Why We Shouldn't Fear Failure

Top Tips on the Road to Free College Blog 2018

The final post for the year will be a wrap up of the most popular articles from this Road to Free College blog. It’s exciting to see which posts draw the most attention during the year. The most popular post of 2018 was about trading free time at home for free money for college. The most popular titles of the year were about improving the odds of winning scholarships. Since this is the theme of my blog, it’s gratifying to see people are interested.

There have been three changes in this blog during the year. The most exciting by far was the publication of my book, Free College. It shows families how graduates earn the most scholarship money. This book is central to my goal of helping families avoid needing college loans. I find it inequitable that students in my generation were able to pay for a semester of college for the same amount as a week’s worth of groceries, yet today’s student must suffer a lifetime of debt to receive the same education.

The second change to the blog was the addition of a clickable image of my book, Free College, in the upper right hand corner of the landing page. This way, anyone who wants the step-by-step guide in my book doesn’t have to search for a way to buy it. Just click the image, and you’ll be taken directly to my page on Amazon. You can buy the book for your immediate family or for loved ones. It makes a great gift, since it shows how much you care.

The third change was designed to make looking for popular posts easier for the reader. They're now listed on the right hand side of the landing page, under my biography. It’s interesting to see that both the articles and the motivational posters on the site are enjoyed by readers. I found this a bit of a surprise. But good things do often come in small packages.

Most popular posts of 2018:

Trade Free Time for Free Money for College This post suggests parents and students use “found time”, when schools and businesses are closed due to bad weather, to apply for college scholarships. Trading free time for free money for college is a wise use of this gift. Sure, making snowmen and watching movies are fun activities, but their enjoyment is fleeting. Assuring financial freedom after college graduation is priceless. The blog post also explains where to find scholarships.

Thanksgiving Holiday Scholarship Challenge This is the second most popular blog post of the year. It too shows families and students how to leverage time in order to pay for college. All students and many parents are gifted days off from school and work over holidays such as Thanksgiving. I challenge them all to apply for at least one scholarship for each day they have off. The article also gives some tips on how to do this.

How to Become the Ideal Scholarship and/or Grant Applicant is the third most popular post. It gives the reader a brief description of my book, Free College. It explains what’s in it, and where to find it. It’s almost an ad for the book, and yet it has been viewed by thousands of people. This is gratifying, but viewing isn’t buying, and buying isn’t reading. I hope families realize that purchasing Free College and following the steps it contains could save them tens of thousands of dollars in college tuition and fees. It has for the students interviewed while researching the book.

Why Dinnertime Is Important to Student Success The fourth most popular blog post of the year is a motivational poster. The topic is dinnertime, and its importance to student success. During my research, I found students who have dinner with their families at least five times each week do far better in school, life and win more scholarships for college. The photo was taken by me in 2017, while cruising off the coast of Basque Country. The quote is from President Ronald Reagan.

How to Win the College Scholarship Lottery This article compares qualifying for college scholarships to winning the lottery. Both are a game of chance. Both have qualifications in order to win. Everyone knows winning the lottery takes luck. While qualifying for college scholarships seem mysterious to most families, luck has little to do with winning. The article introduces the reader to twenty steps students take who win the most scholarship money.  

If you’re interested in learning more about any of these topics, you can follow me on Twitter, @ElizaWallace27 or click to buy Free College, where you’ll find the step-by-step guide to winning more free money for college, based on numerous students who have done so already.

Why Teach Kindness?

Why Should We Set High Goals for Ourselves?

Why Is Character Education Important?

Why Does Attitude Matter When Applying for Scholarships?

Why Should High School Students Apply for College Scholarships Today?

You Don’t Need a GPS to Find the Road to Free College

You can use your computer, tablet or smartphone instead. There are several onramps to this road. If you prefer watching videos over reading, you can find the Road to Free College channel on YouTube. Just go to YouTube.com, and type Channel Road to Free College in the search bar. This onramp is new, and more videos will be added weekly. Each will contain a tip to help you and your child learn how to earn more free cash for college.

If you prefer Facebook, then visit the Road to Free College there. This onramp leads to motivational posters families can use as wallpaper, or just enjoy as they're posted. Teachers can use them in the classroom for free too. There are also interchanges (links) to articles rich in information necessary for raising the ideal college scholarship applicant. Just type Road to Free College in the search bar on your own Facebook page to merge­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­.

The third choice is a major highway, RoadToFreeCollege.com. This blog is updated a few times each week. There’s lots of traffic here, but picking your lane is easy. One contains lesson plans and teacher tips. Another will help students learn how to maneuver. A third includes news about education to enjoy while en route. There are plenty of motivational quotes to use in the classroom as posters or writing prompts. The most popular lane on this thoroughfare is Free Money for College. This is the fast lane on the Road to Free College. It will lead you to your destination the quickest. The easiest way to reach this onramp, is to Click Here.

All of these onramps to the Road to Free College include helpful tips for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and others in the lives of preschool through high school students. The most efficient tool of all is my book, Free College. It contains the sixteen defining habits of successful scholarship winners. You can find it by taking any of the onramps above, or use the toll road, (Amazon). You can go directly to the book and take a peek inside, Click Here, then buy a copy for your family.

I hope you enjoy the ride, no matter which onramp you select.

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

Photo credit: Google Images 

Why Should Parents of Elementary Students Apply for College Scholarships?

Simple Tips to Encourage Your Child to Love Reading

Kids who love to read are happier, do better in school and win more college scholarships. If this sounds good to you, then fill your home with books. Start with yourself, because you’re your child’s first role model. It’s pretty simple. Find an author you enjoy. See if he or she wrote a series. I love the Harry Bosch novels by Michael Connelly. I found a list of these books online, and started reading from the top. I’ve done the same for several other authors too. You can buy books online or in a book store, pick them up at the public library or do as I do, download them from the library for free. Your children will see you enjoying yourself as you read through your list of books.

Next determine which books your child might like. This will depend upon age, of course. When my daughter was little, I read to her daily. She loved Peter Rabbit, so I bought her a set of Beatrix Potter books. I continued giving her books as gifts and reading to and later with her as she grew. Our home was full of books. She’s a mother of teenagers now, and they’re readers too. If you don’t know where to start, ask your child’s teacher for a suggestion. Look online for popular titles by age, or ask for a recommendation from an employee at your local bookstore, or the librarian in your neighborhood library.

I continue this book giving tradition with my grandsons. Each birthday and Christmas, I give them a book on a subject I know they enjoy. My oldest loves science fiction, so I give him books from classic science fiction authors starting with Jules Verne. He loves them all. The younger boy enjoyed the Wimpy Kid series of books. As he grew older, he joined his school track team, so I gave him an autobiography of Louis Zamparini, track star and WWII hero, for his birthday. He told me it was fantastic, so I bought him an autobiography of Jesse Owens for Christmas this year. You get my point? Feed your kids and grandkids books in subjects they love, and they’ll learn to appreciate reading.

Readers do well in English, History and Foreign Language classes in school. They’re at an advantage, since the act of reading is one they relish. You have time to start this tradition in your house. You’re already online, just slip over to your favorite search engine and type in “Most popular books for ____ year old children”. Order a few books, and when they arrive, write a sweet message inside. My daughter told me my grandkids love the little notes I write in the books I give them. Yours will love them too.

For information on college planning and scholarships, you’ll want my new book, Free College. It’s for families of Pre-K through High School students.  Scroll to the top of this page, click on the image of my book on the right, and buy it now from Amazon. 

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

Photo credit: Google Images 

What Is the Secret to Earning More Scholarships?

Why Should We Encourage Children to Pretend?