Personal Statement Outline

PERSONAL STATEMENT OUTLINE


• Do not rush this process.
• BRAINSTORM! As the ideas start to flow it will become easier and before you know it you will have quite a few ideas.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION
Introduce yourself
Why do you want to return to college?

ACADEMIC GOALS:
What are your academic goals? Which degree are you seeking? What is your expected graduation date? Where are you enrolled? GPA (if good)? What have you already completed?

CAREER GOALS:
What are your career goals?
What are you working towards?
Why?
In what way will you give back or reach back in the community?

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
You may want to think of a personal experience that has helped shape who you are.
Have you had to overcome a big obstacle?
What is a dream or goal that is currently motivating you?
Did you overcome a hardship in your life?
Did you serve in the military? What branch? For how long? Were you deployed?
Employment – how many days and hours do you work?
Are you involved in community service? Extra-curricular activities?

FINANCIAL NEED
How will this scholarship help with your educational goals?
Financial need?

News Alert: Pell Grant Funding for FY12

Congress is close to completing the federal budget for fiscal year 2012, which runs through Sept. 30, 2012. The official language has yet to be released, but it appears that the maximum Pell Grant will be maintained, but that there will be changes to eligibility. In particular, the maximum number of semesters will be reduced fro 18 to 12 and the maximum family income level for an automatic EFC of $0 will be reduced from $30,000 to $20,000. For more information, please see

http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2011/12/13/2012-budget-includes-changes-pell#ixzz1gPtndbw4

As more information becomes available, including about other programs such as TRIO, GEAR UP, and AmeriCorps, NCAN will share the news.

Carrie Warick
Director of Partnerships and Policy
National College Access Network
Warickc@collegeaccess.org

ANNOUNCEMENT

It has been a pleasure working with each and everyone of you... Thank you for your support!

Scholarship Advisor is here to stay.  I see a need that must be filled.  Financial aid and  scholarships are vital to the equal access, enrollment, and retention of under-represented college students.

Announcement:  I will not be available for personal appointments or group presentations January 1, 2012 through April 30, 2012.  I will continue to update scholarshipadvisor.blogspot.com and send resources via email during this time.

Stay Tuned... the best is yet to come!

Thank you,
Shay Spivey-Mays, BSW
Scholarship Advisor

Do not be afraid of the essay...

"The Essay" is what scares people away from applying for scholarships.


I tell my clients all the time: "Don't be afraid of the essay..."


• The Essay or Personal Statement is your opportunity to tell YOUR story
• Who can tell your story better than you?


The essay is also a wonderful opportunity to brainstorm and outline your goals and aspirations. My first Personal Statement took me over a month to write. There was no pressure because I had started months in advance of the deadline. It may not take other people that long, but the "process" really made me think and ask myself questions like:


• Why am I returning to college?
• Where am I coming from? Where do I want to go?
• Why do I want to study in this particular field?
• What are my goals and aspiration?


Putting these things in writing is an important step. The essay is your way of introducing yourself to the scholarship committee, the college admissions department, foundations, corporations, etc... You are telling them WHY they should invest in you.


Great Tips (Hint: Example of a Header)


• Follow Directions: For example...Stay within the word count
• Make it easy for the readers: Use headings and cover each subject the ask you to discuss
• Save Time: Keep a copy to use and re-use for other applications
• Always place you name in the header
• New!! Use Nice paper. This sets your essay apart from the other 300 essays to be read.
• Say Thank you!

Student Loans are a Trap!

I hate student loans!

This is money that is so easily handed over to 18-year-old college students with a wicked sneer....saying "Here little girl, do you want some candy?" or "You can have all you want little boy! Here take some more, and more, and more..."...and then the trap door slams shut *BAM*.

I borrowed $3,000 of student loan money for my 2nd year of college (in 1994)...and now 17 years later I now owe $12,000. I'm sure you are wondering how $3K of student loan money can turn into $12K. Well can you say subsidized? or involuntary consolidation fees? more fees? or interest accruing at a phenomenal rate? interest only payments? can you say TRAP!

