Scholarships offer an opportunity for high school students to earn an affordable education.
The purpose of this webinar is to show the various opportunities available that your high schooler can apply and save for college. It’s never too early to begin the search for college scholarships. As soon as you begin applying for college, you should begin the search.
The only solution for parents: Knowledge of this complicated scholarship process is imperative.
Here's what you'll learn
Often an overlooked financial resource, scholarships can help pay for some (or all) of the cost of attendance. In this workshop, we will show practical ways to understand and apply for scholarships. Whether you’re a high school student preparing for the future, or a parent planning for your child’s education, you’re likely familiar with scholarships.
1
How to apply for scholarships —Applying for scholarships is a lot like applying to colleges. You may hear various suggestions about the best way to apply for scholarships. The truth is, what works for one person may not work for another.
2
Scholarship Application Process — Not all scholarship applications simply involve sending over academic transcripts and/or essay writing: some require other real-world experiences, such as volunteering. It’s a great way to get involved with your community, meet new people and build relationships, and give back.
3
How often to apply —There are always scholarships that students can apply for year-round, but some students may only focus on applying during certain times of the year. However, think about the benefits of consistently searching and applying for scholarships throughout the year.
4
What is merit aid —Merit aid is a form of college financial aid that does not consider a student's financial need, but rather is awarded based on academic merit.
5
Full ride scholarships —Full-ride scholarships that pay for a student’s entire college education are few and far between, and this deters many students from applying for scholarships with smaller award amounts.
6
What kind of scholarships exists? — There are thousands of them, offered by schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, communities, religious groups, and professional and social organizations.
About you Hostess
Jothsna Kethar, Academic Coach and College Planner
Coach Jo is an Independent Educational Consultant and College Counselor. She is a certified Tony Robbins Life Coach. She trained to identify children's goals, be their supportive friend and trusted adviser. She has also Trained under Peg Dawson, EdD., a renowned psychologist. She uses this understanding to coach children to discover their strengths to overcome their hurdles and roadblocks on their path to success. She is a certified Meditation Instructor as well and strives to empower parents in their child’s educational journey. She completed her College Counseling course at UC Berkeley.
Building a customized college list is her specialty. She has put her students into affordable colleges, winning merit aid to the tune of $28,000.
About your mentor
Brooke Shaffner, MFA, Scholarship Essay Guru
Brooke Shaffner received her MFA in creative nonfiction writing from Columbia University, where she was a Dean’s Fellow. She is a published, award-winning writer who has taught writing at the college, high school, and middle school levels. She’s worked with students on their college essays for 12 years, helping them gain admission to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Stanford, Rice, Notre Dame, Oberlin, Trinity, and the University of Texas, among other schools. Admissions officers have commented on the strength of her students’ essays.
What are students saying?
Larissa
Columbia University graduate
"Brooke's talent for writing and revision greatly improved my admissions essays. She helped me transform my work from "acceptable" to completely engaging and concise. Her suggested revisions and attention to detail were truly remarkable and helped make my original work that much better."
Luciana
Accepted at Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, and offered full scholarships to Washington University and Vanderbilt University
"Brooke was able to help me edit my college essays without removing my voice. She helped me refine each essay to perfection; I could not be more satisfied with another portion of my college application."
Amanda
Accepted at Brown, Duke, Rice, Cornell, Tufts, and Johns Hopkins University
"Brooke has the ability to infuse your words with new meaning. Every student has their story, but she can take your personal story to the next level. She guides you in turning your story into an inspiring work of art. I can honestly say that without Brooke's guidance, I would not have felt so confident about getting into my college of choice."
Krystha
Rice University graduate, full scholarship recipient
"The college application essay can never be revised enough. Brooke had the critical eye to omit the superfluous and add when I knew my ideas were becoming anemic. It seemed almost impossible to be able to write so many different essays, and still remain fresh and interesting by coming up with new ideas, but she helped ensure that every prompt was answered in an effective and engaging way."
Francheska
Rice University graduate, accepted at Harvard, Dartmouth, and Georgetown
“Brooke’s suggestions and corrections allowed me to fully express my ideas and develop them to their utmost potential. We did not have a face-to-face encounter, yet she understood my reasoning and turned my essay into one that accentuated my personality. I gave her the sketch of the dress; she returned an immaculate and beautiful gown.”
