How I got my first two nursing school semesters paid for
I really have Lisey to thank for this; she got several scholarships that helped her get her aviation mechanic school bills paid, and watching her made me realize scholarships are attainable.
This girl of mine even won a Mike Rowe scholarship! I'm so proud of her.
Ok.
So, when I first went back to school, I didn't know I was gonna get divorced, and I figured I didn't need to bother with scholarships; I wanted to leave them for people who needed them more.
But when I got separated, I was like, "Hmm. Perhaps I now fall into the category of people who could really use a scholarship!"
So I filled out my FAFSA, applied for a whole bunch of scholarships, and I got enough to pay for my first two semesters plus $1300 worth of books.
(And I just got another $1000 scholarship this semester. Woohoo!)
I've figured out a few strategies that have helped me so far, so I thought I'd share them here in case any of you are in scholarship mode (for yourself or for your kids!)
1. Look for very specific scholarships
I tried to apply for scholarships that were very niched-down.
For instance, instead of a scholarship for students in the medical field, I looked for something like a scholarship for middle-aged women going to nursing school (using google!)
I applied for a scholarship for women in my county, one from my delegate (even smaller than county-wide!), my senator, and so on.
And Lisey obviously applied for scholarships directed at women in aviation!
The more niched-down the scholarship, the better your chances.
2. Do the harder scholarships
Sometimes I worked on a scholarship application that asked for things like a resume or three essays and I'd have a brief moment of wanting to close out that tab and quit.
But I figure that if I feel like that, most other people do too. And if I can be one of the few who pushes through the hard process, maybe I will be in a small pool of people who are eligible.
Lots of people will apply for those, "Click one button to submit your application", but not so many will go through scholarships that require a ton of steps.
(Incidentally: if you are a person who is good at jumping through the hoops to fill out rebate submissions, use those skills for scholarships. It feels the same!)
3. Apply even if you don't quite meet the criteria/deadline
I applied for a delegate and senator scholarship even though I hadn't gotten my FAFSA done quite in time for their deadline, and I was awarded both of those scholarships anyway!
I'm super glad I submitted them.
4. Make a folder for scholarships on your computer
I have a folder with essay drafts, my resume, my transcript, my nursing school acceptance letter, and other commonly-asked-for documents and that makes the application process way faster.
5. Tweak and re-use essays
Once I'd applied to several scholarships, I had a couple of good basic essays in my folder, and I was able to take them and tweak them to meet specific requirements.
I mean, most applications ask you variations on the same questions...like, "Why do you want to go into this field?" and "What are some challenges you've had to overcome to pursue your degree?"
Once you've answered those questions a few times, you usually have a good skeleton to work with. Tweak to match the specific question and to meet the length requirements, and you're done!
6. Don't quit after one or two
Once you've done 2-3 scholarship applications, you might as well keep on going.
The first few are the ones that take more time and effort but after that, you've got your documents in a row, you've got essay drafts, and YOU are just faster for having had some practice.
And the more applications you send out, the more likely it is that you'll be awarded a couple.
Both Lisey and I applied to way more than we won, but I have to imagine that the sheer volume of applications increased our odds of getting money.
6. Don't overlook smaller scholarships
People tend to be attracted to larger scholarships, but winning multiple small scholarships can net you just as much.
For instance, the delegate scholarship I won pays me just $250/semester, but hey, that's $1000 over four semesters that I do not have to cover on my own.
7. Fill out the FAFSA
I know it's kind of a mess this year (so many delays), but filling out the FAFSA is usually necessary in order to be eligible for other scholarships (applications often ask for you to submit part of your FAFSA).
So, if you haven't done the FAFSA because you think, "I'm never gonna qualify for anything except loans!", well, go and fill it out anyway. It's a step along the way to qualifying for a zillion other available scholarships.
8. Expect rejection
You will not win every scholarship you apply for, and you have to remember this so that you don't get discouraged. It's ok; no one gets everything they apply for.
But if you put enough niched-down applications out there, odds are good that some will get awarded to you.
9. Consider the hourly rate for your time
Let's say you spent six hours applying for scholarships, and you got awarded a $1000 scholarship.
That's a rate of $166/hour (very nice) and it's tax-free money.
If you got $2000, your hourly rate is up to $333/hour. Totally worth it. 🙂
_________________
I'm not a world expert on scholarships, so....
