Undergrad - The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program

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

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 and 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.
Always say Thank you!

Where do you find scholarships?

Where do you find scholarships?


1. My favorite website is www.fastweb.com
www.fastweb.com 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.

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!

Happy New Year!

January is here!  ... Scholarship Application time!  Whoo Hoo

Checklist...

• Letters of Recommendation...received
• Personal Statement...written
• Scholarship Binder... set up
• Check www.Fastweb.com daily
• Stamps
• Envelopes
• Set goals... (ie. complete 2 applications a week, etc.)