Gifts That Help Students Earn Scholarships

I’m sure parents would like their children to earn lots of scholarship money for college. Even people with good paychecks would rather save their money for retirement than put it towards college tuition. Yet, most parents are not aware they can help their children earn more scholarship money while giving them presents for Christmas, Hanukkah, or birthdays. This is, however, 100% the case.

Anything that improves the odds of earning scholarships and grants is a benefit to the family. Why not dedicate money that would be spent on gifts anyway to help reach this goal? For children 13 and over, buy, wrap up and give them a copy of Sean Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. If you can find it, also give them the workbook that accompanies the book. I kept 20 copies in my French classroom for students to read. Many borrowed the book. After doing so, 100% went out and bought a copy to keep at home and suggested their friends do the same. Pretty good results.

For students in the 11^th or 12^th grade, give them a copy of Free Cash for College for Dummies. You know the Dummies series. This one is well done like the others. It contains step by step instructions students need to follow to find, qualify, and apply for scholarships and grants. It’s a valuable resource.

For children in middle or high school, find a large, laminated wall calendar for their room. It will help them become and stay organized. This is a necessary tool for success in secondary school and will make it easier to fulfill requirements and meet deadlines. These calendars are everywhere this time of year. You can find them online, in malls, as well as in big box and office supply stores. Buy packages of multi-colored erasable markers and a couple of erasers at the same time.

The last resource you need isn’t available yet. It’s my upcoming book, Free College Awareness. The book contains 16 strategies used by families of successful Full Ride scholarship applicants. These students were awarded such large scholarships, that their college education was essentially free. These tips worked for them, and could work for your children too.  Check back on my blog and on my Twitter feed, @ElizaWallace27, where I’ll announce when it becomes available for purchase.

For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com

Photo credit: Google Images 

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How Students Should Start Their Day

Thanksgiving Scholarship Challenge

Although many students want to go to college, few have the financial resources to do so without scholarships, grants or loans. I’m completely against loans, since they have a tendency to destroy a graduate’s future. That leaves grants and scholarships, but they don’t magically appear. Someone has to apply for them.

When writing my book, Free College Awareness, I realized I didn’t complete many chapters without having a specific goal, with a time limit. Once I set this up, the chapters almost seemed to write themselves. This could be true for scholarship and grant applications too. I suggest setting up a routine for finding, filling out, and submitting college scholarship and grant forms.

To this end, I propose a challenge over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. For most students, this means four days. For others, it may be five days. Whichever is the case for you, pick the number of applications you wish to submit during this time. They will all be completed online, of course, so you don’t have to worry about offices being closed. My suggestion is a minimum of one per day, better yet would be two or three.

You’ll still have time for visiting with family and friends, watching football or the Twilight Zone Marathon, and eating lots of turkey or ham. Discuss your family’s travel plans with your parents in advance. Block this time out on a calendar (you can print templates online for free). Then block out your sleep schedule. You’ll do a terrible job if you’re sleep deprived.

You now know when you have free time for meeting this scholarship/grant application challenge. Use a red pen to outline the times you are allotting to find, complete and submit your applications. If you have already filed at least one, you know how much time you’ll need for each. The average student takes about an hour, after the first one.

Sure, vacations should be fun, but wouldn’t you dedicate ten hours of the 120 over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday if doing so might result in being awarded thousands of dollars for college? Go ahead and do it. I dare you. 

For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com

Photo credit: Google Images

How Parents Can Show Their Love

Thanksgiving Scholarship Challenge for High School Students

Although many students want to go to college, few have the financial resources to do so without scholarships, grants or loans. I’m completely against loans, since they have a tendency to destroy a graduate’s future. That leaves grants and scholarships, but they don’t magically appear. Someone has to apply for them.

When writing my book, Free College Awareness, I realized I didn’t complete many chapters without having a specific goal, with a time limit. Once I set this up, the chapters almost seemed to write themselves. This could be true for scholarship and grant applications too. I suggest setting up a routine for finding, filling out, and submitting college scholarship and grant forms.

To this end, I propose a challenge over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. For most students, this means four days. For others, it may be five days. Whichever is the case for you, pick the number of applications you wish to submit during this time. They will all be completed online, of course, so you don’t have to worry about offices being closed. My suggestion is a minimum of one per day, better yet, set your goal at two or three.

