It is 3:38 A.M. and I've decided to give up on my scholarships for the night/morning and post my first topic of Progressive U. Guess what? There are scholarships for left-handed people, for tall people, for athletic people, musically inclined people, for traumatized people, for poor people, for minorities, for students with a 9.2 GPA, a 2750 SAT score, leadership in all the major clubs they're in, 6000 hours of community service, and who can write a 10,000 word essay on the obstacles they've overcome in their life.
If I sound bitter, it's probably because I am. Where are the scholarships for the average, middle-income, white (politically incorrect, but absolutely true) students? Honestly, isn't that the majority of the students that are trying to get to college to create a better future for themselves?
I'm a senior in high school with a 3.8 unweighted and a 4.2 weighted GPA, an SAT score of 1200, a few extracurriculars, a part-time job, and a semi-rigorous schedule at school. I'm in the top 10% of my class. Apparently, that's not enough. In my search I scoured every major scholarship and college-help website and searched for local scholarships. I came up with 3 essay based scholarships. THREE. And I'm going to write my ass off on those three essays while I search for more scholarships I can apply to. But I'm worried that it's just not going to be enoughl; my goal is to not take out any student loans. This goal is a far-fetched near-fantasy, but it can be achieved with hard work. I'm currently saving all my cash I earn from my part time job, I'm going to keep the part-time job when I go off to school, my parents are going to help, hopefully I will get some money from the feds when I fill out my FAFSA form, and hopefully I will get some scholarship money. But college is expensive.
I'll start my search again tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get lucky and stumble on something while going through pages and pages of search results.
I am in a similar situation. My academic credentials are almost identical. It brings me to wonder why students like us are in this situation. What don't scholarship committees see in us? I wish you luck in your search. I have been through the fastweb business and I won't say anything other than that I didn't have any luck. These days, with money being so hard to come by, I believe that we have to get more creative in finding a way to afford school. I can't say I've really had luck anywhere yet, but I am going to continue to try new things. If it doesn't work out, I guess I am just going to have to bite the bullet, take out as many loans as possible, and hope for the best for my future.
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Im worse off i have a 3..........38 unweighted and a 3.9 weighted GPA.
My extracurricular activities are little to none
Im have a good job which im going to have to leave in the next few weeks for school
and im a little lazy
not a good combo for scholarships
now im feeling nice today so im going to post a little secret that i barely tell anyone..... VIDEO SCHOLARSHIPS oh my god do you know how little people actually apply to these. My friend got 1st place out of 12 kids, there were 6 awards.
hope i helped
and now i have to go learn how to use flash.
Saint O Nothin' Says
Always go FORWARD, going straight will get you no where!
-Greenday
Now that's the kind of advice I am looking for! Ha...wow...it doesn't take perfect academic diligence to figure things out. That's what I mean by getting creative. Thanks.
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Damn!
Now i have Competition....
Saint O Nothin' Says
Always go FORWARD, going straight will get you no where!
-Greenday
Haha...probably not. I have so much on my plate this summer that I am not going to have time to apply. Unfortunately I am just too behind. I am now stressed over getting loans in time for school to start, let alone applying for more fastweb/other-scholarship-pool scholarships. sounds fun though. I love video editing. Except when dogs chew up your cord that you need to finalize disks....sorry totally off topic my mind is going crazy right now.
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yeah that will be me in about January, when i start applying to colleges
though SAT's are a bitch.
so is FAFSA forms
and applying to Schools (who was the one that decided it would cost money)
And making myself look good on paper
i don'r, just too lazy
Saint O Nothin' Says
Always go FORWARD, going straight will get you no where!
-Greenday
Word. It sucks. My best advice: start now and don't give up on yourself. Also, I wish I would have just let go of my discretion and stretched the truth on my apps. I don't think its very moral but you know what that's what everybody else did to make themselves sound so special and it was either play nice and finish last or hop on the band wagon. I chose playing nice and it only turned me not so nice.
