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A pain in the butt, but well worth the effortApr 25 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Financial aid is, quite frankly, a pain in the butt. However there's good news! It is well worth the effort you put forth. Financial aid is, quite frankly, a pain in the butt. It's a lot of hard work that includes a lot of essay writing, document gathering, mailing, and other such tasks. But there's good news! It is worth the effort you put forth. When it comes to tuition, every little bit helps. For example, a thousand dollars might not seem like a whole ton next to your tuition on the whole- but imagine it sitting in your bank account! First off, start early. Organize the things you will need in a place you will always be able to find them. (This could be your desk, a corner of the dining room table, or even just a few labeled folders in a box.) You'll want lots of blank paper, some mailing envelopes, perhaps copies of essays you've written, a good blue or black pen, some white-out, stamps, and the documents you'll need to photocopy. The earlier you start, the more options will be open to you and the less stress you'll experience in getting everything together. Next, check with your school. Find you what options are available to you and what procedures you'll need to follow. At my high school, no-one's transcripts were released; instead you had to get everything completely ready (stamp included) and turn it into the secretary, who would place the document inside and send them off. If you're allowed to get your transcript, you'll definitely want lots of copies. Many schools also have files of available scholarships and aid, or computer programs. It's a good idea to start with your school before you do anything else. In addition to having procedures you'll need to know and resources for you to use, they will probably also have a lot of good advice. I remember receiving a sheet from the office at my school that had a long list of web sites that set the basis for my entire search. (It was nice because I also knew right off the bat that these were reputable sites.) Which brings me to my next point- don't give anyone or anything money! There are plenty of free resources out there that will do the SAME thing. If you insist upon using one of these pay services, check with your school first. They should be able to tell you whether or not it's a good idea. Don't worry too much about your grades. I thought my grade point average was pretty low in terms of the scholarship game, but it was high enough to earn a pretty good academic scholarship. I also got money for community service. You might have done community service and not even really realized it! A list of what you've done should definitely go in your organization pile or folder. Think back to stuff you might have done with school, boy/girl scouts, or a youth group. For example, if you ever donated to a canned food drive, you can say that you participated. If you did fundraising of any kind for a non-profit organization, that counts too. (Don't forget to list your school activities too!) But I digress. Back to your grades- there are certainly scholarships which have limits, a specific grade point average or above for instance. But there are plenty that care more about community service or what activities you were involved in. As your search progresses, be sure to stay on top of things. Generally, the sooner you can send stuff in, the better off you'll be. Keep a chart which includes the name of the scholarship, the due date, what you need to send, etc. Highlight each one as you send it off. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and keep you focused on the task at hand. Save the essays you write on a disk- you never know when a similar one might pop up elsewhere! Don't limit your searches either. Find out the criteria for your college, and whether or not you'll need to apply. Check the places where your parents work too- many companies offer scholarships for children of employees. Finally, don't stress TOO much. Work through things steadily. You may find it easiest to work a little each night, or too save one afternoon a week and work on a lot. Read everything carefully, so you don't waste your time filling out something you end up not being eligable for or is past the due date. Ask for letters of recommendation early too, as teachers have a lot going on too and will be more likely to write something thoughtful if they've been given sufficient time. (This is yet another reason why working early is an advantage.) Post-it notes are your friends! Address mailing envelopes as soon as you decide to apply. Then, stick a note on the front that includes the due date and what you need. As things go inside, items get checked off your list. This will ensure you won't spend lots of time writing essays and getting recommendation letters only to forget something silly. Keep your parents informed. They need to understand everything as much as you if they're helping to foot the bill. They can also be a huge help in deciding whether or not to accept loans and that type of thing. (They'll also need to sign a lot of forms, but sometimes this does not equate them being informed.) The best of luck!!!  |
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