Kristen, I agree with everything you've written today. My son received over $15,000 in scholarships for his masters degree AND he received a scholarship so he could study abroad in the summer, thus reducing his total cost of the program and his time in school by one semester. In addition, he was able to go back to a place he loved to study again (he had studied abroad through scholarships during his undergraduate degree) and travel once the semester was done.
I didn't know what a Mike Rowe Scholarship was, so I looked it up. Mike Rowe WORKS Foundation scholarships "recognize students that understand the importance of work ethic, personal responsibility, delayed gratification, and a positive attitude." I imagine the competition was tough, and winning one of those prestigious scholarships speaks volumes about Lisey (and how she was raised). A round of applause for both of you! It's helpful to think of applying for scholarships as a part time job because it does require time, thought and diligent effort. It's also an excellent way to help young people learn and practice perseverance. I do agree that niche scholarships can be especially helpful. Our son was awarded a scholarship geared to students who loved the outdoors and contributed to their community. (He was a volunteer firefighter at the time.) Happy to hear how well all the effort you put into your scholarship applications paid off, Kristen!
I wanted to say that you should apply for small scholarships. I was talking to a friend years ago that is in a small alumni group. They gave a $500 scholarship each year. About 3 years in a row the same person received it because no one else applied. The next year they had 5 people. I was amazed at this number because I had always heard how hard it was to get help. Maybe it’s my frugal mindset but why not try for anything you qualify for.
Don’t forget to check out local businesses and civic groups for their scholarship opportunities. Many of them are small, but they add up. My daughter got a lot of money from tapping into local organization scholarships, and also through organizations, clubs etc.that we or her grandparents had been affiliated with in our careers as well. We weren’t even aware many of these groups gave scholarships until one of her classmates mentioned it, and then we went after anything within a 200 mile radius! Local banks usually offer multiple scholarships..
@J,
Yes! I belong to a local chapter of the Optimist Club, and we just awarded two scholarships to two very worthy local high school seniors. I think each one was for $1000. The hospital where I work also offers scholarship opportunities to their school-age volunteers, and there are nursing scholarships available, as well as tuition reimbursement (available to any employee).
My dad used to say, "Sometimes all you have to do is show up." I found this true my second semester in college, when I got a small scholarship (I think it was $2,000, which actually wasn't THAT small in 1999) awarded within the English department. The department head told me I was the only one who applied for it.
I love your advice about scholarships! I have one additional piece of wisdom—if you are already completing the FAFSA, remember to check on whether you qualify for federal work study. I totally understand that work study/campus jobs aren’t for everyone because of time or the requirements of their degree. *However,* I work at a university and in my office we employ a lot of students who have work study. 100% of our student employees say that the advantage of using their work study award by working on campus is convenience. On campus jobs often mean working a shift in between classes when you’re on campus anyway. Sometimes shifts are just a hour here or there. Weekends and evenings are also possible with employers like the library or the technology help desk. Campus employers understand student schedules and would not require working a shift that conflicts with finals or other academic obligations. Work study jobs certainly don’t pay as much (our pay range starts at $12/hr) but if you qualify for the funds as a result of completing your FAFSA, there can be great options for using the money.
@Robin, I second your suggestion. Work-study programs I'm familiar with usually are limited to hours per week (15-20), so the time requirement isn't too burdensome. Work-study allows you to familiarize yourself with other areas of university life, and enables a networking experience. I could type, back in the day, and worked in the library one semester, and later for a sociology professor, and a geology professor. Got to know other areas of study besides liberal arts, made some new friends, and earned some money! Plus, real world work experience!
@Jean, I painted signs and did calligraphy for college invitations back in the day. One of them was put on our dorm piano: "Please do not play piano after 9PM."
I used an app to search for my son's scholarships and while he didn't win any (not much effort was put in, admittedly), there were so many incredibly specific ones that were the very definition of niche. The app was on Shark Tank and if you Google it, it pops up first. I don't want to post it without permission. If nothing else, there are hundreds, maybe thousands to look through so if you have time, it's a solid resource.
Excellent advice.
Totally agree that niche scholarships abound but you have to be a sleuth to find them. My local library used to have a binder of available scholarships (probably long since digitalized). I know that my family members have set up niche scholarships in memory of loved ones, favorite teachers and friends. For example they were specific for a particular field of studies for someone living in certain counties or city of residence, or for someone with a chronic illness in their junior/senior year.
My daughter got a scholarship from the Huguenot Society of America based on her ancestry - a distant relative who had done all the genealogy happened to mention it. It was limited to certain colleges/universities and she went to one that was on the list.
