet in community service and gets the momentum going," says Amanda Newton, a former Illinois Alternative Break board member.
And you can carry these benefits with you, long after you finish your break. Alternative Break offers an opportunity to explore new interests - and perhaps even a new career path.
After her break, Zaide went back to Madison and became active in a local shelter. She now works for AmeriCorps educating urban school children about asthma, and she's planning a career in public health. Osta similarly built a future on his experience. He followed up his Alternative Break with a semester-long service-learning project in Ecuador and now teaches elementary school for Teach For America in Washington, D.C.
If you're interested in an amazing break experience, check with your student organization office to see if your school offers an Alternative Break program. If it doesn't, speak with your guidance counselor about other Alternative Break opportunities.