3. First let's start with what are scholarships and what are they used for? Scholarships are a form of financial aid, and they are FREE. You do not have to pay to get them, and you do not have to repay them either, which is why they are sometimes referred to as a type of "gift aid."

4. FREE MONEY! You do not have to pay to get scholarships
Scholarships do not need to be repaid
Scholarships are a form of gift aid
Scholarships are the BEST way to pay for college
Scholarships are FREE!
Scholarships help you pay your way through college, and are usually applied directly to tuition and/or living expenses. In fact, because they are free, they are the BEST way to pay for college.
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5. So who can get a scholarship
So who can get a scholarship? There are scholarship available for every kind of student, including you! I'm here to give you all the tools you need to find and apply for them, then it's up to you to put in the work of getting them.

6. Scholarships are available based on your qualities, your achievements, and even your luck.

7. Let's start with your qualities. Sometimes it's just about being YOU.

8. Scholarships can be based on: Your income level Your heritage or religion Where you or your parents work Your hobbies or interests Your intended major Where you live Where you are going to college A disability or disease diagnosis you might have When someone decides to create a scholarship, they can award it based on any criteria they want! That means the possibilities are endless. Could there be a scholarship for a left-handed, red-headed tuba player? You won’t know unless you look!

11. When most people think of scholarships, they think of scholarships based on earning good grades or being an outstanding athlete. And scholarships absolutely can be based on these achievements and many others, including musical talent, artistic ability, volunteer work, or any other achievements. 

12. There are even scholarships that are simply drawings of entries, and the scholarship goes to the lucky winner.

13. Some examples of scholarships that are just random drawings include those sponsored by ecampustour.com, cardonors.com, careerfitter.com, and gocollege.com. College Greenlight

14. You may be wondering why you should bother searching and applying for scholarships. Why should you? 

15. If you’re successful, applying for scholarships can be well worth your time. Let’s say that it takes you five hours to complete a dozen scholarship applications, and you win just one of those scholarships. But it’s a $10,000 scholarship. And five hours for a $10,000 scholarship equals $2,000 an hour! 

16. Scholarships also reduce the total out-of-pocket cost of college to you, reducing how much other financial aid you will need to find or how much your family will need to pay out-of-pocket. Plus, it will reduce your need to borrow student loans, allowing you to leave college with a lighter debt load.  Remember that $10,000 scholarship you won after completing a dozen applications? If you instead borrowed that money through a federal student loan program, you’d end up owing almost $3000 just in interest before you even left college! And if you put it on your credit card at 19% interest? That’s over $7,500 in interest in four years. You can see that scholarships are the way to go!

17. Now you know that you want to apply for scholarships, but where do you look? There are several places.

18. Most school counselors keep a listing of scholarships
Most school counselors keep a listing of scholarships. Each school has a different system of how these scholarships are announced, so be sure to stop in and speak with a counselor about the best way to stay up-to-date. Also, be aware that new information on scholarships is available all the time, so keep checking back. 

19. College financial aid offices will also have scholarship information
College financial aid offices will also have scholarship information. As you look around at different college possibilities, be sure to look into what scholarships the colleges offer or what other scholarship information each college may be able to pass along to you. 

22. Oftentimes, local sources are some of the best sources of scholarships
Oftentimes, local sources are some of the best sources of scholarships. Local churches, civic organizations, businesses, employers, and government agencies may offer scholarships. For example, many local Lion’s Clubs or Girl Scout organizations offer scholarships, and so does every Target store.  Ask around!

23. Detailed lists of scholarships available for Muskingum County, as well as state and national levels. Application forms and important info for a wide variety of scholarships may be obtained directly from the Scholarship Central office or downloaded from the website.

24. Finally, don’t forget to do a free online search of national scholarships. These searches offer you the chance to enter your information and be matched with scholarship possibilities. It is then your responsibility to go through the application process.