PEO is a great resource for women for low interest loans, grants and scholarships. I like that they are particularly friendly toward women who have had a break in education (and their grants can cover more than tuition and fees - even in childcare or gas if a case can be made).
@Jean C,
This is amazing! I didn’t even know it existed. My husband is descended from Huguenots who came to America before the Revolutionary War so our children would have qualified had we known about it. Our daughter attends one of the listed universities but unfortunately as a graduate student so she is not eligible. I am putting the link here for the benefit of others who may qualify. https://www.huguenotsocietyofamerica.org/programs/scholarships/
@Jean C,
PEO also had scholarships available for traditional students and graduate students.
Daughters of the American Revolution also has many types of scholarships available in many areas including nursing, economics, and education.
Congratulations on the scholarships that you have received. You have given some great advice for students of all ages.
I do have one thing to add and this is meant for parents of more traditional students. If your child really wants to attend a specific college or university but you think it may be out of reach financially, let them apply anyway especially if they are exceptional students. Their dream school may appear to be more expensive than state schools, but often their are thousands in merit scholarships available from these colleges and universities. These scholarships are used to encourage the student to select one school over another. These scholarships are generally awarded at the time of acceptance, and of course you are not obligated to accept the offer.
I rarely see mention of these scholarships made in frugality blogs. Yet, they can have a huge impact on affordability. My daughter was able to attend the school of her choice for less than a state school. Of course, everyone’s path is different. This is just an FYI comment. Fortunately, I think that we are beginning to see a little more diversity and pragmatism in education. I’m hopeful that education costs will stabilize.
@Bee,
YES !!! Many people feel that private university's & colleges are not attainable.
They usually give out much more in scholarship money. Currently my daughter attends a private university. In the long run it is (and will be) cheaper than attending a state school. They also accepted dual enrollment classes and AP classes that she took. The state school that she applied, accepted into and was seriously look at would not accept these classes. So she started her higher education with 12 credits under her belt!
@Bee,
This is so true. I have two children who went to an amazing ivy league school for way less than it would have cost to go to our state university. The state university had lower caps on income levels available for scholarships, and the room and board charges were ludicrous. The only small downside was that the ivy league school would deduct the value of other scholarships from the aid they offered, so my kids mostly did not bother to apply for any of the small, targeted scholarships.
And students should know just because a big university is out of state, they can still get a good deal with scholarships. My engineer daughter got about 5 different little scholarships (for women in engineering, general engineering, well rounded student, and the like) that made up the difference for her to go to big out of state university instead of our state university (which again, had the worst aid package of all the school) or small college (nice aid but limited curriculum).
I could talk about college financial aid all day - but the important thing is to apply! The worst the school/program can say is no. And sometimes, no turns into a yes because the initial winner turns it down.
@Bee, Wow! I was going through the comments to find a place to add this.
NO ONE PAYS FULL PRICE AT PRIVATE HIGHER ED SCHOOLS. The various types of aid available bring the costs down, greatly for most students, which make them comparable to public schools.
News headlines are often misleading if not outright wrong. "It costs $75,000 to go to School X: Let Us Cry and Avoid Them." Schools, especially private ones, post actual costs on their websites or you can get the information from the financial aid offices.
The U.S. government statistics about every school, financial and other statistics, are located at https://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/
The National Center for Education Statistics. It even includes "net price" calculators.
Thank goodness for scholarships or I couldn't have afforded my very elite college.
My daughter did a high school summer class at one private college where she wanted to go--the art school she eventually went to--and on the last day, several professors pulled me aside and raved about talented she was. They gave her a giant merit scholarship, and as I mentioned above, they were so impressed after her first semester, they added another 10K on.
My son only wanted to go to one public school in NYC and did, and luckily New York State made public schools free for residents.
@Julie, agreed! It really all depends. My graduating senior was offered enough in scholarship at a private university such that it will cost him less to attend there than a state affiliated university (Penn State and U of Pittsburgh)
@Rose,
New York State made public schools *free* to residents??? Wow! That was not the case when I was ready to graduate high school (mumble mumble 40+ years ago). I was set to go to SUNY -Stony Brook, and had a $2500 Regents scholarship. I had to give up the scholarship when my family moved to Ohio after I graduated. (Don't even get me started about the FAFSA....my dad refused to fill out the income part, so going to a private school was a non-starter, and even hoping to get other scholarships was not a reality. Years of therapy right there).
@Liz B., Aw, that sucks. I'm sorry. Yes, it's called the Excelsior Scholarship.
