Are you about to start your senior year of high school? If so, you may be wondering whether you are on track for college next year. To make sure that you are organized, read through the following checklist — AKA the Summer Action Plan for high school seniors. (And, if you need even more help with getting organized, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the Fall Action Plan for High School Seniors coming in September!) 1. Take the ACT or SAT Hopefully you already did this last spring, but if not, there is still time. Sign up now, and start studying. The next SAT test is October 10, 2009, but you must register by September 9. The next ACT test is September 12, with a registration deadline of August 7.  If you’re not sure which test to take (or whether you need to take both of t...

If you are already attending college or are about to start in the fall, you no doubt realize just how expensive getting a higher education really is. Even if you choose a more frugal option such as attending your local community college and living at home with mom and dad, there are all sorts of little expenses that really pile up. The average cost of text books is $1,000 per year, for example. And college fees aren’t cheap either. One of the best ways to ensure that you graduate college without having to charge your way through is to apply for as many scholarships as possible. Whether you need an extra $2,000 or $20,000, the more scholarships you apply for, the better your chances of winning enough to cover your bills. Not sure where to find out about scholarships you might be qua...

Welcome to Scholarship Friday. The weekend is finally here, but it’s not time to party quite yet. If you are currently enrolled in college — or planning to be next fall — now is the time to buckle down and get serious… about applying for scholarships. Given the state of the economy, I’m hard-pressed to imagine that there are too many students who can afford to say no to some free money to school. But that’s just what you’ll be doing if you fail to apply for scholarships. Not sure where to start? Each Friday, I make your search a little easier by posting three broad-appeal scholarships with upcoming deadlines. This week I have three essay-based scholarships: The No Population Growth Essay Contest, worth up to $2,000; the $1,000 Signet Classics Essay...

Hey guys! Sorry for the very late posting of Friday’s Scholarship Announcements. My Internet has been down since Thursday. Wow, it’s amazing how disconnected I feel from the world without my trusty wireless! As I have been mentioning the past few weeks, we are in the middle of scholarship season. Late winter/early spring is high tide for scholarship deadlines, so if you are serious about winning scholarship awards, you will definitely want to dedicate a few hours each week to finding and applying for scholarships. This week, I’ve found three great opportunities with upcoming deadlines for you … But remember, these are just the tip of the iceberg! 1. The Advancing Hispanic Excellence in Technology, Engineering, Math, and Science (AHETEMS) Scholarship Program AHET...

Every year, the federal government spends more than $86 billion to help young people go to college. As the single largest provider of student aid in the world, the US federal government offers grants, fellowships, loans and work study programs. Your key to this massive treasure chest is the FAFSA, otherwise known as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The application, which can be filled out on paper or on-line, calculates your family’s ability to pay for your college degree. Calculations are based on income, assets and other factors, such as the number of additional dependents in college. The FAFSA is used not only by the federal government to determine your aid eligibility, but also by your college or university to allocate its own scholarships, plus state and private a...

May 14, 2006 The First Rule of Financial Aid is to apply! It should be rule number two and three as well, it’s that important. Why is it so important? Because you will never know how much money you can receive until you apply, if you don’t apply you are guaranteed nothing. This may seem quite obvious but a recent article in the WTOP (Capital News) has shown that lower income earning families are not applying for federal aid. The FAFSA can be a pain to fill out but think of how much more of a pain trying to juggle all your debt will be down the road. Federal aid comprises the bulk of financial aid so filling out the FAFSA is a good idea. The form is now online and the FAFSA website can be read in both Spanish and English. In addition there is information that will help ...

May 4, 2006 Throughout most of the application process the potential student is courting the college but as a recent article in the New York Times points out, when decision making time approaches the roles are reversed. Some schools will lay on the charm extra thick to entice students to choose their acceptance. Personal e-mails, letters, phone calls from Professors, small receptions are all just a few examples of how the college will court their acceptees. According to some college admission staff high quality students have more options to choose from because they are applying to more schools, therefore to them it is increasingly important to lay it on thick. I don’t know about you but I missed the boat when it came to personal invites to sail on the dean of admissions yacht b...

April 26, 2006 It’s a tough time to be applying for college these days. Not only are college tuition rising but the number of applicants are increasing in droves while the number of spots for admittance are staying the same. This translates into lower admission rates and a sharp increase in competition. Enter the new college counselor or the Independent College Consultants. College Consultants are offering their services to parents and their high school students to help these kids get an edge over the competition. The consultants look at scores, admission rates, geographic representation, extra curriculum and diversity factors to determine which colleges need the kind of students their clients represent. The college consultants spend quality time with their clients but it come...

The Alaska Travel Industry Association or ATIA Foundation is currently offering fourteen academic scholarships to individuals who wish to pursue a career in tourism. The awards total $25,000 for the selected students. The applications are due at the ATIA Foundation office by April 17th, 2006. You may contact David Lee (907) 646-3303, for more information or go the ATIA website by clicking here. ...

February 13, 2006 Many gay students in the past have tried to downplay their sexual orientation when trying to earn scholarships or grants. Today the number of scholarships for gay students are on the rise. Organizations such as the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association offers various student awards and scholarships for aspiring gay and lesbian journalists. With some dedicated research gay students can find a plethora of scholarship opportunities. Many private donors to organizations that offer the scholarship cite the lack of help and support they had when they were going through the process. It is always a good idea to be specific as possible when applying for scholarships and grants. Embracing and capitalizing on what makes you different will open up a whole new range of ...