"A comprehensive scholarship strategy guide. Step-by-step instructions on how to find, apply for and win scholarships. Learn from the successes and failures of real students. 150 scholarships anyone can win"--T.p.

"Secrets to winning scholarships"--Cover.

1. How to get free cash for college -- Scholarship are not just for superstars -- Why most scholarship books and Websites can be so frustrating -- The mind-boggling cost of a good education -- Seven scholarship myths busted -- Advice from a scholarship judge : how we choose our scholarship winners -- What about federal financial aid? -- The big disadvantage of federal financial aid -- Scholarships : the real financial aid jackpots -- Scholarship competitions are not lotteries -- 2. Find the best scholarships you can win -- Where to find the best scholarships -- Fantastic backyard scholarships -- Searching beyond your backyard -- Story from real life : smaller is sometimes better -- Truly outrageous scholarships -- I have my big list of scholarships. Now what? -- How to choose scholarships you can win -- The magic number of scholarships -- Don't look for scholarships alone -- 3. Avoid scholarship scams -- Scholarships that steal -- How to spot a scholarship scam -- Red flags that indicate a scam -- Story from real life : I lost $500 from a scholarship scam --

4. Get organized and maximize your time -- Saving time and effort with scholarships -- Prioritize the scholarships -- Schedule scholarships -- Have a monthly check-in -- Create a library of reusable materials -- Take advantage of your classes -- Think early about recommenders -- Make a checklist for each application -- 5. The packaging of you and your personal theme -- Marketing yourself -- Learn why they're giving away the money -- Learn what they're basing their decision on -- Finding your theme and what to do/not to do -- 6. Scholarship judge Q&A -- A roundtable with the scholarship judges -- A national scholarship management organization -- An art and writing competition -- A music competition -- An essay-based competition -- A college that awards merit-based scholarships -- A scholarship that values overcoming adversity --

7. Create stunning scholarship applications -- Scholarship applications : your entry ticket -- Create your plan of attack -- General rules for completing the application -- Story from real life : how my support of legalizing marijuana cost me -- The five steps to crafting a winning application -- Step 1 : use a little spin to wow your audience -- Step 2 : stand out from the competition -- Step 3 : list important accomplishments first -- Step 4 : write to impress -- Step 5 : make sure the application fits -- Story from real life : my midnight scholarship application -- Top 10 application do's and don'ts -- Finishing touches -- 8. The scholarship resume -- Scholarship resumes : One-page autobiographies -- Example resume -- 9. Get the right recommendations -- Getting the praise of others -- Finding people to say nice things about you -- Give your recommender the chance to say "no" -- Don't play the name game -- Do the grunt work for your recommenders -- Give your recommenders a script -- Tie a string around your recommenders' fingers -- The "you can't spell success without U" mug -- Story from real life : follow up or fall down --

10. Secrets to writing winning essays -- The scholarship essay : your ticket to the finals -- Six steps to writing a winning scholarship essay -- Step 1 : find the right topic and approach -- Step 2 : ensure that your topic and approach are original -- Step 3 : it's time to start writing -- Step 4 : perfect your introduction and conclusion -- Step 5 : find essay editors -- Step 6 : recycle your essays -- Story from real life : how I beat writer's block -- Seven sins of the scholarship essay -- Putting what you learned into practice -- Story from real life : essays in no time mean no money -- 11. Ace the interviews -- The face-to-face encounter -- Why human interaction is needed -- Interviewers are real people too -- Interview homework -- Use your detective work to create an advantage -- You are not the center of the universe -- Story from real life : the only thing in life that matters is calculus -- Look and sound the part -- The practice interview -- Story from real life : don't hate me because I'm beautiful and faultless -- Answers to the most common interview questions -- Questions for the questioner -- Use time to your advantage -- The long-distance interview -- The group interview -- The disaster interview -- The post-interview -- For more help --

12. Strategies for specific scholarships -- College cash from your hobbies and pastimes -- Awards based on your current or future major -- Scholarships for your future career -- Awards that recognize leadership -- Athletic scholarships -- Athletic organization awards -- Scholarships for public service -- Awards based on ethnic background -- Story from real life : my hobbies paid for college -- Religious scholarships -- Awards for hobbies -- Scholarships from your parents' employers -- Need-based scholarships -- Recurring themes -- 13. Guaranteed scholarships -- Do guaranteed scholarships really exist? -- National Merit scholarships -- GPA and exam-based scholarships -- Transfer student awards -- State entitlement awards -- In-state tuition for out-of-state students -- All it takes to win is to apply -- 14. Unleash the power of the Internet -- Opening the scholarship vault with the Internet -- Using the Internet to find scholarships -- Zap! Applying for scholarships online -- Our favorite free scholarship Websites -- How to be an Internet private eye -- Be cautious of scams --

15. Financial aid workshop -- Getting the most financial aid you deserve -- The financial aid cornucopia -- Five steps to getting financial aid -- Step 1 : fill out the FAFSA -- Step 2 : review your Student Aid Report -- Step 3 : make the college aware of special circumstances -- Step 4 : compare award letters -- Step 5 : if you need it, ask for a re-evaluation -- Story from real life : I assumed I wouldn't get aid, but I was wrong -- A re-evaluation success story -- Exchanging one kind of money for another -- Declaring independence -- Strategies that can help you get more financial aid -- A quick word about saving for college -- The federal financial aid programs in detail -- Federal Pell Grants -- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants -- Academic Competitiveness Grant -- National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant -- Federal Work-Study -- Student loans -- Stafford Loans -- PLUS Loans for Graduate and Professional Degrees -- PLUS loans -- Consolidation loans -- Federal Perkins Loans -- Getting more help -- .

16. Free cash for graduate school -- The long and expensive path of graduate school -- Understanding graduate financial aid -- More than money -- It's all about academics -- Applications : Your stats sheet -- Recommendations : getting professorial praise -- Essays : getting personal -- Research grant proposals : application heavies -- Interviews : interaction with a purpose -- Get paid to step into a classroom or lab -- Keep your aid flowing -- Getting more help -- 17. How to keep the money you win -- You're there! -- Keeping the dollars that are yours -- Parting words -- A special request -- Appendix A. Winning scholarship essays and applications -- Winning Essay #1 : Bet You Can't -- Winning essay #2 : Public Service -- Winning essay #3 : Cultural Heritage -- Winning essay #4 : Only Two Hands -- Winning essay #5 : The Gift -- Winning essay #6 : Career Plans -- Winning essay #7 : No Child Left Behind : well-intentioned but flawed -- Winning submission #8 : Shawn Smith -- Winning submission #9 : Wilmer Wilson -- Appendix B. 150 Scholarships (almost) anyone can win -- About the authors

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