@Liz B., Re Regents scholarships:
On Thursday, while emptying a old box of books 'n' stuff, my org lady came across my framed award for the scholarship. In 1982, I was photographed next to the superintendent of schools (of course I'm a head taller) and I'm wearing a ripped Clash T shirt held together with safety pins, bandanna on my head, a black leather jacket covered with punk pins, and I'm smirking. I thought it would be funny to dress up like that for the ceremony.
My org lady looked at it and couldn't make sense of it. Then my son saw the picture and announced, "Looks like we got a bada$$ up in here!"
My friends still remember it. They wore their goody goody clothes when we all went out to eat after.
@Rose,
Definitely badass!!
Yes!! I love this post. When I was applying for college scholarships this advice proved so true! Niche/local were my favorite. I even won a scholarship in honor of a male wrestler who had tragically passed away from my school. It was supposed to be given to a male athlete. No males had applied for the scholarship. I didn't even play any sports, but they gave it to me & I was able to write/connect with the grieving boy's mom for years through college.
@Rachel R., what a wonderful story!
YES!! to all of this! My son won quite a few this way also. Between those, the scholarships from the school, lottery money from our state, etc...he went to school and made money while he did. He didn't receive anything from the FAFSA, but it made him eligible for all the others.
Also, I was in a civic organization on the military base for many years. We offered $1,000 scholarships for active duty military dependents, but we would never have enough applicants. Each year we would offer 5 and usually only gave out 3.
Great advice - very interesting to hear everyone's anecdotes and advice (Rachel R, what a neat connection)!
For any military families - if a parent is eligible under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you likely know that it offers great benefits to pay for school or job training, which can be transferred to dependents.
My tip is just to make sure you look at all of the details way in advance, like while your kids are still in middle school, because there are specifics like how long you need to keep serving AFTER you transfer the benefit eligibility. But the good news is you can just put in a placeholder transfer of benefits (e.g. one month per child/spouse), and change it when you actually get close to college years and decide how you actually want to use it.
Between that and the Yellow Ribbon Program (which can help pay for expenses the above Bill doesn't cover), it can be a huge help with kids' college expenses (we've talked with a number of families who've been amazed at how well it worked, in a variety of types of college settings).
@Suz, my older son used 2 years of my husband's GI bill (we split it between kids). The stipend it paid monthly for those two years was put into an account and paid the tuition for his last 2 years.
We took a different approach. Our daughters had excellent (but not perfect) GPAs and ACT scores. Rather than apply for many scholarships, we Google searched for universities with automatic merit scholarships. Based only on GPA and ACT scores, they each were automatically awarded full tuition scholarships for all four years. Neither daughter attended their “dream” school, but they both are loving their college experience and will graduate debt free.
As a university department chair, I sit on the other side of this and I echo everything you've said here. Even with my uni's very straightforward scholarship application process, you would not believe the amount of money that is left on the table at the end of each award cycle. We reinvest it into the principle of our scholarship funds, but it still makes me want to shout from the rooftops: "Apply for our scholarships!!"
That being said, I would also add that if your uni/college has a scholarship portal, don't rely entirely on the filters for selecting scholarships. Those filters are set by humans who don't always enter information properly. If you take a few extra minutes to scan through available scholarships, you might find additional money that you're qualified for.
As someone with a high school junior & senior, this was super helpful. Thanks so much for sharing - we will be putting these tips to use! And, congrats to you & Lisey on your scholarships.
Two small community theater groups in my area give out scholarships, and often have few or no applicants. Our local two-county development foundation gives out several scholarships, usually working through the local high school to find applicants, but older adults are eligible, especially for the ones in medical fields.
As is pretty clear from this post, spreading the word about what you are looking for can open up lots of opportunities!
Excellent advice from all! I mentioned PEO to my daughter for my granddaughter, who is graduating this year. I believe it was Bee who mentioned it earlier?
I won a state scholarship, but the scholarship fund was not funded by the legislature for several years, so that was a dud. I ended up doing work-study, which worked well for me. I wish the internet had been available when I was searching for scholarships. It was hard to find niche ones by digging through the books, and my high school guidance counselor, to be honest here, was worse than useless.
Both of my kids earned Bright Futures scholarships here in Florida plus we had pre-paid tuition set up for them, so we didn't search a lot further, but, my younger daughter, on her own initiative, entered a local pageant associated at the time with Junior Miss, and earned a nice bit of scholarship money for college as first runner up. Her financial investment in the pageant was tiny: her outfits were created from things borrowed, given to her, that she already owned, or bought on clearance (her lovely formal gown set us back all of $36 on clearance), so she spent very little to earn that scholarship money.