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Though not nice Im planning to write and essay that will make my bad vision look like eye cancer, but thats a little later for a disABLEd scholarship
and trying to call my asthma back to get some of them
maybe convince myself that im left handed and poor
it's all very complex and horrible
but i do what i must
thanx for the advice (need as much as possible)
Saint O Nothin' Says
Always go FORWARD, going straight will get you no where!
-Greenday
Exactly....see its no straight up lie or anything.....its just your opinion right?
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Is there anyway you can keep your job or get another part time one during the school year? If you can manage it with your school work it can be a life saver. I know schools and parents discourage it but I really think it depends on the student and what your other activities are. If you're not that interested in extracurriculars what's wrong with having a job instead? But that laziness issue...
You know sadly I was thinking about it
but i've never done any after school things
but now that im a senior im going to
But i think ive made enough money to cover my senior expenses
so now have to get enough to cover school, so anything i make here on is all for college plus im not scared of a loan.
I just don't think i can manage a job with how much i plan on doing this year
im hoping it is going to be a goodone
Saint O Nothin' Says
Always go FORWARD, going straight will get you no where!
-Greenday
Its good to hear that you are so positive about these things. I get so afraid and stressed about my future....and the future of my loved ones....that I can't even focus. I literally have to put headphones in my ears and turn my music on full blast to silence my mind. I think its good to take things as they come and not be so worried, but at the same time keep your goals in mind and do what you can to achieve them.
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But see there is a "flaw" in my thinking, it is actually quiet funny really
I have no want to be the best, therefor i apply to a school that fits my needs instead of the social right. I chose University of South Florida and University of Central Florida. These are no where near the top schools of Florida, but they are good ones. By choosing to do what i want instead of what is accepted i don't have to stress out that much plus my job preferance (at the moment) is not something that counts on the best school. I want to be a Science Teacher and any school offers a curriclulum for that. But It's just how i work, im good being in the nice median as long as im happy, it might change later on, but...for now....
Saint O Nothin' Says
Always go FORWARD, going straight will get you no where!
-Greenday
Oh I got some flyers for USF and it looked way cool...I just thought it would be fun to go to Florida for school. And it looked relatively affordable too but I dont really remember that was a while ago. I envy you for finding where you fit in. Its a lot better than me....I am going to major in Petroleum engineering from one of the top mineral schools in the country....and to anybody it looks like I have it great but what I feel like inside is different. I feel like I am going to go do something for money because I want to know what its like to have it. Meanwhile life will throw me the same curve balls it is right now except on a much larger scale. Sure I will walk out of school with a six figure salary but I dont know if it will ever be worth it. I feel like I will never pull out of having to make the decision between fucking someone over or being the one getting fucked over...I am always either feeling guilty or feeling like a doormat....
And the whole time I am wondering if this was all worth the stress I put on my self since like...the fifth grade. I sometimes wish I was more like my brother...not giving a shit about school and money and responsibility but having a heck of a time while his free ride lasts....
I dont know. Total rant. Sorry.
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It took me a long time to get to a computer and this morning was hectic (not that you know) Okay so im not great at advice but you do have a choice provided what i read
1- You can go with the six figure job and have money
or
2- change school and not
Now as we know life isn't all about money and it's not all about your job, what (to me) it is all about is how much your enjoying what you have and what your going to get. Now with this job your looking at a good salary that can be used to secure yourself and do what ever you want. What many Americans do is work just for thier jobs they think (well if i lose this job my life will be ruined and ill never have money to do anything), this won't make you happy at all. So i would advise keeping yourself in school and make money but always remember that, that is your money, do with what you please, buy things that will make you happy, use your job to get you ahead but make sure your enjoying every little perk, if someone has the adacity to make you feel bad about it, cut them off, they don't deserve your friendship or acknowledgement. You help yourself.
Or you can quit at what your doing and go find another job which your happier with, either way you have to take this situation and make it for you, because no one is living this life... just you, cater and decide which road will do the best for you.
That is all i have and i hope it helps somewhat... I don't even know if that makes any sense but good luck, truly
Saint O Nothin' Says
Always go FORWARD, going straight will get you no where!