You’ll still have time for visiting with family and friends, watching football or the Twilight Zone Marathon, and eating lots of turkey or ham. Discuss your family’s travel plans with your parents in advance. Block this time out on a calendar (you can print templates online for free). Then block out your sleep schedule. You’ll do a terrible job if you’re sleep deprived.

You now know when you have free time for meeting this scholarship/grant application challenge. Use a red pen to outline the times you are allotting to find, complete and submit your applications. If you have already filed at least one, you know how much time you’ll need for each. The average student takes about an hour, after the first one.

Sure, vacations should be fun, but wouldn’t you dedicate ten hours of the 120 over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday if doing so might result in being awarded thousands of dollars for college? Go ahead and do it. I dare you.

For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com

Photo credit: Google Images  

Why Should Students Work in Groups?

Why Are Organizational Skills Important?

If You Want to Be Happy for the Rest of Your Life, Do This

Parents and school counselors often encourage students to take advanced classes in every subject. This might look like good on a transcript, but how does it make students feel? Are they overwhelmed, or inspired? Be careful to avoid the first emotion while boosting the second.

I’m a perfect example. In my case, I have loved words and grammar since I was little. Numbers, however, seem to slip through the cracks in my mind, especially zeroes. I don’t know why, perhaps it's cultural. When I grew up, girls were told they were bad in math and good in storytelling. I guess I fulfilled this prophesy.

In the ninth grade we were told to pick a foreign language class. I chose French and continued studying it through college. In the tenth grade I was instructed to select an advanced math class, since I had completed the required courses already. My reply was, “Can I take another language instead?” Lucky for me, the answer was yes. I added German to my schedule and continued studying it happily through college.

I kept adding languages and avoiding courses I did not enjoy. The result was happiness. I liked my classes, even when they became complex, and competition from foreign students grew intense. I graduated college with a degree in German, French and English, and taught them for over 40 years. If I had been forced to take advanced math instead of the extra languages, what would have been the result? I’m sure it wouldn’t have been a successful career teaching languages. There were times where my abilities in multiple languages granted me the job over someone with fewer language skills.

Apply my example to any student. Take the required classes in every subject, but push harder in courses you enjoy. Go to summer school or the local community college to eliminate required subjects of lower interest. Then, there will be room for more classes in your strength. Not everyone is into words. Some students love music, math or science. Whatever the strength, talent or interest, feed it, and watch it grow. Imagine having a career in something you love. As they say, it won’t feel like work.

Picking the right courses will help students be happier and more successful in secondary school and earn far more scholarship money for college. For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com

Photo credit: Google Images 

Why Should We Declutter Our Lives?

How to Be Happy

Why You Should Know Your Child’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Everyone is good at something, and not so good at something else. It’s part of being human. I know in which areas I excel and in which I still need work. This has helped me get ahead, and find help when I’m stuck. It’s important for parents to know the strengths and weaknesses of their children. This knowledge will allow parents to direct each child down the right path, and provide support where it is needed.

Students who take Honors, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes earn more scholarship money for college. When parents become aware of the talents and abilities of one of their children, they can help select harder classes in the areas in which they will likely become successful. Likewise, when a required course is too difficult, they can find a tutor or outside expert to provide support.

To make space in the high school schedule for more advanced courses, students might consider taking a required class during the summer. I took health, biology and driver’s education during the summer to make room for a second foreign language during high school. I knew none of these courses would become my major in college, so by taking them in the summer, there was no negative consequence for me. Deciding which courses to use to accomplish this goal will depend upon a student’s interests and the school’s summer offerings. Sometimes community colleges offer courses that can be used to fulfill high school requirements. Be sure to check with the college counselor and one at the high school to be sure this is allowed.

When students and parents are aware of a child’s strengths, talents and interests, they can work as a team to take advantage of them. This is also valuable knowledge in the case of weaknesses. By knowing where a particular subject falls, disastrous choices can be avoided. It’s a waste of time and effort to require a child to take advanced courses in an area of weakness. It is also disheartening for the child, and looks terrible on a transcript. I always think of a strength or talent like the accelerator on a car, it creates forward motion. Weaknesses are like the brakes. They make the car or student stop.

Picking the right courses will help students be more successful in secondary school and earn far more scholarship money for college. For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com

Photo credit: Google Images