ALL ABOARD THE SCHOLAR-SHIP!

10 Helpful things for students to know about scholarships

1. There are sharks in the water! Beware of scholarship scams! Not all scholarship sites
are for the benefit of students. Watch out for marketing scams in the scholarship world.
Sadly, many scholarship companies don’t have your best interest at heart. Some
scholarships are offered to capture your information to sell to marketers. Universities
and credit card companies will purchase student information at $3-$4 per name and
email. At Imagine Scholarships, we NEVER sell your information or advertise in any
way. Our scholarships are consistently vetted for quality and accuracy.

2. You can chart your own course when it comes to educational finances. There are
many options for paying for college. Scholarships on average help students pay 25% of
college expenses each year. At Imagine, our record is helping students find an average
of $21K in scholarship dollars. It takes work to make this happen, but it’s possible if you
will remain committed to the process.

3. Don’t let the anchor of student debt weigh you down. The high cost of educational
expenses can be discouraging. While it is true that scholarships change the landscape
of your long-term future (take a look at the big picture here), understanding the power of
compounding interest is a valuable tool and can motivate you to look for scholarship
dollars rather than be anchored down by student loans. There are many sources to help
you pay for college. Many employers offer tuition sharing programs, merit aid from
school, outside scholarships and many other opportunities.

4. Looking for scholarships can be smooth sailing — but only if you have a strategy. At
Imagine Scholarships, we provide an easy tool to help you search quickly for
scholarships, save the ones of interest, and keep track of the ones you apply for.
Because of the constant changing dates and many deadlines, it is critical to have a plan
of organization. Parents are welcomed in the process. In fact, we have a scholarship for
parents to encourage them to get involved! We do not advocate parents filling out
applications for students, but we do support parents helping search for scholarships that
could be a good fit for their students. Once a parent locates a good scholarship in
Imagine Scholarships, they can save it for their student to apply to later.
5. Sail your own ship — If you want to be successful in finding and winning
scholarships, it is critical for you to take ownership of this process. Finding and applying
for scholarships is hard work and not something you can leave to someone else to do.
Often pinpointing your motivation (or lack of motivation) in the process is the first step.
The things you have done leading up to this point are the things that will allow you to be
competitive in the scholarship process. We offer information on more than 500
internships at Imagine Scholarships to help you accomplish this goal. Having a well-
constructed resume is important and continuing to spend time on things to help build
that resume will determine your success in winning scholarships.

6. Getting On Board is important - Finding scholarships is hard work and isn’t for the
weak. You have to be committed to the process over the long haul rather than for just a
few weeks before tuition is due. We recommend beginning the scholarship process in
early high school and continuing all the way through college and graduate school, law
school, medical school or other pursuits. We encourage students to apply to 3-5
scholarships per week. We’ve included scholarships for students of all education levels
including those who are choosing trade schools and certification programs.

7. Learn the ropes from an expert - There are many people who have “ideas” about
finding scholarships, but you need an expert. We surveyed some of the top experts on
scholarship boards and put together a booklet on their tips for students applying to
scholarships. These are the decision makers who know why some students are chosen
and some are not. You can find that booklet in the library of video resources.
8. Sink or Swim - If you are motived to find scholarship dollars, they are available!
Scholarships are for students of ALL ECONOMIC backgrounds. Many parents and
students believe that they make too much money to be considered for scholarships.
This is simply not true for outside scholarship searches. Many of my wealthiest clients
have received an incredible amount of scholarship awards. In my experience, parents
who have money for their children’s education are often the same money-savvy parents
who are looking for ways to keep their money in the bank earning interest while
encouraging their students to find scholarship dollars.

9. Don’t be afraid to make waves - Knowing which scholarships to prioritize is important.
The hourly return on your time can be great if you are smart in this area. If there are
doubts about a scholarship, you shouldn’t be afraid to move on to an option that is a
better fit. Spending time wisely can really pay off, but you have to know where to invest
it. This is a great lesson for all of life.

10. Show your true colors - Your unique abilities, gifts and talents should really stand
out to a prospective scholarship committee. It is important that your social media
matches with the way you present yourself on scholarship applications. For large
scholarships, statistics show that 89% of those awarding scholarships do investigative
background work to find out the character of the students and authenticity of the
application.

Imagine Scholarships offers students an organizational tool complete with in
scholarships, a variety of internships, and a library of video resources. Visit
IMAGINESCHOLARSHIPS.COM and sign up using your free code NASEF today!