She also tried for a scholarship just for dyslexics; she didn't win that one, but that's another area to look in; learning or other disabilities.
I know places like lodges (Elk, Moose, etc.) also will offer small scholarships.
@JD,
I know it was mentioned earlier - but what is PEO?
@JD,
Me again, and I had a similar guidance counselor....she was useless.
@JD,
My former boyfriend entered speech contests set up by veteran's groups. Usually the subject would be something related to patriotism and citizenship. He started doing this in middle school, I think, and kept on until he graduated high school. The prizes were small "scholarships," actually checks. Sometimes they might be $25, and sometimes they might be $500 or $1000. Prizes were given out for first, second and third places on all these contests. Not too many kids bothered to enter but the boy did remarkably well in speech class and his teacher encouraged him. He put all the prize money into an interest-bearing savings account (back then the interest rates were fairly high), and by the time his college freshman year rolled around, he had a tidy sum of money for tuition and books.
I also know of several students who did well with history fair or science fair exhibits and won scholarship prizes for their work in same.
There may be other scholarships or competitions based on skills and if your student is particularly talented in a given field, such as art or music, it may be worth their while to look into such programs.
@Liz B., it is a philanthropic educational organization that focuses on educational opportunities for women. They even have a small college (Cottey College) in Missouri. The organization is more than 150 years old and consists of small chapters in all 50 states and provinces. They are always looking for worthy women (including international students) to assist for furthering their education. You can Google PEO International to learn more about the organization and its projects. (You don’t have to be a member or ecen know a member to get their support). I believe Kristen has written about the financial support she has received from PEO.
@Liz B.,
PEO stands for Philanthropic Educational Organization. This is 150-year-old organization dedicated to supporting women through education. The bulk of this support is financial in nature. However, PEO is also the steward of a highly-regarded woman’s college in Nevada, Missouri.
This is a great article about PEO;
https://community.thriveglobal.com/the-most-impactful-organization-on-womens-education-youve-never-heard-of-peo-sisterhood/
If you are interested in scholarships, grants and loans offered by PEO, there is more info at the website: PEOinternational.org.
Of course, if you are interested in joining PEO and helping women reach for the stars, don’t hesitate to request further information.
@Bee, and @Jean C.,
Thank you! I must have missed Kristen mentioning PEO before. I'll read that article, thanks!
I have one, which I found to be super important: get someone else to read your drafts!!!!!
Ideally it's someone with experience in that field or in winning scholarships similar to yours but even if it, it's another set of eyes that can find your typos and homonyms, show you where your train of thought isn't clear, or where your logic is faulty.
Congrats to you, FG, for getting all the scholarships. They couldn't've been awarded to a more deserving person.
I want to make these separate, because the above is so much more important.
1) Create a list or spreadsheet of the logistics for each scholarship. This will include:
- paperwork needed
- essay(s)
- deadlines. Let me say that again - make it obvious when your DEADLINES are. Post them on your fridge if need be.
- recommendations, if any
2) If you need something from someone else, such as a recommendation, get that going early and be prepared to nudge. Be clear about when you need it by and any formatting or substance required by org. If you're lucky, you can also tell your recommender what you'd like be included. Sometimes they even ask you to draft something for them. If that happens, do it! What you write will influence what they say and it's not uncommon for the recommender to use exactly what you've written.
3) Treat it as a part-time job.
Thanks, FG, for sharing this. It's very helpful to see how someone else does it.
A $1,000 is absolutely nothing to sneeze at!
I put myself through the first two years of college at a very affordable state "junior" college and won a scholarship to a private university to finish my schooling because I did very well on the junior college's College Bowl team. (This academic sport is heavily male. Being female and good at it made me stand out.)
The private school also awarded me another scholarship at the end of my junior year based on my grade point average. I was two years older than most students when starting college and hit the age of nontraditional student in my senior year, which also opened up some small scholarships. What looked like disadvantages turned out to be really helpful.
@Ruby, I participated in one of those quiz things as a senior in high school. I'm still annoyed about it! The other students were well prepared for it; the three of us chosen were told about it on the drive over. I was the only one in my school who answered any of the questions. Still, we would have won except for one question about Agatha Christie, of all things. "Name a British mystery writer who lives in Torquay." Of course I knew about Agatha but she died in 1976 and this was 1982 so I didn't answer. The other school answered "Agatha Christie" and I said "You used the present tense and she's dead!" Too bad, we lost, they won. Just 42 years later and I'm still peeved about it.