-Greenday
I highly recommend finding another search engine besides Fastweb. Since it is the most commonly used on, millions probably apply for each scholarship, which lowers one person's chance of getting them dramatically. If you go up to our links section (click 'More" at the top of the screen), we have a few links to other scholarship search engines that might turn up some more relevant scholarships for you.
And I'm assuming that 1200 is from before the SAT changed... out of 1600, that's not bad, but out of 2400, that kinda sucks....
~C
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Ya, you might get lucky. But usually the other databases have the same old shiz as fastweb. And they are pretty competitive too.
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Some of them do have the same awards listed on Fastweb, however, because search criteria and the results pulled differ, you may find listings you qualify for that Fastweb did not give you. And there are many scholarship engines out there that aren't heavily used. I spent weeks listing ProgressiveU on various engines last year and in so many instances, the scholarship search engines were rarely used and the awards listed on those weren't listed on other engines.
You have organizations like WinterGrove that require the granting organization fill out forms to be listed in their databases. Wintergrove in turn allows scholarship engines to use their databases. Many of those organizations don't list on places like Fastweb because it's easier on their end to allow places like Wintergrove to do the work of getting them listed. Because Fastweb is a list yourself engine, several of those database compilers don't use their services, meaning that these minor engines have awards never listed on Fastweb.
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~Fallon~
"If I fall asleep with a pen in my hand, don't remove it - I might be writing in my dreams."- Pace
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That sounds interesting and worth looking into. I have never heard of Wintergrove. But I am mainly talking about places like scholarships.com....its really no different than fastweb other than the fact that its less organized. (the last issue you need with how hard it is to keep track of them anyway)
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I echo mvenus on this one. Try some of the lesser known scholarship search engines. We have some listed in our Links section. There is also http://www.college-scholarships.com/free_scholarship_searches.htm
which lists a slew of various scholarship engines and scholarship granting organizations. Some of these engines are rarely used and are chock full of awards.
You may also want to consider things like OneDollar Scholar (http://onedollarscholar.com/) and, of course, donating to organizations that provide scholarships to students in similar situations is always helpful in ensuring that other students are also able to receive assistance with their school costs.
You might also check with your school or the ones you are going to be applying too. Many colleges offer scholarships to students of that college or can point you in the direction of local organizations and entities that provide scholarships specifically for students of those schools.
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Like writing? So do we!
~Fallon~
"If I fall asleep with a pen in my hand, don't remove it - I might be writing in my dreams."- Pace
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Lol, HELL no, my 1200 is out of 1600. Out of 2400, I have an 1800. Eh, average. I'm looking into UCF and USF as my two safety schools, but I really want to go to UF. Living in Florida, I'll have Bright Futures to cover my tuition but there's so much other stuff to pay for... books, lab fees, dorm, meal plan, toiletries, etc.
Whooo (high five for living in florida)
Sadly my Sat scores are sub-par so i have to give up on the 100% bright futures,
Nope im hoping to get the 75% and FAFSA
but UCF and USF are my primarys since there is no chance in hell uf or fsu will take me.
But thats how i roll
Saint O Nothin' Says
Always go FORWARD, going straight will get you no where!
-Greenday
Although I totally see the relevance in this blog i must say that I do not think there is a majority for what students are looking for scholarships. There are people of any heritage, skin color, sexual orientation, lifestyle, and income looking to better their education by going to college. The scholarship foundations know that there are middle class white people that need help with college too but because there is an overwhelming amount of students looking for college help and the only way to find the right people to give the scholarships too is to find people that aren't average and give the money to those people. Looking for scholarships is painful sometimes but it is painful for people who are average and aren't average. I am not average. I've been traumatized and led a really depressing kind of life. I pay for myself entirely for college, i barely talk to my family let alone ever receive help and i have yet to receive a scholarship not given to me by my school. They need to reform the way we look for scholarships and find a more effective way to help students because many average and non-average students aren't given help and end up dropping out because they can't afford it themselves. It needs to change.