RESTON, Va., May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- May not only signals the beginning of
high school and college graduation season; it is also National Scholarship
Month. Scholarships are an excellent source of funding for higher education
because, unlike other forms of financial aid, they do not have to be repaid.
Millions of dollars in free money are granted every year to college-bound
students with all types of qualifications, including those who are not class
valedictorians or star athletes. With so many scholarship programs available,
wiredscholar.com, the foremost online resource for "planning-for-college"
information, offers tips for searching for scholarships -- as well as spotting
a scam.
Since its inception, wiredscholar.com has helped hundreds of thousands of
college-bound students find scholarship funding by offering one of the most
comprehensive free online scholarship searches available. The scholarship
search on wiredscholar.com does not commercially advertise to users, nor does
it sell its names to outside marketers.
Other scholarship searches operated by commercial organizations are often
most interested in collecting a student's personal information. This can
result in students being inundated with unwanted e-mail solicitations --
sometimes more than 100 per month by signing up for one popular, commercial
site. Wiredscholar.com continues to be committed to being responsible and
respectful of user privacy.
To access wiredscholar.com's extensive search, students can visit the
scholarships section on the Web site 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.
Top 10 Scholarship Application Tips
Although millions of dollars in scholarships are available, careful
planning will help students increase the amount of money they may possibly
receive. Wiredscholar.com offers the following tips on applying for
scholarships:
1. Be completely honest about grades, experiences, memberships,
qualifications, family finances and other information.
2. Talk to students who have already won the scholarships of interest,
and find out what worked for them.
3. Carefully follow instructions. If the application asks for an essay
with a word limit, do not exceed the limit.
4. Strictly observe deadlines, and even strive to submit applications
early.
5. Only apply when the scholarship's minimum requirements are met. It
is better to spend quality time on the scholarships for which the
student is qualified.
6. Proofread everything before sending.
7. Supplement applications with personal letters of recommendation.
8. Find creative ways to present information about oneself.
9. Follow up with a telephone call to make sure the organization
received the application.
10. Remember to send thank-you notes. This small courtesy often has a
disproportionately big effect.
Avoiding Scholarship Scams
Over the past several years, the Federal Trade Commission has warned
consumers about the potential for scholarship scams. 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 tips on applying for scholarships and avoiding scams, as well as
access to the free database, please visit http://www.wiredscholar.com.
About wiredscholar.com
Wiredscholar.com is the foremost online resource for "planning-for-
college" information for students, parents and guidance professionals. The
site is the most comprehensive and objective resource on the Web for
information, interactive tools and checklists to assist with college
preparation, evaluation, selection, application and financing, all in one
online location. Log on to http://www.wiredscholar.com.
SOURCE wiredscholar
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Related links:
http://www.wiredscholar.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/147826.html
CONTACT:
Jemarion Jones, +1-703-810-5637, or
jemarion.jones@slma.com, for wiredscholar.com
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