FIRE’s Freedom in Academia Essay Contest
2009 Awards
One first place winner will be awarded a $5,000 college scholarship.
Two second place winners will each receive a $2,500 college scholarship.
Five runners-up will each receive a $1000 college scholarship.
Deadlines
The final day to submit an entry is November 6, 2009. The winners will be announced on December 11, 2009.
FIRE’s Mission
FIRE’s mission is to defend and sustain individual rights at America’s colleges and universities. These rights include freedom of speech, legal equality, due process, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience?the essential qualities of individual liberty and dignity. FIRE’s core mission is to protect the unprotected and to educate the public and communities of concerned Americans about the threats to these rights on our campuses and about the means to preserve them.
Click here for all the scholarship details!
Start your Scholarship Search now and you could win $10,000!*
Sallie Mae’s free Scholarship Search database has over 3 million scholarships worth over $16 billion. Register and set up a profile for your child today to get a personalized list of scholarship opportunities that match your child’s unique background. Start now.
And just by registering, you will automatically be entered in our annual $10,000 Parent Answer Sweepstakes!*
Start using Sallie Mae’s free Scholarship Search and you could find free money to pay for your child’s education today.
What have you got to lose? Register and you’re automatically entered. Plus, you’ll get some scholarship matches in the process. A win-win!
Is your college-bound teen a budding videographer or filmaker? The Campaign for Disability Employment is sponsoring a video contest for a $1500 Scholarship. The contest asks applicants to make a video on best practices within the workplace that allow every employee the opportunity to contribute, specifically fellow co-workers with a disability.
This is a perfect opportunity for your creative teen to use that creativity and win a scholarship. Since there’s no age limit, anyone can create a video and upload it for submission.
The deadline is July 15, 2009, so don’t procrastinate and encourage your teen to get their creative juices flowing!
Click here for rules and entry information.
Question: Is it worth my time to apply for scholarships?
It is if you want FREE money. Because that’s what scholarships are: FREE money. The key is to apply for those scholarships that “fit” you. Each scholarship is looking for students with specific qualities. If you meet those, you’ll have a much better chance of winning the scholarship.
Question: I’m not the best student. Is there a scholarship out there for me?
Absolutely. Many scholarships aren’t based on grades, but on specific criteria. Many are essay contests. Many are based on heritage or affiliation. Many are based on specific talents or abilities. So even though you’re not a “straight A” student, there are scholarships out there that would be a perfect fit for you.
Question: Do I have to have a long list of extracurricular activities to win a scholarship?
The great thing about scholarships is that you can distinguish yourself by being focused on a particular activity. It’s not how many you have, but what you have spent your time on during your teen years. If you communicate your strengths (such as working all throughout high school), you won’t need a long list of activities.
Question: Are all scholarships the same?
Absolutely not. Scholarships are as varied as people. There are scholarships for academics, writing, inventing, music, lineage, creativity, geographic residence, and the list goes on and on. As I said previously, finding the ones that “fit” is the key to success.
Question: What is the easiest way to find out about scholarships?
Go online to scholarship sites (you can find some on my TOOLS page) and register. Ask your counselor. Visit your local library reference desk.
Sign up for me FREE Ebook for many other suggestions!
No time to waste! Here’s a scholarship opportunity for 17-18 year olds. $500 will pay for any number of college expenses.
What: This contest asks you to answer one simple question in 250-350 words: “What’s the best way a student can manage their money in current economic times?” Judged by FastWeb’s own Financial Aid Guru, Mark Kantrowitz.
How Much: Two winners, $500 each.
Dates: Contest begins May 25, 2009 and ends June 22—no entries will be accepted after Monday June 22, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. central time.
Winners Announced: June 29 on FastWeb. Winning essays will be featured on the site!
Who’s eligible: If you’re 17 or 18 years old, have a 2.0 GPA and up, and are enrolled full time in a high school or an accredited college/university, you’re eligible. In fact, just to make it fair, we’ll select one winner from the 2.0-2.99 GPA range and the other from the 3.0 – 4.0 range. Regardless of your GPA, there’s no reason NOT to enter!
Who’s footing the bill: This contest is sponsored by FastWeb and Bank of America. How to Enter: Email your essay on the topic: “What’s the best way a student can manage their money in current economic times?” to EssayContest@FastWeb.com.
For many of you, it’s just been a few days since the school shut its doors for the summer and your teens are already showing signs of boredom. Never fear! The cure for boredom is to put them to work. Every parent knows that idle hands are the devil’s playground (great line from The Music Man). But seriously, here’s a great way to keep them occupied and productive: have them search for scholarships. There are oodles of summer scholarship opportunities. Some themed around summer, and some with summer deadlines.
FastWeb has compiled a short list of a few that might catch your teen’s eye. And remember, not ALL scholarships are for seniors. Many of them are not age specific and if your teen starts early, by the time they are ready for college they could accumulate a nice fat college fund.
Additionally, it’s a good time to circumvent the scholarship sites and get an idea of who won this year’s prize and take a look at their submissions. It is a great way to prepare for the next year and have a head start on the competition.
There’s really NO excuse for the word “bored” to come out of your teen’s mouth!
P.S. Scroll down and take a look at the scholarship opportunities I have posted here. There are two of them that could land you teen a nice chunk of change.
If you have a college-bound teen, (entering college in the fall) or a college student (all the way through grad school), check this scholarship opportunity out. Just click the link below for details on how to apply. The deadline is June 30, 2009, so don’t procrastinate! There are some BIG BUCKS available for the environmentally conscious.
Many graduating seniors have decided to take the community college path before heading off to a 4-year university. They will tell you that they’ve made that choice for several reasons: cost, academic preparation, and the freedom to stay at home for the first few years. Community colleges aren’t just training grounds for technical careers, they are also the first stop for about 4 in 10 of college-bound high school graduates.
Here are 8 reasons why community college might be a good fit for your college-bound teen:
Community college might not be for everyone. But, it might be a perfect fit for your teen. And, if your teen is planning on making it the start of a 4-year degree plan, do some research and verify that the classes will transfer to the university they plan to attend. There’s nothing more frustrating than taking a class and finding out the credits won’t transfer.
This is not a commercial plug for this publication. It is however, an explanation of why I believe this is a MUST read for any college-bound teen. There are three options available for your use:
If you don’t want to fork over the cost for either of these, you can browse their website and find a wealth of information.
It is my recommendation that you invest in at least the print version of this publication. If you’re in the process of choosing a college or even widdling down some choices, this publication will give you the needed information to make the right choice.
What does it provide?
And…Since this is such an invaluable tool for college-bound teens and their parents, here’s what I’m going to do:
To qualify for a giveaway of the U.S. News and World Report 2009 Best Colleges, simply sign up for my College Tips Email and post this on Twitter:
@suzanneshaffer is giving away a FREE U.S. News and World Report-Best Colleges 2009 http://tinyurl.com/kk6zg4
I will be choosing a random winner on June 15th. Spread the word to all your friends who have teens heading off to college !
