When applying for individual scholarships there are all types of that range from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand dollars (like our current scholarship opportunity here).  Some private scholarships or school specific scholarships can even pay a part of or all of your tuition!  The higher your SAT and ACT scores, the better your scholarship opportunities are for full ride or partial tuition payment which is exactly why prestigious courses like SAT Preparation Group are entirely worth their weight in gold!
After a year as an admissions counselor and an additional four years as a financial aid advisor at a private University, I had the opportunity to work with many students on their plans to pay for college. In my experience I have found that there are a lot of creative ways to get scholarships, but you don’t want to waste your time applying for all of them!  You want to be unique.  Apply for scholarships where you can stand out among the crowd and not just fall between the cracks.  With that in mind, I recommend these scholarship routes in order of importance and the following steps to submitting the perfect scholarship:
      1.  www.FastWeb.com is a site that I most recommend to students!
Sign up and use this site regularly.
      2.  Search your college or university website for school specific scholarships
that they offer.
      3. Have your parents contact their Human Resources department to see if
their job offers a friends and family scholarship or Tuition Reimbursement.
If you work even part time as a student, you should do the same.  Companies like
Starbucks or McDonald’s offer tuition benefits even to their part time employees
for as much as $5,000 per academic year which can be incredibly beneficial for students
and are often given in addition to scholarships and grants.
      4.  Get creative!  When it comes to the online space, I most recommend Twitter to search
for scholarships.  Use the keywords: “high school scholarships” to search scholarships
regularly (See sample search results below).
      5. www.Scholarships.com will be very similar to FastWeb so use it only as a backup to
all other resources above.
 
When applying for scholarships, I also recommend that you don’t get desperate!  Getting desperate can show.  Reptition in your applications can lead to mistakes in your applications.
      1.  Make sure your application is filled out correctly.
      2.  Make sure that you have followed the rules of the application/essay/project.  Is it an
application for a certain gender/age/culture/race?  Do you fit the criteria?  Make sure you
read through the application and aren’t just clicking through to apply.

      3.  Stay organized!  Know how much time you have to complete each project or essay
and stay on track.

      4.  DO NOT miss the deadline.
Above all else your ability to project manage your scholarship applications is what is most impressive.  This filters out the majority of students.  Your creative tenacity and professionalism in the project/essay that you submit is what puts you above the rest.  If you have high scores and a great application or portfolio to submit alongside your words… well, then you’re already a winner!
 

If you need help getting those SAT and ACT scores above and beyond all the rest, then contact us today!  Click the link below or visit us at www.SATPrepGroup.com.

Check Out These Current Scholarships Listed on Twitter:
Pursuing a #STEM career? Design a project documentation & win $5000 #scholarship #HighSchool http://bit.ly/15YJen4
@nypennleague team up for 2013 #NYPL Scholarship Program – high school seniors can apply now ! http://atmilb.com/18iMj2s
Are YOU a High #School Junior or #Senior? Submit your essay for the Abbott and Fenner $1,000 scholarship by June 14! http://bit.ly/cOzPkr

College-Bound HighSchool Seniors: Enter @PenguinTeen‘s ‘Out of the Easy’ $5,000. Scholarship Essay contest by 5/31: http://outoftheeasy.com
Make a micro-scholarship for students at your old high school. You don’t need lots of money to make a big difference. http://bit.ly/10gS4vI
This scholarship is available to junior high and high school students between the ages of 13 and 18. http://ow.ly/kYPuW
Jay-Z is offering a scholarship to those with criminal records and a 2.0 GPA in High School. Get out the hood http://bed-stuy.patch.com/groups/giving/p/shawn-jayz-carter-offers-college-scholarship-for-underserved-students … …
 

Do you have a favorite scholarship website?  Let us know in the blog comments!

SAT Preparation Group advises in test prep, college planning, and success strategies for teens. Call Us Today at 877-672-8773 or click here for a free consultation.