Snow Days and Holidays Can Help Middle School Students Earn College Scholarships

Throughout middle school, there are plenty of “found days”, just like in elementary school. Some are weather related; others are holidays, or teacher in-service days. Why not use this time to help students do things they enjoy which could eventually help them earn more scholarship money for college?

Some activities in middle school will greatly increase the odds of winning scholarships for college. If you haven’t seen my article on elementary school “found days”, click here to read it: "Found Days". Everything in that post relates to middle school students too. But in middle school, while having fun pursuing a student’s interest is a good idea, starting to pivot towards looking at colleges is also important.

On days in which students are snowed in, or otherwise unable to spend time outdoors, using online resources to “visit” colleges is still a possibility. Using the college’s website to research curriculum is a good start. Students will want to know if the college has a full program in their area of interest. But while looking at the college website, students must also take a look at the financial picture. How much would it cost to go there for four years? What kind of scholarships or grants do they provide? Do they have a work study program? Do they help with job placement after graduation?

But don’t stop there. Research the city in which the college is located, since many graduates end up living in the community where they went to college. The website, www.usa.com gives detailed information about cities in the US. As Steven Covey suggests, begin with the end in mind. What do you want to study, and where do you want to live after graduation? If a college’s curriculum, financial picture and community all fit what you’re looking for, start researching scholarships and grants in earnest.

While free play is always a viable choice when school is not in session, using found time doing something that might lead to college scholarships is a much better idea. Families who start planning for college before a child is in high school, find winning lots of scholarship money for college is easier than families who don’t plan ahead.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE . It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

 

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Image Credit: Google Images