Reality Preparation Part 2: College Search and Applications Personal Essay Scholarships Financial Outlook

College Search and Applications

Where to look for colleges  Use online programs, like NCIS on the Legacy library website  Check out websites  Visit campuses  Request information

What school should I go to?  Find a school that fits your needs. Does it offer the major you are interested in? Is it located in a climate you like? Snow? Sunshine? Big city or small town? Public or private? Large enrollment or small? Close to home or far away.

Filling out the application  Type if possible. If not, use black ink and print very clearly.  Fill out each section. Write N/A if it is not applicable.  Double check for mistakes before you send it in.  Make sure you included all the requested materials.

Scholarships

Where to look  Online  Career Center  Counselor  Community Organizations  Businesses

What to watch out for  Do not ever pay for a scholarship search. They can not guarantee you receive any money and are just making money off of you.

Tips  Start early! Applications may be due starting your junior year.  Do your homework. There are millions of dollars available, but you have to be willing to work to find it.  Look everywhere. Scholarships are available for all different reasons. Some are based on academics or activities, but some are for the children of military veterans, first generation college students or for left handed people. Be creative in your searches.  Apply for as many as possible!

Financial Outlook

Bills. Bills. Bills.  What bills will have you to pay?  List bills you already pay  List bills you will have to pay

Budget  Do you make enough to cover your bills and have some money for fun?  You need to budget yourself.  Create a personal budget.

Income  How much do/will you make? Realistically?  Hourly? Salary? Benefits?  Figure out your monthly income.

Personal Essay

What is a personal essay?  A personal essay is used to learn more about you and to also get a writing sample.

When might you need a personal essay?  Some colleges will require that you turn in an essay with your application. This is a chance to make yourself stand out from the other applicants.

How do you write a personal essay?  There will be a prompt for your essay.  Read it thoroughly and make sure you are addressing the question in your essay.  Create an outline for your essay.  Write at least two drafts before your final copy is turned in. Have others help you edit.

Tips on writing a personal essay.  Be unique. Again, this is your chance to stand out from the crowd.  Be original. Avoid using clichés and other overused stories.  Be creative. Let your personality shine through your essay.  Be memorable. Let them know why you should be selected.

Tips on writing a personal essay.  Avoid gimmicks of any kind. Writing on a ball is cute, but it doesn't fit in your folder!  Don't exceed the suggested length; for most applications, about five paragraphs should do it. Usually personal essays are a page and a half.

Format Use the same type of format you would use for any essay I. Introduction II. Body Paragraph 1: 1. Supporting Point #1 2. Evidence for Supporting Point #1: analysis of example to show how it supports the topic sentence and thesis Paragraph 2 and Paragraph 3 Repeat Paragraph #1 format III. Conclusion

Prompts  Here are a list of prompts you may choose from. If you have an application that requires an essay, use that prompt.

Prompts  Your academic, career and personal goals  Your key strengths  The attributes you most respect in others  Times when you have shown leadership, creativity and ingenuity  Times when you have helped others  Significant Experience, Achievement, or Risk  Important Issue  Influential Person  Future Goals

Prompts  Have I strived hard for something and achieved it? Why did I succeed?  Have I strived hard for something and failed to achieve it? Why did I fail?  What was the most difficult time of my life?  How did my perspective of life change due to that difficult time?  The most influential ideas, people and events in your life

What Next?  Get started…  Choose a prompt…  Brainstorm…  Outline…  Draft…  Edit…  Finished copy!

Reality Preparation  Fill out a college application  Write a personal essay  Work up a financial outlook