How to Become The Ideal Scholarship and/or Grant Applicant

My new book, Free College identifies the habits, practices and strategies used by successful Full-Ride Scholarship winners. It's a valuable tool for parents, grandparents, teachers and anyone in the lives of Pre-K through High School students. 

You can help students acquire these fundamentals throughout their growing up years, so when they reach their senior year in high school, they may win more free cash for college. The goal is to graduate college debt free and start life with financial freedom.

Free College is available now. To buy, click this link: BUY NOW If interested in making a bulk purchase for a nonprofit group, send an email to FreeCollegeInfo@earthlink.net. Remember, scholarships and grants are far better than loans. 

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 cost to you.

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Wallace

Which Colleges and Universities Offer the Most Financial Aid?

USA Today recently published findings from the 2018 issue of the Princeton Review. They listed updated information on colleges and universities helping families in their search for the best choice for graduating seniors. Although all details contained in the article are beneficial, I find the list of the Best Financial Aid to be the most compelling. I don’t believe college graduates should have to spend decades trying to pay back college loans.

I’ve dedicated the rest of my life to helping families avoid taking out college loans. This is why I wrote Free College. Until the US joins the rest of the first world countries in making Pre-K through College tuition free, I believe families should pursue scholarships and grants, not loans. Therefore, this list of institutions of higher education offering the Best Financial Aid is of interest to me.

The top college in financial aid in 2018 is Bowdoin College, with grants averaging $42,200 per student. The second and third are Vanderbilt University and Colgate University. I believe students should select the lowest cost accredited university which will provide them an education in their chosen field. These three institutions should be high on the list, considering how much financial aid they supply. But, families would be wise to read the offers their children receive to insure that they do not end up needing student loans to cover all costs.

It’s far better to go to a lower cost university for free than a higher cost university no matter the amount of grants or scholarships offered, if the financial aid package does not cover everything. Remember, college loans are forever.

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 cost to you.

Photo Credit: Google Images

Lower Stress, Higher Grades = More Scholarship $, Pt. 3

Stress is really tough on learning and memory. If students are able to reduce stress, they may end up with higher grades and more scholarship money for college. There are three simple things which students can do to reduce stress in their lives.

The third activity which helps is laughter. We’ve all heard proverbs and sayings about the benefits of laughing. They’re all true. It is the best medicine, and it does soothe the savage beast. Best of all, it not only reduces stress, it’s fun.

There are several places to find laughter. My favorite author is Janet Evanovich. I love her books, but I can’t read them in public. I laugh out loud and people look at me funny. My favorite comedian is Robin Williams (miss him desperately). An example of his comic genius is when he appeared on Inside the Actor’s Studio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U48KpK1srx4

I also used Whose Line is it Anyway as an anecdote to work related stress. I recorded all of their episodes and watched them whenever I experienced a tough day. On the worst days, I watched three in a row, laughed out loud and relieved my stress.

A student introduced me to Rémi Gaillard’s YouTube videos. He's a comic genius of a different sort. Watch “The Spider” with a friend and be prepared to laugh so hard your sides hurt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpwZt7uMIPU.

These are mine. Find yours. Use them to relieve stress, improve grades and receive more free cash for college.

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

College Loans: A Monster with a Growing Appetite

We all know the national student loan debt is enormous, but it didn’t used to be so bad. Just eleven short years ago, student loan debt was dwarfed by home loans, automobile loans credit card debt. It was tied with other types of loans (such as personal loans) at only 18%. Credit card debt was at 31% and auto loans were 33% of non-home loans.

Times have changed. No one seems to be able to explain why this is the case. Salaries of college professors are abysmal, so they aren’t the cause. I’m guessing the failure of states to support public education as they did in the past has something to do with rising tuition and fees.

Last year, miscellaneous debt fell to only 11%, credit card debt dropped to 21%, auto loans were almost the same as in 2006, at 32%, but college loan debt has risen to 36%. People who have student loans are not buying homes or cars. They don’t have the money.

One way to avoid being part of these statistics is to be born rich. Most of us weren’t so lucky. Timing is important too. People my age paid around $65 per semester for in state tuition. Fees were pocket change and books cost in the single digits.