@Rose,
I have a similar peeve about a quiz show I did. The question was which planet was farthest from the sun- of course we answered Neptune ( because for a part of Neptune's rotation it is farther than Pluto is, and that was happening right then) and we got marked wrong. The other team said Uranus - because they knew Pluto wasnt right. They got it wroong too. Our teams protested in vain.
I would have given you the point!
@mbmom11, Ha! Man, nothing chaps our hides worse than being marked wrong when we were right.
My daughter, in third grade, gave me a note that said, "Mom, the teacher said today that the sun is the center of our galaxy and it isn't. Please talk to her." Ha! As my mother would say, she comes by it honestly.
I've been helping BFF's brother create a foundation to endow scholarships for high school sports statisticians--his passion in life. Whoulda thought?
"Do the hard scholarships" did me good this morning, because even though it's been years since I or my children have applied for scholarships--actually in her second semester of college my daughter announced two months in she'd been given an extra merit scholarship for $10,000 a year, but she'd forgotten to tell me--it's also true with applying for jobs. Right now there are two I'm interested in, neither are perfect at all, but one cover letter/resume keeps coming back to me via the hiring manager--um, whut--why not just hire me or not instead of complaining I don't talk enough about X or Y in my resume? For the other one, which is working for local government, it's the usual tedious nonsense where you send in your resume and letter, then have to fill out an application form with aaaaaaallll the same information on it. Both of these are annoying me to death today.
Oh, I figured it out. Neither the hiring manager nor the headhunter knows what ecommerce is. "Add ecommerce to your resume!" So I did. Affiliate marketing, shopping links, co-branded marketing with various big companies, sales channels on social etc.
"But whaaaaaaat's your experience in ecommerce?" they both demanded. "Can you give me your definition of ecommerce?" I asked. crickets. I added the word "ecommerce" in the resume without anything else and we're good to go.
I give up.
Update: the government one, which offers bennies as well as $25K more a year, wants me to come in for an interview next week. The ecommerce one is remote work, which I much prefer, but it's a contract position so no benefits. Headhunter says they're very impressed by my resume. Might have to figure out how to string the ecommerce people out while I angle for gubment job (which will have to be hybrid-remote; the office is only 20 minutes away but I still don't know if I can do 9-5 every week at an office with my crummy health).
@Rose,
Sheesh! That would have driven me bonkers. Even though both jobs are not perfect for you, I hope at least one comes through for you. Or both, and then you can choose.
Thank you for posting this! We have already gone through much of the process with my son, who is a college junior. My daughter is graduating from high school this spring and we are currently in the throes of it again. She is planning to attend a private school (she is close to making the decision on which one, which fills this mom with relief!) and while the cost is gasp-worthy, she automatically qualifies for the President's Scholarship based on her GPA, bringing it down to a level which is more do-able. Applying for scholarships is hard work, but every little bit helps. I think it is wise to reframe your mindset when it comes to smaller scholarships--you worded it well when you mentioned considering how many hours it would take to earn that amount of money. My son earned several smaller scholarships, but they all added up--they covered all but $1000 of his freshman year tuition.
A little different than scholarships, but for graduate school, also consider TAing. I was a graduate student who would have paid out of state tuition but because I was a TA, it brought it to in-state student rates. Then on top of that, I was given a stipend that took care of the in-state fees. Then I would do case competitions and place in the top three...that would take care of my books and part of my rent. Also, I wasn't actually a Teaching Assistant. I worked in the dean's office doing regular old office work. Low stress, and something like 10-12 hours a week.
I currently work for an elite, small private institute. If you are an RA (research assistant) during graduate school, you are given a salary and your tuition owed is reduced as well. Yes, it's work but it's capped at 20 hours a week...or at least it's supposed to be.
Both of these things put private or out of state schools closer to within reach financially.
Once you’re in school, check with professors in your major or minor field of study. I used to get notifications from various organizations and would pass those on to students. Some applications require a letter of support/reference … be sure to ask reliable folks to do this who will be mindful of timelines (and, say glowing things!).
I was wondering if Lisey got a Mike Rowe scholarship! That guy is fantastic, as is his foundation. OUTSTANDING!
And Kristen, your perseverance and good sense continue to impress me. If I know of anyone heading to college or trade school, I will refer them to this post.
Isn't that so crazy that she did? I was so proud.
I looked for scholarships for many hours and could never find one I qualified for! But I went completely online which seemed to eliminate me from many options!