Listen people! These are the facts:

• You can not file bankruptcy on student loans.
• You can not write-off student loan debt.
• You can never get rid of student loan debt except through death...
• Student loan companies can garnish your wages.
• Student loan companies can take your taxes.
• Student loan companies can haunt you for the rest of your life.
• Student loan companies will not use Vaseline (harsh but true)

 ...You will owe this money until your death, even if you don't finish your degree.

I encourage everyone to exhaust all other possibilities before accepting more than your first year's salary in student loans.

For example, a social work (BSW) student should not accept $65,000 of student loan money.

A BSW will never make $65,000/yr which equals a lifetime of debt. Run Forest Run!  The research says that a student should only borrow up to their first years expected salary.

Purpose...

I want to help others achieve their higher education goals….without racking up thousands of dollars in student loans. I am living proof that it is possible!


Scholarships are out there! But it is like the lottery…if you don’t apply you can not win.

So start dreaming… picture yourself walking across that stage in your cap and gown…earning your degree.

If you are willing to put forth the effort it will take to find, apply, and use the scholarships….you are almost there. Most people are not willing to do the work… so that leaves more scholarship money for you!

I want to help you along this journey… so that you can achieve your goals and reach back and help someone else.

Where do I find Scholarships?

Where do you find scholarships?


1. My favorite website is www.fastweb.com
It does all the work for you. After you fill out your profile fastweb continuously searches for any opportunity the fits YOUR qualifications. It gives you the website links, phone numbers, deadlines, etc...


2. www.scholarships.com is my second favorite; and it does the same thing.

3. YOUR University Scholarship Office:
Love them! Visit them! Study their website! Sign up to receive email notices concerning new scholarship opportunities!

4. Finally, Scholarship application time is typically Jan. to March/May of each year. So if you miss a couple of opportunities this time around don't worry....you will be WELL prepared for next season, and can hit the ground running. There are fall application opportunities so keep an eye out.

Start Early

Start preparing for college a year in advance.

I repeat...Starting this process a year in advance is not too early! Starting early will give you the following advantages:

• Less Pressure!...you can take your time and not feel rushed
• You can get prepared and GET ORGANIZED
• You can prepare to meet deadlines
• You won't miss out on great opportunities
• You will have time to request letters of recommendation
• You can tweek and re-tweek your essay (your story)
• You can order all your transcripts and wait patiently

Gemvara Scholarship - Deadline 12/15/11

Submission Deadline: December 15, 2011
Award Date: January 15, 2012
Apply here - http://www.gemvara.com/Scholarships/scholarship/view/

Student Loan Help Coming

Obama plans to ease student loan burden

President Barack Obama vowed on Wednesday to take steps to ease the burden of student loans, potentially helping cash-strapped college graduates in a tough U.S. economy.

Obama said he planned to speed up a plan to cap student loan payments at 10 percent of income, bringing it forward to start in 2012 instead of 2014.

The White House estimates the loan changes could cut monthly payments for 1.6 million graduates.

Americans owe more on student loans than on outstanding credit card debt, and total loans outstanding are slated to exceed $1 trillion this year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Under the plan, student debt will also be forgiven after 20 years, compared with 25 years under current law.

Obama will also make changes to allow 6 million students to bundle together certain federal loans to allow a single monthly payment.

The option will be open from January. Those that take it up will also get a 0.5 percentage point cut in the interest rate on some of their loans, lowering monthly payments and potentially saving them hundreds of dollars in interest.

The loan changes do not require approval by Congress.

(Writing by Ian Simpson; Editing by Jerry Norton)
http://news.yahoo.com/obama-acts-ease-burden-student-loans-001017820.html

Community Service Examples...

Community Service is the Key to Winning Scholarships

Scholarship Foundations give money to help people complete their education and reach their dreams. Therefore it makes sense that Scholarship Foundations love giving to those who give to others. Community service and volunteerism is the key to winning scholarships.

Be sure to document your community service:
What organization did you volunteer with?
What was your role in the activity?
How did the service impact others?
Also, keep the contact information of the people in charge of the community service project (you may want to ask for a recommendation letter in the future).

