Ten Things to Remember When Applying for Scholarhips

1. Sign up for a FastWeb.com account
   • Check for new scholarship opportunities at least twice a week
   • Update profile at least once every three weeks
   • Read through the resources provided on applications to financial aid
2. Develop a commendable academic record
   • Maintain good grades, but you don't have to have a 4.0 to win scholarships
   • Study for SAT/ACT exams
   • Attend all your classes and participate actively
3. Be involved in school activities and community service
   • Join clubs and activities that you are passionate about and become an active participant
   • Assume leadership roles and exercise leadership skills in activities
   • Commit to helping your community by volunteering locally
4. Get started early
   • Begin applications as early as possible either online or on paper
   • Fill out a personal data form and give to teachers or counselors at least four weeks in advance for letters of recommendation and make sure to follow up on their progress
   • Request official or unofficial transcripts in advance if necessary
5. Set goals
   • Commit to applying for a certain number of scholarships and give yourself deadlines
   • Constantly update your goals
   • Don't hesitate to dream big and work towards achieving your goals
6. Diversify your scholarship portfolio
   • Apply for local and national scholarships
   • Check with your career center advisor for local and national scholarships weekly
   • Avoid only applying for large, national scholarships because several small scholarships can add up
7. Create a timeline and constantly update it
   • List your top scholarships from your FastWeb results by deadline
   • Give yourself dates by which to finish essays, forms, teacher recommendations, etc.
   • Set up reminders (i.e. post-it notes, email notifications, calendar entries) so you don't forget any due dates
8. Tell your story effectively
   • Be genuine and honest in telling your story so that your essay portrays you accurately
   • Appeal to the judges and grab their attention
   • Know your audience (avoid slang and being too informal)
9. Make a copy of all applications and submitted documents for your personal file
   • Maintain a scholarship portfolio or file with copies of your applications
   • Use completed forms as templates for other scholarship applications
   • Reuse essays with similar prompts and questions by morphing it to fit the scholarship
10. Give 100% effort in applying for a scholarship
    • Ask teachers, parents, and peers to read over your essays and then edit and revise as needed
    • Fill in the application neatly and completely
    • Double check application information and correct any grammatical or spelling errors