Boost Your Chances of Winning College Scholarships

If you’re a high school student, or the parent of one, it’s never too early to start thinking about applying for college scholarships. But don’t start by rushing over to scholarship search sites before reading a great new book, Scholarships 101: The Real World Guide To Getting Cash For College by Kimberly Stezala.

Stezala, known in her local area as "The Scholarship Lady," has created a terrific prep-course for students hoping to snag college scholarships. However, you won’t find long lists of scholarships in this book - there are plenty of other books out there for that. Instead, in Stezala's book you’ll find great advice about how to boost your chances of actually winning college scholarships before you even start looking for them. Stezala, who founded Wisconsin’s first online scholarship database and regularly runs “Scholarship Boot-Camps” for students, took time this week to share some advice for students and parents about how to win college scholarships.

What motivated you to write your book?

I was motivated to write Scholarships 101 by all of the students I met who had college potential but didn’t know how to pay for it. I saw students asking the same questions and making the same mistakes. It also fit in with my goal to better connect the people who have the money with the people who need the money. I thought that students would do better if they knew the scholarship world from the sponsor’s angle, too.

As The Scholarship Lady, I shared my advice with students, 25 to 50 people at a time, in Scholarship Success Boot Camps but I realized that I would never meet the needs of all of the potential college-bound students. So…I wrote the book.

Some students and parents seem to feel that applying for private scholarships is a waste of time. What has convinced you that this is not true?

For those who feel that applying for scholarship is a “waste of time,” I guess it depends if you have more time or more money. I find that the more students need the money, the closer attention they give to my message.

I don’t think it is a waste of time to apply for scholarships since every dollar you win is one less dollar that you owe. One of the students profiled in the book, Courtney, attended a Catholic, college-prep school. She explained in her interview that many of her peers were willing to take on tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt yet they weren’t willing to apply for scholarships. For Courtney, the thought of that much debt petrified her and motivated her to see the long-term benefits of applying for scholarships. Courtney won multiple scholarships and truly felt that her time was worth it.

I realize, of course, that not everybody wins but it is a cost-benefit analysis that each individual must undertake. If your parents have already committed to paying the bill, or if you can work as a DJ every weekend and make $500, then maybe you’ll be less inclined to complete scholarship applications. If you are serving burgers, making $6 an hour, why not try to build your college funds?

Lastly, this is a time-consuming process but it is one that can be improved if students only apply for scholarships for which they are well matched. I’ve heard students say, “Well, I’m just going to apply for everything, maybe they’ll pick me.” That’s the wrong approach and it truly is a waste of time. I tell my students that they should only apply for very well-matched scholarships for which they can submit a high-quality, compelling application. I think that many more students could win scholarships but they don’t apply.

Is it only worth applying for college scholarships if you are a top student with excellent grades?

No. It is only worth applying for scholarships for which you meet or exceed the eligibility criteria—that may or may not focus on “top students.” Scholarships abound for leadership, community service, essay-writing and more. If the scholarship clearly states that it is meant to reward high-achieving students with a 3.5 g.p.a. or above, then apply if that sounds like you. If it states that they are seeking community youth leaders with the potential for academic success, then that could be a totally different student.

Seventy-five percent of scholarship use some form of merit as the main criteria but that criteria could be a 2.5 g.p.a. and class rank in the top 50%. I’m not going to mislead people: grades matter! But so do the other elements of your personal and academic profile. Check out my website, ScholarshipStreet.com, to read about four scholarship providers and see how differently they assess their applicants.

If you really want to know if it’s worth applying then look at how the applications will be judged, not just who can apply. Also look at the competition. Most scholarship organizations will tell you how many people applied in the previous year and how many winners were selected. That is valuable information in determining where to put your efforts. In Scholarships 101, I interviewed a huge national scholarship provider that received 80,000 applicants and a local scholarship provider that only received 75 applicants. Think about your competition and your likelihood of success.

What are the most important things should students be doing throughout their high school years to improve their chances of winning college scholarships in senior year?

This really is a huge question that I answer in-depth in Scholarships 101, so I will considerably limit my response here:

My first piece of advice for students is to be memorable or “unforgettable.” What does that mean? It means that scholarship judges must sift through dozens or perhaps hundreds of applications and after awhile the applicants all sound the same. Too much conformity with your peers just kills the application. For example, if we get ten applicants, all from your school, and everyone was on soccer or volleyball, everyone joined the do-gooders club, and everyone has about a 3.0 G.P.A.—then nobody stands out. You are all worthy scholarship candidates but can we really tell the difference?

Starting in freshman year, select organizations and activities that interest you, but as you move through high school, zero in on one or two that you are really passionate about. Also make sure that you maintain or improve you grades as you progress through school. If you started out with straight A’s and in senior year you are sliding by with a B-, that’s questionable. If that is the case, make sure you explain why.

Lastly, think about building relationships with people who can influence your success. I’m not saying to become the teacher’s pet but I am saying to look around your school, your community and your neighborhood. Notice who has scholarship information, who might be able to write you a letter of recommendation, who always seems to know the scoop. This is how you start to build your Team of Champions. Don’t wait until second semester of senior year to think about this, or you will limit your own success. Students who invest in this networking early will improve their chances simply because they are ahead of their peers.

One more thing you can do in high school to improve your chances: learn how to write well. The scholarship application process, in most instances, favors students who can write well.