I shopped around the lowest cost, fully online, school with my selected degree. My biggest factor was going to a school that accepted ACE credits- most schools do not accept those level of transfer credits. I paid $28,000 for my entire Bachelors degree and did it in two years (I only worked 1 day a week for some of that time-lived off my savings and lived in Grandma's basement). It was worth it to pay cash- my income almost tripled!
@Alexis,
Also should add I graduated last year- so this isn't a super old cost!
An example of how niche scholarships can be: I got one for children of Lithuanian immigrants. This was years ago but I know there are several scholarships for descendants of Lithuanians because my nephew snagged one of the several he applied for last year.
If your high school Junior/Senior is looking for scholarships, make friends with the Guidance Office. These people get a lot of scholarship info that they will gladly pass on to anyone interested.
Consider organizations you or your family have joined. For instance, some fraternal organizations (Elks, Moose, VFW) offer scholarships to family members. Sometimes a Chamber of Commerce offers scholarships. If you already have a job see if your employer offers financial aid to increase your skills. In Minnesota, high school juniors and seniors can enroll at the U for free and get credit both places so your first two years of college tuition are free.
A quick comment inbetween looking at annotated bibliographies for my students' researched inquiries: As an instructor who works with undergraduate and graduate writers, many of them applying for grants, etc., I highly recommend that you seek readers, both general and more expert as a part of your scholarship writing process. To get the most out of any reading, help the reader understand exactly what you are applying for, what you are trying to do in your application/essay, and your questions/concerns. In other words, set up a targeted feedback session. Then, post reading and written response, be willing to have a discussion in which you are an active participant -- it is your work after all! You can always reject feedback but it will likely surprise you what you learn when your heart and mind are open.
As a parent of a current college sophomore and high school senior, I have a favor to ask. If you or somebody you know is in charge of creating a scholarship for somebody, please be inclusive of homeschooled students. Our county has a lovely foundation which lists about a gazillion local scholarships students can apply for, but only about 2.5 are open to homeschool students. 🙁
Kristen, do you have any special tips for homeschooled students to find scholarships?
What great advice! My husband got a lot of scholarship info from his university. He got an excellent scholarship geared towards non-traditional (older) students in the form of an interest-free loan. The scholarship had a name that made it sound like it was only for women re-entering school but it was open to anyone- men, women, non-binary- who met the age criteria. So, all that to say, look at the eligibility requirements!
Speaking of small scholarships - the daughter of a friend of mine got a small scholarship from her church. Daughter was in the church choir, and maybe active in other church related organizations, I'm not sure. I think the scholarship was for $500.
FAFSA is a necessary evil. Filled it out for seven straight years. One kiddo graduated in 3 1/2 years, other would have had it not been for the last class of her major only being offered in spring of her senior year. First three years, "hey, you can afford to send kiddo one to Harvard out of pocket". It didn't get any better (except the out of pocket was for quite a prestigious school). A HELOC/2nd mortgage is better than a private student loan. Even a credit card is a better choice. Knew we'd get no federal help (truth be told, rightly so). But there are time when you have to play the game. Upside is it always got us priority at the CPA.
And I will say that a scholarship kiddo #1 got was not gonna happen for kiddo #2 due to changing times (read: economy and a yet another unnecessary US war).
Also try the industry leaders. Go to their websites and look into community efforts. I received a huge ($20k) scholarship from Johnson & Johnson, I had to buy $500 worth of stock, so that I was a stockholder. Best investment ever.
I also received a DAR scholarship twice (my first degree at age 17 and my second degree while in my mid 30's).
My dad's estate funds an technical school scholarship awarded to 1 girl and 1 boy wrestler at his alma mater. He also funded a medical field scholarship and a forestry management scholarship.
Great advice on scholarships. I’m a middle aged female- originally from Jamaica and currently in a nursing program. I’ve never applied for any scholarships, and I’m wondering why? I’m paying quite a bit out of pocket, and I’m struggling financially. Where would I start to look for scholarships? Any specific advice? Thank you in advance for any info.
@Sandra O, Make an appointment to talk with your school's financial aid people. They would know of ones the school offers, or that other students often get.
Or google search something like "Nursing student scholarships in XXX", with the name of your town, county, or state. Good luck!
I applied for several scholarships as a single mom trying to finish my BA degree. I was working full time but had a low salary. I was lucky to receive both the senate and delegate scholarships that automatically renewed for the 4 years it took me to complete the degree part time. Totally worth the effort as it saved me soooo much money.