Current and future students need another option. I suggest parents and grandparents pay attention to the habits of students who were awarded Full Ride Scholarships and learn what they did to end up with no college tuition or fees to pay. My book Free College is at the printer and will be available soon. In it, I divulge the strategies used by hundreds of scholarship winners. My hope is that future students will learn how to become ideal college scholarship and grant applicants, so they can do what I did, graduate college debt free. 

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: Pixabay

Lower Stress, Higher Grades = More Scholarship $, Pt. 1

Lower stress has been proven to improve learning and memory. Decreasing stress, therefore, may lead to higher grades and more scholarship money for college. There are three simple things which students can do to reduce the stress in their lives.

The first strategy is to meditate at least five minutes twice a day. This is easier than you may think. Pick two convenient times during the day. For me, it’s usually late in the morning and early in the evening. I sit in a comfortable position on the floor and let my mind go blank. Okay, that’s not so easy. I know there are millions of people who can do this. I can’t. So I found three other ways to accomplish the same thing.

1.   I focus on a pleasant memory. I lived in Cape Town, South Africa several years ago. One day, I sat on the beach at Camps Bay and just watched as the waves crashed against big dark rocks in the water. When I want to meditate, I go back to that time and place in my memory and relive the relaxation. Everything else drains from my mind. That’s meditation.

2.   I focus on something physical. I do this while walking in my neighborhood. The sidewalks are uneven, so I have to look at them in order to avoid tripping. I feel the breeze on my face and the warmth of the sun on my body, while concentrating on the pavement. Everything else drains from my mind. That’s meditation too.

  

3.   I focus on the colors as I fill in a lovely design in an adult coloring book. I sit in a comfortable chair at the dining room table, and color. There are no distractions, nothing to “figure out” or problems to solve. I feel the pencil as it moves back and forth and watch the design come to life. Everything else drains from my mind. That is also meditation.

I’m sure all students as well as their parents and teachers could use a little break from stress. Everyone can find something that doesn't require mental gymnastics, is pleasant and creates a sense of mindfulness. Meditating five minutes (or more if you prefer) twice a day is enough to make a positive difference, help grades improve and could result in more free cash for college.

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

The Importance of Education

Attitudes Project Expectations

Setting Expectations

Most of My Students Did More Homework than Assigned

I know this seems unlikely, but it was true for my entire teaching career. I can’t take credit, however. My master teacher taught me this simple, genius plan. I taught a few years in middle school, but most of the time, I taught in a public high school. I used this plan when teaching French, German or English.

I assigned homework Mondays through Thursdays. I never gave students homework on Fridays, weekends or over holidays. They had a semester project to complete. They completed them during these non-homework days.

Homework for the week was posted on my website each Thursday. I uploaded the assignments during my conference period, after designing the lesson plans for the next week (which I also did during my conference period each Thursday). The assignments for each day were also posted on the whiteboard in front of the room. Students were used to seeing their assignments in this location.

Students could complete as much or as little of each assignment as they wished. They were rewarded for doing more than assigned. The grading went this way: 

Zero=Did not attempt the assignment, Check Minus=Completed part of the assignment, or it was late, Check=Completed the assignment as assigned, Check Plus=Completed extra work, in addition to what was assigned, Plus=Completed double what was assigned.

Homework recorded this way was not graded for quality or accuracy. It was practice on vocabulary or grammar. The work was checked to see how much was completed, this was recorded, and the work remained in the students' notebooks. There, it was often used as a resource. We went over it while students had their notebooks open to their completed homework. Then they put their notebooks away. We often had quizzes on these assignments. It was pointed out to students that those who did extra always did well on quizzes.

This was part of the incentive to do more than assigned, but there was more motivation. At the end of each grading period, I balanced the check marks, pluses and zeroes. If the student balanced into the positive, I raised his grade to the next level (usually just a plus mark). If, however, the student’s work ended up a minus, then I lowered the letter grade one notch (usually a minus sign).