There are many scholarship search engines on the Internet, yet in your book you say that “students who spend most of their time surfing the net for scholarships are making a big mistake.” Why?

It is a mistake to focus on any one source. Students will be far more successful if they move beyond their competition and look at multiple sources of information, just as they would in any research project. At its core, that’s what you are doing: research on scholarships.

I recently asked a group of college students how many used the Internet as their source of scholarship information – every hand went up. I asked how many used the local newspaper or a major daily – four hands went up. Why should you use other sources? Because your competition isn’t! By scanning print sources, you will read about scholarships not listed on the Internet. You will learn about scholarship banquets, golf outings, fundraisers, etc. If someone is raising money for a scholarship, that means they are giving the money away. They might not necessarily post that on a website, especially if it is a small, local scholarship. Check out old graduation bulletins, lists of last year’s winners, etc.

Beyond online and print sources, I also advocate for word-of-mouth and self-promotion. Many scholarships are managed by volunteers who are not necessarily net-savvy. They get the word out by sending emails, newsletters, postcards, etc. I get dozens of emails about scholarships. I have yet to get an IM, tweet, skype chat, etc.

What are the first steps students seeking college scholarships should take?

There are many first steps, depending on a student’s stage in the process. Broad recommendations include:

Know who you are. Talk to your family members including parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, etc. I have uncovered different parts of my family history by talking to different people. Not everyone has the same capacity to remember details. Ethnic heritage, clubs and memberships, your birthplace, or other parts of your family identity could lead to scholarship opportunities.

Document your dream. You will fare better, especially on essay questions, if you can articulate why you want to go to college, how you will be successful, what you hope to accomplish, etc. Not only will this help you on essays but it will help you share information with the people around you who can help. It will inspire others and inspire you.

Check at your high school first. I have visited schools across the resource spectrum and even if they have little to offer, they have something. Some schools have a polished procedure and ample assistance for scholarship seekers; others do not. The point is, you don’t know until you check.

You suggest that behind every successful scholarship winner is a “team of champions.” What do you mean by that?

In the book, I do suggest that successful scholarship winners often times have other people helping them but I don’t want to discourage students who for some reason have to proceed alone.

In the best-case scenario, students will build a Team of Champions™ comprised of friends, family members, guidance counselors, advisors, teachers, coaches, pastors, and similar people. Each person has a different role. Maybe your grandma saved every clipping of your accomplishments and she can remind you of your awards. Your favorite teacher could write a letter of recommendation. Maybe your pastor knows that you’ve overcome some tremendous obstacles. The people around you can have a direct impact on your scholarship success.

What is the number one thing that scholarship search committees are hoping to find in scholarship applicants?

Scholarship committees want students who will be successful in college. The bottom line is that scholarship providers are making investments. Scholarship search committees hope that their investment was a sound one and that the students they selected do well in college. This is a recurring theme among the scholarship providers with which I consult.

Every year, I have students contact me who are disappointed to discover that outside scholarships at the college they’re planning to attend will be used to displace some of their financial aid award instead of being applied to their family’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC). What are some of the most important questions students should ask financial aid offices about outside scholarships?

Colleges are required to have several financial aid policies. One of them is a displacement policy. The best (most favorable to the student) policies are those that replace student loans first, then institutional grants. These policies vary greatly amongst institutions and they can change each year.

Students can inquire about this in a few different ways. The key questions might be, “What is your policy on outside scholarships and aid displacement?” or “How will winning outside scholarships affect my financial aid package?” Students may also be able to find this on the financial aid section of the college’s website.

What can parents do to help their child prepare for and win scholarships? When does help from parents go overboard?

First, I think that students aren’t given enough credit for what they are capable of doing. I mention in the book that if students can plan prom, then they can handle the scholarship process. Both require a massive, organized, multi-faceted effort to be successful and I am fully confident that with a little guidance, and adult support, students can be successful in securing scholarships.

In terms of preparation, parents can ensure that their son or daughter has participated in extracurricular or enrichment activities that balance out their academic life. They can help their child document their family characteristics, clubs, memberships, etc. for use during the scholarship search process. They can remind their son or daughter of their accomplishments. Next, they can help with the scholarship search, if they are inclined.

If the parents are good at proofreading, they could help check over the materials, the essay or the application and gently point out any glaring errors. They can buy stamps, drop materials at the post office, ask their friends and co-workers about scholarships, encourage their children and allow their son or daughter the extra time to invest in scholarships. I liken it to running a micro-business and I think parents need to realize that scholarship-seeking students need time to devote to scholarships—time away from other chores and commitments.

As far as going overboard, parents should never fill-in the application or do any of the following: write the essay, re-write the essay, harass the school counselors or teachers, hound the scholarship committee, or fabricate details or hardship.

Persistent parents are respected and perfectly acceptable. Pushy parents are annoying and may do more harm than good in the long run. Teachers talk. Scholarship committees talk. They remember names.

What I encourage parents to do is be supportive and encouraging to their future scholarship-winning child.

Any last advice for scholarship-seeking students?

Follow the directions. If the sponsor requires “two letters of recommendation” then it means two. Not one, not three, but two. This is especially true for extremely competitive or computerized applications. If you don’t follow the directions, just think about all of the students that did—they are your competition.

This sounds so basic but it can really mess up an application or make you rise to the top! To get free resources and more advice, visit my website ScholarshipStreet.com.

Related Link: Buy Scholarships 101: The Real World Guide To Getting Cash For College on Amazon.com.