5 TIPS FOR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANTS

Minnesota Masonic Charities
November 19, 2014

          The National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education estimates that roughly 60 percent of 2013 graduating college students did so with loan debt, and about two-thirds of the nation's full-time students entering college this fall will pay for their educations with the help of scholarships or grants. It is not surprising that, as the price tag continues to climb for higher education, so does the number of individuals seeking scholarships and other funding support. In short, the competition for scholarship awards is fierce.

            That said, once you've researched available scholarships and identified those for which you plan to apply, make sure you approach the process with the following five rules in mind:

#1: APPLY

            Might seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many students talk themselves out of filling out that application. Some have bought into those old scholarship myths that just won't die. No, you don't have to have a 4.0 GPA, be an athletic demi-God or low-income student to qualify for many scholarships. There are plenty of programs that award students for merit in certain areas, like community service or leadership. Programs like the Minnesota Masonic Charities Scholarships Program look at the whole student, their commitment to academics, service and their characters. Do not assume that someone with higher test scores trumps your application. I have often seen a well-conceived and communicated essay buoy an application to the top of the heap.

#2: APPLY EARLY

             The application lists the deadline as February 15. The website lists the deadline as February 15. Your high school counselor says you have until February 15. Mail the application by January 1; sooner, if you can. Here's why: almost all scholarship applications require that you send your high school transcripts. Some require that recommendations also be sent. It is highly unlikely that all the components you need to arrive at the scholarship office will do so by the 15th if, say, you apply on the 10th. Send it in early, and set yourself up for success.

#3: APPLY CORRECTLY

            If the application asks you to print your name, print your name. If you are supposed to send everything in one envelope, you will not get extra points for sending three. Of the hundreds of award requests we receive each year at MMC, at least 25 percent are disqualified due to incorrect or incomplete applications.  A good rule of thumb: if in doubt, call the scholarship office and ask questions.

#4: APPLY CONSCIENTIOUSLY

            Think about the organization that is offering the scholarship and about how you might be particularly worthy of its consideration. What does the organization represent? How do your values align? It is important to be thoughtful in how you approach a scholarship application, the tone of your essay and whether or not you are a good "fit" for an award. Remember, you are one of a number of qualified applicants competing for only a few award opportunities. If it feels like you're stretching to qualify, it's probably not the right scholarship for you.

#5: APPLY YOURSELF

            Of course, you should apply yourself: give the application your full attention and best effort. As well, you should apply yourself:authenticity is important and appreciated.  

            Scholarship selection committees read many applications and essays and quickly learn how to weed out the genuine from contrived responses.  Consider what makes you unique and how you might stand out as an applicant and communicate that honestly. Have you overcome some difficulty that informs your character?  Is there an experience you might share that says something about who you are? One of the best essays I've read started out with the phrase, "The last thing I wanted to do was apply for this scholarship." The applicant parlayed that into an essay on valuing hard work. Her hard work paid off: she got the scholarship award.

            Now that college applications are in, scholarships may not be every student's first concern; but they should be. The application season has arrived. And based on the statistics, you won't be the only one out there vying for funding support. Get a head start on your scholarship search by using the resources listed on our website atwww.MnMasonicCharities.org/scholarships.html. And don't forget to apply the five rules above! I hope to see your application soon.

The Skills You Should Learn as a High School Senior

     I just sent my son off to college last fall and felt confident that I had provided him with the necessary tools he needed to navigate his freshman year. So when his first call started with the question, "How do I schedule a doctor's appointment?" I was a bit surprised and even more concerned. What skills did I fail to teach him?
     Here's a great article by our friends at U.S. News & World Report about the skills one should have before entering college:

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2014/11/05/7-essential-life-skills-for-high-schoolers-to-build-before-college

Scholarships Season Already?

Is It Scholarships Season Already?

            Students are getting settled in their classrooms and memorizing locker combinations. Parents are finally able to establish some sense of structure after the lazy days of summer. It will be one full year before college begins; so how can it be time to look into scholarships?

            According to Scholarships America, February 1 through the end of April is the busiest time of year for college scholarship applications. And even though February feels like it’s far off, there are a number of tasks students must complete long before application deadlines.

The search

            Before students can apply for scholarships, they must find them. A student’s first stop in researching what opportunities are available is the office of their high school counselor or career center. Counselors serve as points of contact for grant makers and should be able to supply information on programs both local and national. Tell your counselor that you plan to attend college and would like more information on scholarship awards.