Keeping track was easy. I used pieces of graph paper, CLICK HERE (ad), one for each row. I put the students’ names on the left, and an abbreviation of the assignment at the top of each vertical column. Where they intersected, I placed the symbol earned. It was very visual. Students and I could see clearly when someone had a positive or negative pattern going.

At times, when going through the papers, I showed a student his pattern. It was hard to deny when zeroes or minus signs appeared. At other times, students encouraged each other. This was especially true of other students seated in the same row. They acted as a team and cheered each other on to improve. Competition can sometimes be a good thing.

Once students are used to this routine, they catch on to the “tricks”. Since they know their homework in advance, busy and clever students work ahead. They’re prepared with their completed work on the day it’s due. Often they do so with double the assignment finished. This makes up for a day when they’re swamped in another class and perhaps can’t finish everything in my class.

I can truthfully say most of my students did more homework than I assigned most of the time. It made all the difference in the scores on their routine quizzes, their chapter tests and their final grades. I’m sure those grades made a significant difference when they applied to college and for scholarships. All this from doing as much or as little homework as they liked.

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

If You Want to Feel Good about Teaching

Give students an assessment test the first week of the school year. Grade it and file it away, but don’t record the score. At the end of the school year, give them the same exam and grade it. Then hand them the copy of the exam they took the first week of school. Let them see how much they learned.

Then stand back and prepare for tears. Some of them will gush, look you straight in the face and choke out the words, “Thank you.” It’s sometimes hard to know the impact teaching makes. It’s especially difficult when teaching English or Math. You never really see how much they learned and improved in one year.

It’s easier in a foreign language class. I've taught both English and the foreign languages German and French. The best feeling I ever had teaching was when a student in an eighth grade English class looked at her two exams and realized how much she had learned. She became emotional. Her gratitude was written all over her face. She knew we had accomplished this improvement together. I helped her on her path to college, and she was grateful.

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

Do This for Better Grades and More Scholarship Money

One way for students to improve their chances of winning a Full Ride Scholarship to college is to do everything possible to remain alert in class. A simple way to do this is to eat breakfast every day. I found it easiest to prepare almost everything in advance. It begins with making a shopping list. Once the decision is made to eat breakfast daily, deciding on what to eat comes next.

Steel cut Oatmeal (ad) provides many of the recommended nutrients for optimal brain function. Making it from scratch each day really isn’t practical. It takes too long to cook. There are two possible solutions. One saves time and money, the other saves much more time than money. Both are equally delicious and nutritious. Students and their parents just need to take an honest look at which works best for them.

To save the most time, go to the frozen section in your market, and find pre-cooked, frozen steel cut oatmeal. Be sure to read the label, you don’t want to see sugar there unless it’s a very small amount. Sugar short-circuits thinking, not a great idea for breakfast on a school day. Buy enough to cover all the people who will be eating breakfast for as many days as you wish to serve oatmeal in the week. Buy some berries, other fruit or chopped nuts to top the oatmeal each day. These can be fresh, canned or frozen. Just buy what you enjoy, making sure they don’t contain added sugar.

The night before, lay out all the bowls and cutlery you’ll need in the morning. Prep berries or other fruit you wish to use to top your cooked oatmeal. Leave these in a container in the refrigerator. Put everything else in the place it will be needed for breakfast. This saves time and lets you enjoy your meal without rushing.

In the morning, follow the instructions on the box. For the brand I buy, the instructions are simple. I peel off the plastic surrounding the frozen oatmeal, place the oatmeal in the microwave safe bowl I want to use, cover it with a piece of waxed paper (or a microwave cover), and cook it on high for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Then I stir and finish cooking on high for another 1 minute 30 seconds.

While I’m pouring my orange juice and getting out the toppings I want to use, the oatmeal rests for one minute. I sit down and drop berries, cut up peaches or apple slices and a few chopped nuts on top and enjoy. Notice, I did not sprinkle sugar on top. The fruit contains enough sweetness and added sugar is counterproductive to learning. Prep time is 5 minutes. Clean up after I eat is also 5 minutes.

