Scholarship Tips from the #CollegeCash Twitter Chat

Last night we participated in a live Twitter chat lead by Jodi Okun of College Financial Aid Advisors and her guest, the folks at Central Scholarship, a non-profit that awards scholarships and interest-free loans to students pursuing higher education.  It was a lively group and we learned -- or were reminded of -- a few things worth repeating.

  • While scholarships usually do not need to be repaid, there may be some exceptions. Students may have to fulfill certain conditions, such as service or work or maintaining a certain GPA. For example, a TEACH grant is a scholarship of up to $4,000 for aspiring teachers, but it must be repaid if the student does not become a teacher.
  • Students should approach scholarships as they do the college search. They should seek the best fit, not just the best.
  • Students should include both realistic and long shot scholarships on their list and budget their time accordingly in completing the application.
  • The scholarship essay is the place where the organization granting the scholarship sees YOU, the student. So it may seem scary, but it is a big opportunity. Central Scholarship's advice: Answer the question, be yourself and proofread!

For parents who want to learn more, Okun's #CollegeCash live Twitter chat takes place very Thursday at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST, covering topics aimed at helping parents and students be successful in their college planning. You can see recaps of previous chats at the website for College Financial Aid Advisors. And, full disclosure, College Admission will be Jodi Okun's guest on the #CollegeCash weekly chat on October 3rd!

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