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Keep your eye on the prize, the college scholarship prize, by using our hints and tips to stay on top of the scholarship application game. My College Guide has been there and done that – and is ready to share some things to keep in mind as you begin hunting for scholarships. Big scholarship prizes are out there.

Public Domain Photos / Emilian Robert Vicol

Dot Your “I’s” – On your scholarship application, just as on your college application, everything will get noticed. If it’s sloppy, looks like it’s been scrunched up and left under your bed for a few days, that’s probably not going to make the impression you are hoping for. Use spell checker, have someone else look it over, and make sure that the scholarship application that you turn in looks great!

Down to the Wire – If you just got started on your scholarship application the night before it was due, you should be aware that there will be many students with academic backgrounds closely matching yours that have spent time creating the perfect application. Your effort, or lack thereof, will get you noticed – but most likely not for the right reasons. Plan ahead!

Unicorns and Rainbows – Stuffing your application full of information that can be found in your application is boring to everyone. Also boring are cliché’s and phrases about how wonderful you are. Show the people reading your application who you are and why you deserve the prize. Less sunshine, more substance.

Senior Year – While it seems almost common for students to not even begin the scholarship hunt until their senior year: don’t! The sooner you get started, the better your chances are for finding and winning a college scholarship. If you are a Freshman in high school, hop on to scholarship websites and see what you can find. Senior year will be busy enough as it is – applying early can help take off some of the pressure in figuring out how to pay for college and give you a bit more time to rack up the awards.

Check, Check, and Check – You meet the required GPA. But you don’t meet the required standardized test score range, you don’t have the mandatory community service, or the leadership roles – so move on! Scholarships are competitive. Don’t waste your time applying for something you just don’t fit. There are going to be hundreds or thousands of other applicants who meet the requirements (and then some).

Think Outside the Box – While the internet is a wonderful resource for finding scholarships (you have read our Fastweb, Scholarships.com, and Super College: Scholarship Tips from Pros in the Know article, right?), don’t think that that’s all there is! Take advantage of other college scholarship resources and see what you can find. Who knows? You may stumble onto a scholarship that has few applicants!

no-frills marilyn. / marilyn d.

Every Penny Counts – While $100 may seem like a small scholarship and not worth the time and effort to apply, think about all the other students out there who are also thinking that very same thing! Take the time to apply to any and every unusual college scholarship whenever you meet the criteria. Even a small scholarship is that much less money out of your pocket later on. It all adds up!

Get Organized – Consider using a calendar function on your smartphone, laptop or desktop computer, Firefox Browser, or on good old paper! It can be very hard to keep track of which scholarship ends when – and nothing would be more disappointing than spending a lot of time on an essay only to miss the deadline! Write down due dates and cross them off once you send in the scholarship application. It’ll save you heartache later.

What’s your Advantage? — Do you have community service and great extracurricular activities (again, think quality not quantity)? Most scholarships go beyond your SAT scores and GPA – what are you doing right now to make yourself stand out and get noticed? Put your awards and academic recognition to use!

As you can see, there’s no magic way to win scholarships. The key is to apply early, apply often, and only apply for those scholarship prizes that fit your academic background. Ignore the cash amount of the award – it all adds up in the end!

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