To save both time and money, steel cut oatmeal can be bought in bulk at the market and prepared in advance. Look at the instructions on the package. Decide how many servings are needed for as many people and days as the oatmeal will be eaten in a week. Then prepare this number of servings in a very large pan, following the directions. After the oatmeal is cooked, let it cool. Then divide it into individual servings scooping it into glass Containers (ad), or wrap a big scoop of cooked and cooled oatmeal with waxed paper, and then place the wrapped oatmeal in a large freezer safe container or bag.

For serving homemade frozen oatmeal, place an unwrapped frozen serving in a microwave safe glass container or bowl and microwave. You’ll have to experiment to see how many minutes/seconds are necessary. Microwave power varies, and the size of the portion matters too. Experiment by following the instructions for the store bought frozen oatmeal, increase or decrease the time until you see what works for your situation.

If you want to get good grades so you have a better chance of winning a Full Ride Scholarship or grant to college, you have to do all the right things. Eating breakfast is one of them. Steel cut oatmeal is one example of what you might select. It isn’t the only wholesome or nutritious meal you can have. There are many others. Find something you like, that’s easy to prepare and eat breakfast every day. You’ll feel better and your grades will improve.

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

Full Ride Colleges and Universities Still Exist - Princeton

While the cost of obtaining a college degree in the U.S. has continued to climb, some colleges and universities offer enough financial support to make them virtually free to attend. Most of these institutions are private, and about two-thirds are liberal arts, according to a recent U.S. News and World Report survey. Half base how much they provide a student by the financial need of the family (as determined by the FAFSA form). The others base their contribution on merit alone.

One university where a Full Ride is possible is Princeton University, ranked number 1 in the nation by U.S. News. Princeton is located in a suburb in New Jersey. It was founded in 1746, making it the fourth oldest university in the nation. The campus covers 600 acres. The current undergrad population is 5,402 students. It’s a world class institution which provides an excellent education.

The application deadline at Princeton is the first of January. The early action deadline is November first. There’s a $65 fee to apply to the university. ACT and SAT test scores are due on January first. While it’s difficult to be selected to attend with an acceptance rate of only 7 percent, there’s an early acceptance rate of 19.9 percent.

The cost of tuition and fees for a year at Princeton is $45,320, (2016-2017). But with a Full Ride, this doesn’t matter. Most colleges that provide a Full Ride do so by combining student loans, scholarships, grants and a work-study program. The most important aspect of planning to go to any such university is to make sure that the amount of student loan required is zero, or close to it. The rest of the aid is free money. It never has to be paid back. It’s advantageous to attend college somewhere that provides a suitable education without leaving the graduate with a mountain of student loan debt.

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: Pixabay

Improve Your Grades by Adding Low-Tech Aids

I love my smartphone, tablet and laptop, but they’re not always appropriate to use. Sometimes I’m someplace that frowns upon the blue glow. I’m sure that happens to students all the time. But that doesn’t mean I’m stuck. Neither are you.

One day when passing back exams and making comments to students as I did, I complimented a girl on making only two errors on a four page German exam. The boy next to her said, “Sure. She’s smart. Of course she got an ‘A’.” Ah, a teaching moment. Love those. I said, “Okay, let’s see how smart she is.”

I asked her how she prepared for the test. She told us she studied with flashcards. “So you made them last night, and studied for a while, right?”  “No, I make flashcards for each new vocabulary word or verb when they're introduced, but also anything else you put on the board. I start studying them that night. I study a little each night until the day of the test.”

I turned to the boy and said, “I guess you’re right. She is smart.” From that day on, I had all my students make flashcards on 3 x 5 cards cut in half. These work, CLICK HERE (ad). They kept them in a small Ziploc bag and carried them just about everywhere. They reviewed the cards whenever they had a free moment.

You know there are times you’ve finished your work in a class and you’re not allowed to pull out your phone or tablet. But you can certainly take out a bag of flashcards to study. When you’re in a doctor’s office or at home watching TV, or even waiting for a bus, you can study a little. It can’t hurt, and it certainly will help improve your grades which just might help you win more free cash for college. Learn more tips on how to earn more scholarships, CLICK HERE. 

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: Pixabay