Etiquette and the Scholarship Search

Today searching for scholarships is easy for students—the internet has made it so. With scholarship databases containing millions of dollars in financial assistance at your finger tips, like Scholarships.com, you can literally earn a scholarship from a business or organization with which you have no affiliation. Getting out of the car, opening the door, and walking in to the scholarship provider’s office to pick up an application is a method of the past because of the effort and time it involves.

Scholarship providers want thousands of students to have a chance at earning their scholarship, and so many choose to list their awards in databases like Scholarships.com to make their gifts available. Most have even gone so far as to encourage students to apply online. When you are applying for a scholarship, consider the things that the scholarship provider has already done to make the process easy for you and show your appreciation accordingly. Think about it- they haven’t even determined that you will be the recipient, and yet they have stretched to extraordinary lengths to make the chance at financial assistance easy for you to take.

When requesting information about a scholarship:

• Write a letter expressing your interest in the scholarship and request an application if the application is not available online.
• Look for answers to your questions about the scholarship online before making a phone call or sending an e-mail. Take the initiative to find the information in the materials they have made available to you because usually it is actually there.
• If the scholarship is discontinued, do not write unreasonable e-mails or letters expressing your contempt for the removal of the award. Scholarships are gifts and, as such, nobody owes you one. Move on to another scholarship and apply elsewhere.
• If you place a phone call to the organization, be patient, polite, and appreciative even if you are just requesting certain information about the scholarship. Thank them for offering the award.

When submitting an application:

• Follow the guidelines for submission that the scholarship provider has given you exactly. They’re considering giving you free money, comply with their instructions and pay attention to detail.
• Include a cover letter if the application is submitted by mail, unless the scholarship provider specifically requests that you don’t. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with the correct amount of postage.
• Proofread any materials that are submitted along with your application and take any essays seriously. There is nothing that puts off a scholarship provider like an apathetic student applying for free donations.

When you receive the award: Send a hand-written note or an email thanking the scholarship provider. This is very important. Too often, as soon as the cash is in hand, students forget to acknowledge who gave it to them – please don’t let this happen. Scholarship providers are anxious to hear from you and excited that they are helping you attend college. The silence that falls when they hear nothing from a recipient after they have cut them a check for several thousand dollars is disheartening to say the least.

One year after you receive the award: Say thank you one final time if the award is not renewable. Write your scholarship provider and tell them about what their award has helped you accomplish in the past year, even if the award was small. Such a gesture will be greatly appreciated. If your scholarship is renewable you should still express your gratitude for their continued support and give them an update about your academic progress.

Thank you in advance for using proper scholarship etiquette. By doing so, you will help ensure that scholarship providers will continue to reward deserving students in the future and help another student like yourself attend college.

Scholarship Winners Dish on Secrets to Success

It may be difficult to convince yourself to write a scholarship essay. All of that work, and you’re not even guaranteed to win? I mean, for all you know, there are hundreds of people competing against you, and they’re all overachievers. Yes, yes, you know that it’s silly to work for months for this money and not give a scholarship opportunity a few hours. Still, it’s just that there are no guarantees. If only you knew what the winners were doing, things would be different. Well, we’re here to help with that one. We have gone through winners’ testimonials to find out the secrets of their success. Here is what we found.

Be Persistent. Most of the winners who have contacted us have received numerous scholarships. Coincidence? Probably not. To win numerous scholarships, you have to apply regularly. Stephanie Sylvester, a college student who has received several scholarships is a great example. “Just because I’m a sophomore in college doesn’t mean I’ve quit the scholarship search here at Scholarships.com,” she said. “I’m still searching and don’t count me out.” Stephanie began her search as a junior in high school and is still going strong. You don’t need to throw your hands up if you haven’t received a scholarship by the end of your senior year. Systematically apply, and you will see results.

Apply Early. The same hints that apply to college applications apply to scholarship ones. Applying early may significantly increase your chances of winning. Once deadlines draw near, applications may be skimmed through by overworked readers. You have a greater chance at having your essay thoroughly reviewed if you get a head start. Let your seriousness and responsibility shine through by getting things done early. Readers are likely to take notice.

Carefully Read Required Qualifications. This is crucial. Your time is precious and so is that of the judges who will be reading your submission. Your ability and willingness to follow simple instructions is often one of the first things scholarship providers will look for. Using your profile, Scholarships.com will help you find scholarships that apply to you. To maximize the amount of scholarships you qualify for, make your profile as detailed as possible. Nikki from Chicago had this to say on the topic, “Scholarships.com was incredibly helpful in my search for scholarships that fit my criteria. When I knew that I wanted to study abroad, I went to Scholarships.com and found so many scholarship programs for students like me.” We can help you too. If you give us the details, we’ll show you the scholarships.

Stay Positive. Many scholarships are open to all prospective college students, regardless of GPA. Just because you are an average student doesn’t mean that you cannot write an excellent essay. That is what numerous scholarship reviewers are looking for. When you are asked to write an essay on a given topic, do your best to give solid support for your thesis. Do some research and include personal thoughts as well as applicable facts. Scholarship readers aren’t looking for the perfect person, but they are looking for someone who has put obvious effort into their essay. You may feel average, but your attitude doesn’t have to be.

There are plenty of scholarships out there, for all students. By taking the advice of those who have been awarded scholarships, you may save yourself the trouble of learning what works and what doesn’t first hand. You can get a lot more than a penny for your thoughts, but you have to share them first.

Start your road to success by visiting Scholarships.com!

Atlas Shrugged Essay Scholarship

Don’t worry- there are still some opportunities out there for those of you who continue to wonder how you are going to pay for your post-secondary education. Here’s an example of a scholarship most people will be able to enter – of whom several will be awarded $1,000 or more:

Annual Essay Contest on Ayn Rand’s Novel – Atlas ShruggedFor College Students
(Graduate and Undergraduate)

Contact
Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest, Dept. W

Address
The Ayn Rand Institute
P.O. Box 57044
Irvine, CA 92619-7044

Phone
949-222-6550

Fax
949-222-6558

Email Address
essay@aynrand.org

Application Deadline
September 17, 2007

Number Of Awards
48

Maximum Amount
$10,000

FIRST PRIZE: $10,000
3 SECOND PRIZES: $2,000
5 THIRD PRIZES: $1,000
20 FINALISTS: $100
20 SEMIFINALISTS: $50

Remember, there are millions more scholarships and grants at Scholarships.com, along with loan information and a huge resource section to help you deal with all phases of attending college.

And for tons more scholarship opportunities, just conduct a free scholarship search with us.