Thank you to Center for Leadership Development (CLD)

Thank you to the Center for Leadership Development (CLD) for hosting the very first Scholarship Advisor Group Presentation!  And a special Thank you to all the Parents that were a part of the 2011 Parents Chat Event.  When we know better we do better.  It was a real treat to have such a collective discussion!  I hope that I was helpful... and please let me know if I can be of service. Also, if you can...Pay It Forward.  I wish you all the best :o). 

Top Secret Information

FAFSA is first come first serve!

The smart students submit their FAFSA Applications on January 1st!

I just got off the phone with a financial aid office manager. And I was blown away by this piece of information. She knows dedicated students that start filling out the FAFSA on New Years Eve and hit submit at 12:01am January 1st using their last paystub estimates (going back after they receive their W2’s to update their submitted form). University Financial Aid sometimes runs out by mid-February…and the rest of the applicants are offered loan packages.  And....wait for it... this applys to Graduate Students!  Oh man joy joy...

I don’t know about you but I will be submitting on January 1st at 12:01am. Happy New Year!

Free Tuition at Harvard University

Harvard Low and Middle Income Initiatives:
Harvard University is offering free tuition to families if their income is less than $65,000 per year. Visit www.fao.fas.harvard.edu or call 617.495.1581

(I called to verify and it is TRUE - 10/19/11)

Free Masters Program

Wake Forest University has an opportunity for minority students to attend its MA program for FREE, and so far, the response has been very poor. Please pass along this opportunity to your friends, families. This is a great school and a tremendous opportunity to attend a top graduate school. See the details below, the contact person is: Derrick S. Boone, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing, Rm. 3139 Worrell Professional Center, Babcock Graduate School of Management - Wake Forest University_ WINSTON_SALEM N.C 27109-8738 email: derrick.boone@mba.wfu.edu or visit www.wfu.edu
phone# toll free (866) 925-3622
(I called to verify on 10/19/2011 - TRUE)

My Inspiration...

In Marianne Ragins' senior year of high school, she won over $400,000 in scholarships for college. As perhaps the first student ever to amass nearly half a million dollars in scholarship money… Marianne Ragins received a master of business administration (MBA) from George Washington in Washington, DC and a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in business administration from Florida AM University in Tallahassee, Florida. Both degrees were entirely funded by scholarships and other free aid. (www.ScholarshipWorkshop.com)

More inspiration...

October 2009… Former foster child in Chicago now a million-dollar scholar. Derrius Quarles won more than $1 million in scholarship offers, including a full ride at Morehouse. He is a graduate of Kenwood Academy High School in Chicago. When Quarles was 5, the state took him away from his mother. He spent his childhood bouncing from home to home before ending up on his own at 17 in an apartment on Chicago's South Side. His arrival is a story of inspiration and anguish. And it's a testament to his determination to prove that he is better than his beginnings.

He won more than $1 million in scholarship offers, including a full ride at Morehouse. He won full scholarships to five universities, the Gates Millennium Scholarship worth $160,000 and the Horatio Alger and Coca-Cola scholarships, each worth $20,000, to name a few. He'll use most of it to pay for advanced schooling.

Inspiration...

(2010) Deonte Bridges, the first Black Valedictorian of Booker T. Washington High School in over 10 years, gave an uplifting speech which should be listened to everyone young or old.  Bridges, who was awarded over $1 million dollars in scholarship money to complete his undergrad and graduate degrees is a true inspiration to everyone....

Inspiration:

Cynthia and Phillip McKee located more than $340,000 in college scholarship money for their son (who has now completed graduate school and garnered a total of more than $500,000 in scholarships)… “If you have only one shot, make it your best one!” say the McKees.

Great Advice...

"You should always start looking for scholarships and fellowships a year before you're going to need them.  You must apply to graduate and professional schools at the same time you are applying for scholarships.  It takes a leap of faith, but you must assume that you will be accepted somewhere and will need the money."

