Hi, Progressive U bloggers! I am Shayla, your Progressive U Student Editor.
Lately, I have been noticing posts and comments geared toward paying for college. I am thrilled that so many of you have decided to take that route.
With that said, I understand the struggle to pay for college, but I am here to tell you it is possible! I earned well over $100,000 in scholarships and grants. It took a lot of hardwork and dedication, but it was well worth my effort and time.
Here are some tips to keep you on the right track:
1. Market Yourself--Portray yourself as the best scholarship candidate. Describe a special experience or most embarrassing moment you have had.
2. Remember the Deadlines--Don't get so caught up in the scholarship process that you forget to mail it! Use memos and a calendar to remind yourself.
3. Be Eligible--Before filling out any application, make sure you are eligible. You should meet ALL the requirements, not just some. Don't waste your time if you don't qualify.
4. Writing is Right--You will have to write several essays. You should check your spelling, grammar, and content. Progressive U is also a great place to practice your writing styles.
5. Stay Focused--With school and extracurricular activities, it can be hard to juggle everything. Remind yourself of the goals you are trying to accomplish, and talk to family and friends, who can boost your morale.
In the next few weeks, I am opening the floor for questions about the scholarship process, or just college in general. I will try my best to address as many questions as possibe in upcoming blogs. So, feel free to ask!
In addition, to help college-bound students, I have published a new book The Scholarship Search and I am sponsoring a $100 scholarship essay contest.
To learn more about the book, scholarship, and/or me, go to: www.shaylaprice.com.
Talk to you soon!
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Thanks I will keep this in mind.
Thanks a lot! Those tips will really help me this summer.
Shayla,
I have perused a couple "scholarship" websites and books, but I rarely find anything useful or applicable to me: a white low-income male pursuing a major in journalism. You appear to have found quite a few scholarships that you qualified for and as for grants, do you mean pell grants? Where did you find scholarships, how were you qualified for them, and any suggestions regarding grants?
Citizen Press Revolution
Grants can be issued by local, state, or federal governments. The Pell grant is an option. I found scholarships on www.fastweb.com, at my high school, and just by searching on Google. I qualified from them through academic ability and community service. I suggest that you start early and apply for as many as possible.
Thanks for the info!
http://www.progressiveu.org/162529-man-missing-from-a-cruise-ship
100,000 dollars? Seems sketchy to me.
I know it's hard to believe, but Shayla is for real. She's a perfect example of how persistence pays off. Here are a couple stories about her after she won many of her scholarships:
NPR
Xavier Scholarships
I have also been very lucky so far, but I feel that my luck is running out. I hope that this year I earn some more scholarships. I believe it is getting harder each year but I am dedicated to getting what I want. I will try anything to get a scholarships because u never know where it will lead me.
I encourage you to keep searching! Never give up!
Thank you for your advice. I already got $9,180/year, but I'm going to a very expensive college and I'm doing everything I can to lower the financial burden on my parents. Unfortunately, I haven't been winning many scholarships because I had mono last year which significantly lowered my GPA and my class rank is ridiculously low because I have nearly 900 students in my graduating class.
If you are involved with the community, find scholarships in your local area that will give you money for that involvement.
Hey, are there any scholarships for a mathematics major. I have been to a few scholarship websites, and have applied for, and received a few scholarships through my highschool. Some of the scholarship websites seem to not be very credible. Do you know of any good scholarship websites?
I recommend Fastweb.com and Scholarships.com.
another reason I love Shayla
(say it with me people)
shameless plug to buy a book?
afterhoursdjs.org
"facts are like kryptonite to the left" - vn_luborimi
I here to help others as much as possible. I am just offering my book as an option. Thanks.
Yeah I think so.
i have yet to win a scholarship through fastweb, but have picked up almost all of my locally.
I have all of my first year paid for: I've earned over $34,300 in scholarships. One less year of student loans = <3
afterhoursdjs.org
"facts are like kryptonite to the left" - vn_luborimi
Shit to get $100,000 you know thats alot, not everyone is prolly blessed with what you had
It is possible. I really want others to know that the scholarship process can be hard at times but it is doable.
I have never heard of someone who could win that much? I mean how many scholarships did you apply for like 800? Congrats though...I would love to be in yuor shoes.
Thanks. I applied for over 60 scholarships. You can be in my shoes. Just keep searching and put in the time and effort.
Just in case you need another scholarship for college visit www.bookscholarship.com
Thanks for the good advice. I can always use more of it.
Wow! It's nice to see that they are attainable. Thanks for sharing the motivational advice!
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