            Your extracurricular activities also may provide scholarship possibilities. Clubs and volunteer organizations, such as Boy Scouts of America and United Way, offer scholarship funding. Local organizations such as churches, Junior League, community foundations and honors societies also offer awards. Into pottery? You may be surprised to find there are scholarships available through national potter’s associations. And of course, athletic scholarships are available through post-secondary institutions and national clubs.

            Even though you might not know which school you will be attending, look into scholarship opportunities provided by those institutions you might attend. Often, application deadlines for awards fall earlier than admission announcements. Yes, you run the risk of applying for scholarships at a school you might not actually attend; but if you do attend the school, you will have tapped into a lucrative funding source.

            Finally, search the Web for scholarship organizations and opportunities. We’ve listed a number of reputable links at www.mnmasoniccharities.org/scholarships.html. And remember to use your good judgment: if a search engine asks for money, it’s probably not legitimate. The best scholarship search engines we’ve found are free, such as Fastweb.com, Scholarships.com and CollegeBoard.com.

The process

            It now takes an application to complete an application! Many high schools require that students fill out forms to request teacher or counselor reference letters and transcripts. And almost all scholarship applications ask for official, not photo-copied, test reports. The fact is, the process of completing a post-secondary scholarship application is one of many steps and requires a good deal of patience.

            You will want to choose wisely who will prepare your letters of reference. It is a good idea to select those individuals with whom you have a strong association and rapport. Prior to officially requesting their advocacy, you may mention to them that you’d like them to be a referral source. Prepare and supply a vitae or resume of your activities, awards and accomplishments so that your advocate can speak intelligently on your behalf. And continue to cultivate positive relationships with your referrals – recommendation letters have often turned award applicants into recipients.

The resources

            There are many websites and books that can not only help you find scholarship opportunities, but advise you on how to submit a winning application. Look for those that offer real-world examples of award-winning essays and meaningful tips. The Minnesota Masonic Charities website offers tips on how to prepare a strong application at www.mnmasoniccharities.org. Do your homework, use the information available, and get an edge on your scholarship application.

            Believe it or not, it’s time to get started.

About the author: Kelly Johns serves as director of communications for Minnesota Masonic Charities and administers the MMC Scholarships Program. Contact her at kelly.johns@mnmasonic.org to find out more.

Rewarding Character

In today’s competitive landscape, high school seniors applying to colleges and for coveted scholarships may find it difficult to stand out from the crowd.

Perhaps it is the result of a couple of decades of power parenting, in which an entire generation has been raised to believe they must perform or perish, but the pressure on students today to resume-build is enormous. The outcome: applications that are quantitatively impressive, but lack character.

Ah, character, that forgotten trait; so lost in our accomplished world that it rarely comes up on college or scholarship applications. Questions like: “What accomplishment are you most proud of?” have nudged out any consideration of moral fiber. And yet, when scholarship committees are asked why certain applicants are chosen for awards, the typical answer seems to focus on it.

“It’s not about the numbers,” said John Schwietz, Director of Development for Minnesota Masonic Charities (MMC) and a member of the organization’s Scholarships Selection Committee. “We represent the charitable interests of Minnesota Masonry, and Masonry is all about building a strong character. So it’s not necessarily about your GPA or the length of your list of achievements, it’s about your values.”

Indeed, MMC’s so bent on the concept, its singular essay question on many of its scholarship applications simply asks, “What are your values and how do you apply them?”

“We find that the essays are more genuine and thoughtful,” said Schwietz. “They tend to reflect who the student really is and give us an idea of their potential. People who facilitate change in the world aren’t always the straight-A students or the captains of the football team. It’s the kid that helps an elderly person across the street. It’s the person who does good deeds without anyone looking.”

Schwietz also points to letters of recommendation when searching for applicants of strong character.

“The letters that express a stand-out quality about the student, those are the ones that make an impact,” said Schwietz. “I’ve already got the student’s class schedule. I don’t need to know they took Calculus with you. What I want to know is, will you remember that student? Why?”

Minnesota Masonic Charities is one of the largest providers of scholarships for high school seniors and undergraduates in the state. In 2014, the organization plans to distribute over $700,000 in awards – all of them renewable and substantive. For example, MMC’s Signature Scholarships provide $5,000 annually for up to four years to recipients. The MMC Scholarships Program runs from November 1, 2013 to February 15, 2014. Interested applicants may find forms and additional information online at www.MnMasonicCharities.org.

                  Only quality characters need apply.

Tips for the Over-extended Undergrad

To attend their colleges of choice, today’s high school students must cobble together a number of funding options to foot the bill – financial aid, loans, work-study programs and scholarships. Of these, scholarships is the wild card opportunity that often makes forward planning difficult -- some scholarships pay a little, some pay a lot, some pay for one year, some are renewable – and that’s if you’re competitive enough to be awarded one at all.