(Cash for Grad School: The Ultimate Guide to Grad School Scholarships by Cynthia Ruiz McKee & Phillip C. McKee)

Personal Statement Outline

PERSONAL STATEMENT OUTLINE

• Do not rush this process.
• BRAINSTORM! As the ideas start to flow it will become easier and before you know it you will have quite a few ideas.


BRIEF INTRODUCTION
Introduce yourself
Why do you want to return to college?


ACADEMIC GOALS:
What are your academic goals? Which degree are you seeking? What is your expected graduation date? Where are you enrolled? GPA (if good)? What have you already completed?


CAREER GOALS:
What are your career goals?
What are you working towards?
Why?
In what way will you give back or reach back in the community?


PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
You may want to think of a personal experience that has helped shape who you are.
Have you had to overcome a big obstacle?
What is a dream or goal that is currently motivating you?
Did you overcome a hardship in your life?
Did you serve in the military? What branch? For how long? Were you deployed?
Employment – how many days and hours do you work?
Are you involved in community service? Extra-curricular activities?

FINANCIAL NEED
How will this scholarship help with your educational goals?
Financial need?

December 1st Deadline - Indiana NOW

Indiana National Organization For Women:  http://indiananow.org/

Indiana NOW is giving out up to five $2,000 scholarships. Criteria include a woman returning to school, Indiana resident, over 23 years old and involved in feminist activities. Check our website www.indiananow.org for more specific details. The deadline is December 1st.

Follow Directions

Follow the directions of the scholarship application to avoid being weeded out.

Scholarship Committees receive thousands of applications each year.  The first part of the review process is to weed out the applications that (1) do not meet the minimum requirements and (2) did not follow the directions.

• If the application guidelines ask for a minimum or maximum number of words...follow the directions.
• If the rules say to provide 2 letters of recommendation... follow the directions.
• If the application says no staples, paper clips, or folders.... follow directions.
• If the application says fit it on one page... follow directions.
• Most importantly if the deadline is January 1st at 5pm, make sure it is in thier hand in advance.
• If the GPA requirement is 3.0 do not send a 2.999999.... Unfortunately, you do not meet the minimum GPA requirement. (There is light at the end of the tunnel:  You can hold onto this application for the next year's application round)

Following directions will get your application to the next step in the process:  actually being read!

Undergrad - The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program (GMS)

Bill Gates Announces 2012 Scholarship Program For Low-Income Minority Students


The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program (GMS) will select 1,000 talented students next year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice.

THE GATES MILLENNIUM SCHOLARS PROGRAM
http://www.gmsp.org/

For students entering college for the first time in the fall 2012, the GMS 2012 Scholarship Application online process is now open. The deadline for all submissions is Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 11:59 p.m

Free Tuition Colleges

15 Free Tuition College Options
There are 15 or so colleges in the country that offer free tuition. That’s right – students pay $0 for the education. Most of these schools offer free tuition due to large endowments, or a little creativity, like requiring students to work 15 hours a week to sustain campus operations.

1. Cooper Union—New York, New York
2. College of the Ozarks—Hollister, MO
3. Berea College – Berea, KY
4. Deep Springs College – Big Pine, CA
5. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering – Needham, MA
6. Saint Louis Christian College – Florissant, MO
7. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY – New York, NY
8. Curtis Institute of Music – Philadelphia, PA
9. Alice Lloyd College – Pippa Passes, KY
10. Barclay College – Haviland, KS
11. Webb Institute – Glen Cove, NY
12. University of the People – Online College
Armed Forces Colleges – There are three armed forces colleges that offer full-tuition scholarships to students:
13. U.S. Military Academy in West Point
14. U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis
15. U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point

*Free tuition means more competition and stricted guidelines, but the extra work would be well worth the return.

Why I do what I do...

This is my passion area...

It is my mission to increase access, enrollment, and retention in colleges and universities for underrepresented students.


I beleive that financial aid and scholarships are vital to this mission.  Students must prepare to apply. Guidance in this are is my way to "Pay it Forward".

