620: How to Maximize College Scholarship Opportunities

Join Megan and Erin as they discuss strategies for maximizing college scholarship dollars while avoiding scams. Scholarship Search Tools Overview Megan and Erin discussed scholarship search tools, with Megan recommending several legitimate scholarship aggregators and advised listeners to be cautious of sites that charge fees for applications, as legitimate scholarship programs do not require payment to apply. Scholarship Application Strategies Megan and Erin discussed strategies for effectively applying for scholarships: creating separate email accounts for scholarship applications to manage the influx of information clicking through to the actual scholarship websites to verify current details, as requirements can change setting specific goals, such as applying for a set number of scholarships or spending a certain amount of time on application reusing essays for multiple applications, though Megan noted that some scholarships may require unique content. Scholarship Search and Application Strategies Megan and Erin agree that local scholarships, school counselors, and local organizations, places of worship, and employers are often overlooked sources worth exploring. Megan highlighted that many students stop applying for scholarships after their freshman year of college, despite the availability of scholarships for current students. Megan recommended checking with the financial aid office and department for specific major-related scholarships. Overall, be proactive in seeking scholarships, avoid scams, and take advantage of available opportunities.   Questions?  If you have questions, feedback, or ideas for an upcomming show, we'd love to hear from you. You can email us at collegepreppodcast (at) gmail (dot) com More about the hosts Megan Dorsey is a parent, educator, and SAT/ACT prep expert. She graduated from Rice University and has over 25 years of experience helping students earn better scores and put together strong applications. Megan lives in Sugar Land, Texas and works with students in-person and on Zoom. You can find out more at CollegePrepResults.com.  Erin Tempest is the founder of Seattle Success Coaching where she and her team help families with a wide range of issues. Let Erin take the frustration out of learning with her academic support, exectuvie function coaching, and social/life skills packages. Her goal is to help parents get back to enjoying their kids. You can find out more at SeattleSuccessCoaching.com.