Category Archives: college costs

college costs, extracurricular activities, scholarships, Uncategorized

"Why I Deserve a Scholarship" Contest

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Create

Submit a 1-3 minute video describing/showing/depicting “Why you deserve a scholarship”. Video must be in a compressed Quicktime, Flash or Windows Media format. Be sure to include a title and description for your video.

Upload

Post finished video at WhyIDeserveAScholarship.com. Videos must be original and created by you. Your entry means that your work is not the work of others.

Vote

Voting begins September 8, 2009 and ends September 15, 2009. Members may vote only once each day on the following criteria:

1/3 Need, 1/3 Creativity, 1/3 Originality

And that’s not all, ONE lucky voter will receive a $1000 Scholarship just for voting!

college costs, college planning, parenting

Saving for College

529-college-savings-plansSo many parents ask me the best way to save for college. Since every family is different, and their financial situation is unique it’s difficult to give a generic answer. But one thing is certain: saving will reduce your financial burden when your teen enters college. And as a responsible parent, you should plan for this expense, just like you plan for retirement.

Many experts agree these are the two best ways to save:

An Education Savings Account or Education IRA–This allows you to save $2,000 (after tax) per year, per child. Plus, this grows tax free! If you start when your child is born and save $2,000 a year for 18 years, you would only invest $36,000. However, at 12% growth, your child could have $126,000 for college!

A 529 College Savings Plan–Look for a 529 plan that allows YOU to control what funds are in the account. Do not choose a 529 plan that freezes your options or automatically changes your investments based on the age of your child.

Both of these options offer tax savings.

If you want to see how much you should begin saving, use this easy College Costs Calculator. But, be prepared for college sticker shock. Looking at it on paper can be quite sobering.

Here are two great sites that will help educate you and your family about saving for college.

SavingforCollege.com

Finaid.org

Spend some time reading all the information because all the answers can be found on these two sites. Once you know the facts about college savings you will be able to make an informed decision.

It’s never too late to start saving. And remember…Preparation Prevents Panic!

college costs, college guidance, extracurricular activities, parenting, social networks, test prep, Uncategorized

Parents Countdown to College Toolkit

toolkit-box1It’s official! I’m taking early bird orders for my Parents Countdown to College Toolkit. Save 30% off the final price if you order now. The toolkit will be available September 1st.

Click HERE to find out what is included and HERE to go directly to the order page.

college costs, scholarships

Scholarship Alert: Essay Contest for 2010 Seniors

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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!

college costs, scholarships

$10,000 Parent Answer Sweepstakes!

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!

college costs, scholarships

What Can You Do? Scholarship Video Contest

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filmakingIs 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.

college costs, extracurricular activities, scholarships

Scholarship Q & A

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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!

college costs, scholarships

Scholarship Alert!

FastwebNo 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.

college costs, scholarships

Summertime is Scholarship Search Time

scholarship3For 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.

college costs, scholarships, Uncategorized

Blade Your Ride Scholarship

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.

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Blade Your Ride Scholarship