Letters of recommendation

Letters of Recommendation Tips... 
What are you waiting for? ;o)

• Mail a written request for a letter of recommendation. It shows that you are serious and professional about your request. An email is for reminders and verbal requests will probably not get a response.

• Ask the writer to address the letter generally to: "The Scholarship Committee".  So you can use the letter for several different applications.  Genius!!!!

• Be very accommodating to the people you are requesting a letter from. For example, send a resume or list of accomplishments with your written request. This way they have the information they need to write your letter of recommendation. If they have to work too hard they probably won’t write it. Remember, you know more about yourself than they do.

• Request (in writing) 3-5 original copies of the letters. Make 10-20 copies of each for each scholarship application you will submit. Some applications will ask for originals and some will accept copies. Be prepared!

• Provide your written requests well in advance. The writer is doing you a favor and good letters take time.

• You will need at least 3 letters of recommendation….so send out 9 written requests! You might actually get 3. Remember this is optional for the writer, so be very humble about reminders.

Who to ask:

• Past professors and current professors

• Work: Manager, supervisor, co-worker, etc. Some scholarship applications specifically request a letter from your employer.

• Church: If so, ask your pastor, a minister, Sunday school teacher, etc...

• Community Service: Always request a letter when you do community service and add it to your binder/portfolio (see Prepare tab). These letters will be worth their weight in gold.

• Organizations: If you are involved with extra-curricular activities these letters will be worth their weight in gold!

Tricks of the trade: Be prepared to ask for an updated Letter of Recommendation (in writing) in November/December. You will want it to be dated for Jan. 1st or later. Most scholarship committee’s want current letters. You will be one step ahead of the game!!

Tricks of the trade: Ask for 3-4 envelopes with the original letters. Use them when the application requires a signed & sealed letter of recommendation. But black white envelopes are acceptable too.

More to Come...

Do not be afraid of the Essay...

"The Essay" is what scares people away from applying for scholarships.
I tell my clients all the time:  Don't be afraid of the essay...

• The Essay or Personal Statemant is your opportunity to tell YOUR story
• Who can tell your story better than you?

The essay is also a wonderful opportunity to brainstorm and outline your goals and aspirations. My first Personal Statement took me over a month to write.  There was no pressure because I had started months in advance of the deadline.  It may not take other people that long, but the "process" really made me think and ask myself questions like:

• Why am I returning to college?
• Where am I coming from? Where do I want to go?
• Why do I want to study in this particular field?
• What are my goals and aspiration?

Putting these things in writing is an important step.  The essay is your way of introducing yourself to the scholarship committee, the college admissions department, foundations, corporations, etc...  You are telling them WHY they should invest in you.

Great Tips  (Hint: Example of a Header)

• Follow Directions:  Stay within the word count
• Make it easy for the readers:  Use headings and cover each subject the ask you to discuss
• Save Time: Keep a copy to use and re-use for other applications
• Always place you name in the header
• New!! Use Nice paper.  This sets your essay apart from the other 300 essays to be read.
• Say Thank you!

Start Early

Start preparing for college a year in advance. 
I repeat...Starting this process a year in advance is not too early!  Starting early will give you the following advantages:

• Less Pressure!...you can take your time and not feel rushed
• You can get prepared and GET ORGANIZED
• You won't enter into the wrong program because you have all the information
• You can prepare to meet deadlines
• You won't miss out on great opportunities
• You will have time to request letters of recommendation
• You can tweek and re-tweek your essay (your story)
• You can order all your transcripts and wait patiently

Check the tabs above for more info...

Feedback Welcome!

ScholarshipAdvisor@yahoo.com

Student Loans are a Trap!

I hate student loans!

This is money that is so easily handed over to 18-year-old college students with a wicked snear....saying "Here little girl, do you want some candy?" or "You can have all you want little boy!  Here take some more, and more, and more..."...and then the trap door slams shut *BAM*.

I borrowed $3,000 of student loan money for my 2nd year of college (in 1994)...and now 17 years later I now owe $12,000.  I'm sure you are wondering how $3K of student loan money can turn into $12K.  Well can you say subsidized? or involuntary consolidation fees? more fees? or interest accuring at a phenominal rate? interest only payments?  can you say TRAP! 