25. Many students wonder what the steps are to doing an online search
Many students wonder what the steps are to doing an online search. Let’s go through the collegeboard.com site as an example. When you select “Scholarship Search” you’ll have the opportunity to provide information about yourself that could match you up to a scholarship. The questions will include things like your state of residence, minority background, and any disabilities you might have.  Once you’ve done that, you’ll be given a list of possible scholarships, and their basic information. At that point, it’s up to you to learn about each scholarship through the links provided. Do you really qualify? Many scholarships will have restrictions like what area you will be studying or what college you’re attending.  When you narrow down the list of possibilities to those for which you qualify, you’ll want to then obtain and complete each scholarship’s application process. This involves time and hard work, as each scholarship will have different requirements, so be careful to read and follow all the directions. We’ll talk more about successfully completing scholarship applications next-- including doing a Personal Assessment and creating an Academic Portfolio to make the process easier.  Keep in mind that completing an online search for scholarships is a separate process from completing the actual scholarship applications. 

26. What is the best timeline for application and what steps can you take to make the application process easier? What resources can you use to the make the process quicker and easier? Let’s find out!

27. The time to start searching and applying for scholarships is now
The time to start searching and applying for scholarships is now! Not only is it never too early to start looking, it’s never too late either! Keep looking throughout your years of high school AND college. There are scholarships available to college sophomores, juniors, and seniors, not just entering freshmen. Also keep in mind that even if you are awarded a scholarship once, you may have to reapply for it every year. 
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28. There are a couple of steps you can take now as your prepare to apply for scholarships, the first is to complete a personal assessment.  Create a resume or activity sheet, which will be a great reference to use as you apply for scholarships, and for college admission.

29. When you write about your activities, accomplishments, future plans, and your character in your personal assessment, it makes it much easier to answer questions about those things as you’re completing applications. Also, don’t forget to go back to your personal assessment on a regular basis, and make sure that it’s kept up-to-date. A good guideline for this would be to look at it at the end of each semester, or more often, as needed.

30. Many scholarships require one or more letters of recommendation
Many scholarships require one or more letters of recommendation.  Who should you ask for a letter of recommendation? An adult who knows you well and can provide positive feedback about you. Some ideas include teachers, coaches, clergy, or employers.

31. Another thing that might help is to write some mock essays
Another thing that might help is to write some mock essays. This will give you writing practice and give you something that you may be able to alter to meet the specific requirements of each scholarship application.  Some sample essay topics could include things like, “Describe how you contribute to your community and what you have learned from your experiences,”  or “Describe an academic challenge you have faced, and how you have overcome it.”  Your English teachers can be a great resource for helping you write the best essays possible, so don’t be afraid to ask them for help. 

32. Unfortunately, you will likely be confronted by a scholarship scam at some point in your scholarship search. How can you tell if an offer is a scam? While charging a fee isn’t illegal, applying for scholarships is a free process. Don’t pay for it. It’s your job to find scholarships, they don’t find you. If you get a phone call from someone saying you’ve won a scholarship that you didn’t apply for, beware! Pay attention to contact information. 900 numbers or redirected URLs are red flags. Some scholarships will claim they are endorsed by an organization or group with a name similar to a government organization. The Better Business Bureau and government organizations do not provide endorsements. No one can “guarantee” that they can get you any scholarship or other financial aid that you can’t get on your own. Also be sure to protect your personal information like your Social Security or bank account number. Avoid any scholarship application that requires this. The best advice to follow is that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you’re ever unsure, take the offer to your school counselor and ask for their advice.  To find out how to spot, stop, and report a scholarship scam, visit ftc.gov/scholarshipscams.

33. Being successful at obtaining scholarships takes work, but here are some tips to doing your best at the application process. Apply for every scholarship for which you are eligible.  Read the directions carefully, and then follow them. Don’t leave questions blank or make any assumptions about what information they’re “really” looking for. Make sure it’s readable. Whether it’s an online application, or a paper application that you type or complete by hand, be as neat as possible. It won’t matter how qualified you may be if you can’t communicate that to the scholarship committee. Proofread! Spell-check doesn’t catch everything, so be sure to read through your application before submitting it and fix any errors. Print or photocopy your completed application and keep it for your records. You may be able to use parts of it on future applications. Always be aware of and meet deadlines. Missed deadlines are missed opportunities.  Ask for help! From finding scholarships, to writing your essay, to proofreading the application, there are people who can help you. Your school counselor, your English teacher, and your parents are all good options.

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35. There are many people who are available to provide you with real help and guidance when it comes to scholarships, financial aid, and general college information.  Just ask your school counselor—or college financial aid officers for help.  The money is out there, you just have to go get it! I’d love to answer any questions you have now. 
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36. Enjoy College Night 2017!