The credit union I belong to offers some scholarships. If you belong to one, check it out!
Great advice, Kristen, and I commend you on your perseverance in pursuing the scholarships!
We've started making of list of college savings tips as our oldest is about to go into high school. Your scholarship ideas are definitely going on that list!
Here are a few additional ways to earn free or super cheap college credit:
1. CLEP tests (free): The College Board (same ones who run the Advanced Placement tests) also administers CLEP tests that will allow you to earn college credit just for passing the exam. For example: pass the CLEP College Algebra test with a score of 50 or higher and you get 3 credits of college math. The tests normally cost $100, but if you take the free online review class at ModernStates.com, you can get a voucher to take the CLEP test for free. The tests are recorded as 'pass' on your transcript and you don't have to report any failed tests- so it doesn't impact your GPA or college acceptance. My son just took his first one (he's 13, so doable for younger kids too) and got credit for US History 1. Waaaay back in the day, I took CLEP tests while already enrolled at my university and knocked out a sememster of gen ed classes. There are over 30 subjects offered. One thing to note: make sure the college you are applying to/attending accepts CLEP scores. More than 80% do, but it's worth a quick check before committing the time to study for a test.
2. Online courses (super cheap): Take online classes through companies like Study.com, Straighterline, Sophia, Coopersmith, etc. These companies are VERY cheap, but just a heads up that they are ACE accredited. The vast majority of college are 'Regionally Accredited' ... so it is up to your college to decide if they will accept ACE accredited classes. You can check your target school's website to see which ones they accept (they usually have an online chart that explains what each course will transfer in as).
3. CLI (free-ish): This is only for students doing Liberty University's residential or online program. LU will accept classes done online through the Christian Leaders Institute. CLI's classes are free, but they will charge you a small fee to transfer the credits to Liberty.
Finding a school that will accept CLEP tests and ACE credits is a great strategy for reducing your college costs (or reducing the time it takes to get a degree if you are on a time-crunch). The "Big 3" colleges- Excelsior University, Thomas Edison State University and Charter Oaks College- will allow you to transfer in almost all of the credits needed for a degree- they only require that you take a few classes through them to finish your degree plan. For example, TESU allows you to transfer in 114 credits and then just take 6 credits (their capstone class and cornerstone class) either in person or online.
There are also many colleges that allow you to transfer in 75% of the credits needed for a degree... so that would mean you only need to attend the school for 1 year to earn your degree. Some of these schools include Liberty University, Colorado State University, Franklin University, Granite State College, Southern New Hampshire University, State University of New York (SUNY) Empire, University of Maryland Global Campus, Upper Iowa University and Wilmington University.
For those wanting to dive in deeper: the site homeschoolingforcollegecredit.org has been a GREAT resource for us as we navigate the pre-college credit earning options.
Don’t forget organizations that you or a relative belong to. I got one from Eastern Star which my Mom belonged to. Only took an essay Was small but every little bit helps.
It's a lot like grant writing. I'm a retired teacher, and I wrote many, many grant applications!!
Yes! So similar!
This is excellent advice - and a very encouraging reminder to keep pushing through to get what you want/need. I love your analogy in point "9". Spending time applying for scholarships can really pay off.
I haven’t applied for a scholarship since 2007 but between 2004-2008 I was awarded around 50k in scholarships outside of my university. How? Well, good grades and filling out the paperwork. The mid size city I grew up in had scholarships at banks that people had set up upon their passing. I went from bank to bank asking about scholarships and that’s how I ended up with all the money. I can’t remember how I found out about it but it was so helpful. My parents paid for my undergrad but I made sure that I filled out that paperwork and saved them a lot of money in the process.
You got so many wonderful comments! One other suggestion is to keep applying. When my daughter graduated from high school, she got a single $250 scholarship. She was so bummed.
At the end of her sophomore year in college, she went on a scholarship interview. Intel was looking for female engineers and she was one of the few in her field. Her grades were very good, but not as spectacular as other female applicants. However, in the course of the interview she proved she had a personality and could think on her feet.
She got a full ride scholarship from Intel for the last two years of college and that included her books.
I've told that story a number of times and as a result, there are others who kept applying and got substantial scholarships several years into their education.
So don't give up.
Nancy
I'm in my mid 30s going to college (I know! scary! but fun!) and although I've been navigating costs with scholarships really well your tips helped me find a few more that I'm applying to. So thank you! I am determined to have no debt but no costs at all would be even better, haha.