Listen people!  These are the facts:

• You can not file bankruptcy on student loans.
• You can not write-off student loan debt.
• You can never get rid of student loan debt except through death...
• Student loan companies can garnish your wages.
• Student loan companies can take your taxes.
• Student loan companies can haunt you for the rest of your life.
• Student loan companies will not use vaseline.

....You will owe this money until your death, even if you don't finish your degree.

I encourage everyone to exhaust all other possibilities before accepting more than your first year's salary in student loans.

For example, a social work (BSW) student should not accept $65,000 of student loan money. 

A BSW will never make $65,000 which equals a lifetime of debt.  Run Forest Run!

Accessing the precious and disappearing scholarship dollars...

EVERYONE, regardless of income, should apply for financial aid

If you don't apply...you can't win!

Where do you find scholarships?

Where do you find scholarships?

1. My favorite website is www.fastweb.com
It does all the work for you. After you fill out your profile fastweb continuously searches for any opportunity the fits YOUR qualifications. It gives you the website links, phone numbers, deadlines, etc...

2. www.scholarships.com is my second favorite; and it does the same thing.

3. YOUR University Scholarship Office:
Love them! Visit them! Study their website! Sign up to receive email notices concerning new scholarship opportunities!

4. Finally, Scholarship application time is typically Jan. to March/May of each year. So if you miss a couple of opportunities this time around don't worry....you will be WELL prepared for next season, and can hit the ground running. There are fall application opportunities so keep an eye out.

Volunteer Experience

Your Volunteer Experience will be worth it's weight in gold!  Scholarship committees want to see community service, volunteerism, and abroad experiences.  
Volunteer Experience sets you apart from the other 3,000 applications scholarship committees review.  So I encourage you to include a short write-up about your experience.

Indiana Black Expo Education Conference

I attended the Indiana Black Expo Education Conference this morning.  And if I thought that programs were in short supply to help young women achieve their goals...I was wrong! 

The message I shared was: Raise the Bar!  When we know better we do better!
The message I received was:  One kind word can change a person's life.  Hello Beautiful!

$50,000 in scholarships and financial aid

Single mom is awarded over $50,000 in scholarships and free financial aid to earn a college degree. 
NO STUDENT LOANS. 

I want to reach back and help others achieve their educational goals…EMPOWERMENT.

I am a single mom that decided to change my life and return to college after the age of 30.  I knew the only way I could afford to attend classes full time and meet my other financial responsibilities would be with scholarships and financial aid.  After preparation, hard work and determination I graduated with a bachelor degree from Indiana University….and was awarded over $50,000 in free financial aid.  No gimmicks. No Tricks….but I definitely developed a system. 

Dream. Prepare.Apply.Succeed.

Introduction: Apply to win

I want to help others achieve their higher education goals….without racking up thousands of dollars in student loans.  I am living proof that it is possible!


ScholarshipAdvisor is my attempt to "Pay it Forward".  I offer advice, consultation, organizational tips, resources, and ANSWERS.  If I do not have the answer I know where to find them.  I love the research! 


However, I do not do the work for you.  I only work with people who are determined and serious about the pursuit of scholarships for the purpose of achieving their educational goals.  The process of applying for scholarships is work.  But with organization and preparation the process can be simplified like an assembly line.


Scholarships are out there!  But it is like the lottery…if you don’t apply you can not win.

Purpose...

I want to help others achieve their higher education goals….without racking up thousands of dollars in student loans.  I am living proof that it is possible!

Scholarships are out there!  But it is like the lottery…if you don’t apply you can not win.

So start dreaming… picture yourself walking across that stage in your cap and gown…earning your degree. 

If you are willing to put forth the effort it will take to find, apply, and use the scholarships….you are almost there.  Most people are not willing to do the work… so that leaves more scholarship money for you!
I can help you along this journey…  so that you can achieve your goals and reach back and help someone else.