RESTON, Va., May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Most people have heard of Black History
Month, Secretaries Week or Take Your Children to Work Day, but it's likely
that the majority are not aware that May is National Scholarship Month.
Unlike popular misconceptions, scholarships are not just reserved for the
class valedictorian or the captain of the football team. In reality, millions
of dollars in free money are granted every year to college-bound students with
all types of qualifications. With so many scholarship programs available,
wiredscholar.com, the foremost online resource for "going-to-college"
information, shows students where to look -- as well as when to spot a scam.
Wiredscholar.com offers the largest, free online scholarship database --
containing more than 600,000 scholarships worth over $1 billion in funds. To
access this free, online database, students can visit the scholarships section
of the "Paying" tab on wiredscholar.com and complete an Online Student Profile
Form, which contains questions about academics, family background, career
interests, extracurricular activities, work experience, college plans and
more. Once the form is completed and submitted, students' qualities are
immediately compared with available scholarship options. Within minutes,
students receive, via e-mail, a list of scholarship sources for which they may
qualify, minimizing the time spent applying for those that may not be
available to them.
Over the past several years, the Federal Trade Commission has warned
consumers about the potential for scholarship scams. Here are some traps
students should avoid:
* "The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back."
* "You can't get this information anywhere else."
* "I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this
scholarship."
* "We'll do all the work."
* "The scholarship will cost some money."
* "You've been selected" by a 'national foundation' to receive a
scholarship or "You're a finalist" in a contest you never entered.
For more examples of scholarship myths and scams, and to access the free
database, visit http://www.wiredscholar.com .
About wiredscholar.com
Wiredscholar.com is the foremost online resource for "going-to-college"
information for students, parents and guidance professionals. Launched in
spring 2000, the site is the most comprehensive and objective resource on the
Web for information and interactive tools to assist with college preparation,
evaluation, selection, application and financing, all in one online location.
The site was named "Forbes Favorite" in the college-planning category in
Forbes.com's "Best of the Web" fall 2000 issue. Wiredscholar.com is an
independent brand of Sallie Mae, the nation's largest source of education
funding, which extends the company's commitment to helping students achieve a
higher education. For more information, visit http://www.wiredscholar.com .
USA Education, Inc. and its subsidiaries, other than the Student Loan
Marketing Association, are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States.
SOURCE wiredscholar.com
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Related links:
http://www.wiredscholar.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/827187.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 827187
CONTACT:
Erin Love, 703-810-7136,
erin.b.love@slma.com, for wiredscholar.com
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