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Avoiding College Scholarship Mistakes #CampusChat 7-1
College scholarship mistakes are so easy to fix. Please come to this #CampusChat!
All my winning scholarship secrets are revealed right here >>
Have you or your student sent off a college scholarship application just to learn after the deadline that the winner was someone ELSE? Well, of course, you have.
It would be virtually impossible to win every single scholarship that is applied for, but there are ways to increase the chances of winning that every serious applicant will benefit from learning.
Join me and other experts in the college industry as we discuss and share what NOT to do on college scholarship applications. Here are the details of attending the chat:
- What: #CampusChat Twitter Chat
- When: Wednesday, July 1 (Did you miss the chat? No worries! The transcript is below.)
- Time: 9:00 – 10:00pm, EST
- Topic: How to Avoid College Scholarship Mistakes
Q1 What mistakes do students make before even beginning to apply for college scholarships? #CampusChat
A1 Assuming they will not win because of income level or grades. Never assume, read the guidelines! #CampusChat
A1 Not filing the FAFSA. This qualifies students for grants and scholarships! Even high-income earners need to file. #CampusChat
FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid
A1 Waiting to apply until spring of senior year. There are scholarship deadlines all year long! #CampusChat
Q2 Is there a right and wrong way to search for college scholarships? #CampusChat
A2 One big scholarship searching mistake is JUST searching online. Use all available resources to find them. #CampusChat
A2 Scholarships can be found locally, online and in scholarship listing books (like this one). Search everywhere! #CampusChat
A2 Don’t JUST rely on the list from high school guidance counselors. This list is to get you started. #CampusChat
Q3 What basic application mistakes do students commonly make? #CampusChat
A3 Not carefully reading and heeding the scholarship application instructions. #CampusChat
A3 Applying for scholarships they “almost” qualify for, big mistake! #CampusChat
A3 Applying for scholarships in the wrong field. Engineering majors shouldn’t apply for nursing scholarships. #CampusChat
Q4 Most scholarships require extra materials. What mistakes can be made here? #CampusChat
A4 Not sending in ALL required materials or arranging them in the correct order, if requested. #CampusChat
A4 Ignoring guidelines such as sending in 2 letters of recommendation when only one is required. #CampusChat
A4 Sending in ripped, dirty, or unmarked materials. Names should be on EVERY piece submitted. #CampusChat
Q5 Scholarships requiring essays are very popular, what are the biggest essay writing mistakes? #CampusChat
A5 The essay is the heart of the scholarship app. The biggest mistake is skipping scholarships with an essay & relying on scholarship drawings. #CampusChat
A5 Starting an essay with something common or boring like, “I need this scholarship money because…”
A5 Students need to start their essays with a hook and draw the reader in. Essay hook details here https://how2winscholarships.com/college-scholarship-tip-friday-start-with-a-hook/ #CampusChat
A5 Ignoring word limit. It’s there for a reason and going over will more than likely disqualify the student. #CampusChat
A5 Not proofreading and finding spelling and grammar errors, also not fully answering the question that was asked. #CampusChat
Q6 Scholarships often need letters of recommendation. What are mistakes to avoid with the letters? #CampusChat
A6 Not giving the writer a scholarship resume (info here) to learn more about the student’s achievements/experience #CampusChat
Open to High School Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors! APPLY NOW HERE
A6 Letter of recommendation should be addressed to the company or organization offering the scholarship money #CampusChat
A6 Waiting until the last minute before asking for the letter of rec. Give writers lots of time to write a quality letter. #CampusChat
Q7 What mistakes can be made when filling out the scholarship application? #CampusChat
A7 Students need to make sure they do not skip any boxes or ignore lines where info is needed #CampusChat
A7 Filling out scholarship applications by hand. Don’t do this! Find a way to neatly type info and print it out before mailing. #CampusChat
A7 Ignoring the “Other info you’d like us to know” box, if included. Use this to share something not found on the app or essay. #CampusChat
Q8 What mistakes do parents make that will hurt their student’s scholarship chances? #CampusChat
A8 The biggest mistake parents make is writing an essay for the student. Savvy scholarship judges will know! #CampusChat
A8 Parents should not write letters of recommendation for students, unless specifically allowed. #CampusChat
A8 Parents should guide, help, and assist in the scholarship process, not do all the work for the student. #CampusChat
Q9 What are some scholarship submitting mistakes that will disqualify a student’s scholarship application? #CampusChat
A9 Submitting a scholarship after the due date is a major mistake, don’t bother to apply if the date has passed. #CampusChat
A9 Mailing in a scholarship app VERY close to the due date. Mail it early and be sure it will get there in time. #CampusChat
A9 Not affixing proper postage. Judges do not look favorably on students when the company has to pay postage due. #CampusChat
A9 For online scholarship submissions, a common mistake is waiting until the last day to submit and finding the website overloaded. #CampusChat
Q10 What are your 3 best tips for avoiding college scholarship mistakes? #CampusChat
A10 Print out the guidelines & read them over several times, check off materials as they are gathered & included. #CampusChat
A10 Never assume a student will not qualify for scholarships. High income? Apply for ones without financial need requirements. #CampusChat
A10 Search EVERYWHERE for scholarships (not just the net!) and have friends/family help you. More eyes find more scholarships! #CampusChat
Everyone is welcome for College Scholarship Night on #CampusChat, so please join us!
Monica Matthews is the author of How to Win College Scholarships. She helped her own son win over $100,000 in college scholarships and now shares her expertise with other parents and their students. She truly has “been there, done that” in regard to helping parents and students navigate the scholarship process.
Her method of helping students in finding college scholarships, writing unique and compelling scholarship essays, creating amazing scholarship application packets, and more have taught desperate parents to help their own students win thousands of scholarship dollars. She teaches them how to apply S.M.A.R.T. with outstanding results.
Monica’s scholarship tips have been featured on many prominent websites, and she has been dubbed the “Go-To” expert on college scholarships.
