College applications are also scholarship applications

Ace your college applications to get more scholarships

You may not realize that your college applications are also scholarship applications. If the colleges really want you, then they will not only offer you admission but will also give you an automatic scholarship. Even if you know that you are a definite admission for the college you are applying to, spend the time and effort to create an outstanding application. That might be the difference between simply getting admitted and getting admitted with a US Dollars 10,000 scholarship.

Help the colleges help you by providing everything they may need to give you a scholarship

When you apply for a scholarship from a college they may ask you to only complete a simple application form. However, you should always include an essay and resume. The reason is that when the scholarship committee reviews your application they may find that you are also qualified for another scholarship from the college. However, this scholarship may require an essay.

If you include an essay it will make it very easy for the college to award you the scholarship. You may be surprised to learn that colleges are always looking for students who match their various scholarship programs. Help them help you by giving them everything they would need to award you a scholarship.

Don't let the colleges take away your scholarship money

When you win a scholarship, you have to report it to your college. Unfortunately, sometimes a college will decrease your financial aid by the amount of scholarship money that you win. Not fair, you say? You're absolutely right! If this happens to you, immediately contact the organization that gave you the scholarship and explain the situation.

Some scholarship organizations have policies against giving an award to a student if the college will adjust their financial aid package. With the scholarship organization on your side, approach the college financial aid office. In most cases the financial aid office will back down rather than see you forfeit the scholarship.

If the college insists on adjusting your financial aid package, ask that they lower your "self-help" (e.g. student loan) amounts rather than grants. It's much better for you to have to borrow less in loans anyway. Be firm in making your case and be sure to point out to the college that their policy gives you little incentive to apply for any scholarships in the future.

If none of these strategies work, you should still take the scholarship since the scholarship is guaranteed while any financial aid grants are subject to availability of the funds. Even if you get a grant in one year you might not receive the same amount the next year. But a scholarship, if it's renewable, will pay you the same amount every year.

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