     Once nestled into their freshman cribs, undergraduate students may make the mistake of slacking on administering to their funding streams, only to find that some have dried up when its time to pay for sophomore year.  Some fail to meet the criteria of their scholarships. Others forget to apply for renewal awards. And others simply don’t want to bother with the tedious application process that accompanies piecing together their meal ticket.

     “It can be a full-time job just to keep track of funding sources and to research what else is available,” said Eric J. Neetenbeek, President and CEO of Minnesota Masonic Charities. “The good news is, there are some excellent opportunities for those looking for scholarships at the undergraduate level.”

     Neetenbeek knows of what he speaks: Minnesota Masonic Charities has provided generous and renewable scholarships to high school seniors for many years in an effort to continue Minnesota Masonry’s commitment to higher education. This year, the MMC Scholarships Program added scholarship awards for undergraduates. In all, ten college students will receive $2,000 undergraduate awards from Minnesota Masonic Charities in 2014, which are annually renewable. The program will collectively offer 85 scholarships totaling over $700,000 this year.  Neetenbeek would like to see the MMC Scholarships Program expand to $1 million in award offerings by 2018.

     “Once in college, it has become financially difficult for a lot of students to stay in,” said Neetenbeek. “We follow our scholars. We believe in them. And we wanted our scholarships to enable students to complete their educations, not just start them.”

     Here, Neetenbeek offers some scholarly advice for undergrads:

Keep track

     Create a spreadsheet that outlines each school year, the funding source, all contact information and the amount of aid you can reasonably expect from each source.

Read the fine print

     Make sure you understand the parameters of your loans, work-study expectations and all scholarship program criteria. Many scholarship awards require some kind of status reporting from recipients. For example, Minnesota Masonic Charities asks Masonic Scholars to submit annual renewal forms and current transcripts.

Keep up your grades

     You might have earned good grades freshman year, but if your GPA takes a dive thereafter, so might your award funding. Be clear about what grade point average you need to maintain, and be sure you do so.

Know your deadlines

     Add another column to your spreadsheet that lists renewal application deadlines, loan payment dates and other requirements.

Find alternatives

     Consider other funding opportunities. Stay up-to-date on available scholarship offerings and grants. If one of your sources falls apart, you’ll have a better chance of supplementing your funds and avoiding gaps in your education.

Prepping for the Scholarship Application

As the many scholarships programs kick off, it is a good time to consider how to make the most of your  application.

Although most scholarship applications require similar components -- application form, essay(s), letters of recommendation and test scores – how an applicant addresses these components can mean the difference between a solid submission and one that is overlooked. Some things you should know:

The Application Form

Think of the Application Form as your resume; it is your introduction to the grant-making organization and so, should reflect who you are and what you’ve accomplished.

That said, the Application Form is not the place to try out your new, multi-colored gel pens or artistic skills. Minnesota Masonic Charities (MMC) often receives scholarship applications that look as if they should be framed, not read. It is never a surprise that what these applications make up for in aesthetic appeal, they lack in substance.

Fill out your application online, if possible, or legibly by hand, if necessary. Use black ink. Answer questions fully and simply. Remember: an incomplete application is a disqualified application. Check to make sure you’ve answered every question. Then check again.

Include all relevant information, but don’t overstate your case. If you served food at a soup kitchen, say so; “managed culinary distribution at a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the gastronomy of those in need” just makes scholarship committees wonder what else you’re exaggerating. Keep it simple.

The Numbers

If applications require that you send test scores and/or high school transcripts, make those requests before you submit your application. A scholarship committee likes to see this kind of proactive approach and appreciates that all application components have been submitted on time.

A note about test score or GPA requirements:  Yes, it stinks that a mere number can dictate who is worthy of scholarship consideration and who is not. You may be the best thing since butter met bread, and your ACT score may only be slightly lower than the required score to apply, but no, MMC cannot accommodate special cases, and neither will most grant makers. Truth is, the pool of wonderful candidates is a vast one; without at least one qualifying marker, the selection process would be next to impossible. So do yourself and the selection committee a favor: if you don’t make the cut, don’t apply.

Recommendations

Scholarship candidates may view this qualification as an afterthought, but selection committees do not. Often, letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors and community leaders can make or break an otherwise-vanilla application. And while scholarship applicants have no control over what their references communicate about them, they have absolute authority over who does the communicating. First rule of thumb: choose your references wisely.

Most scholarship candidates know those teachers they’d feel most comfortable approaching for this task. Consider not only your relationship with the teacher, but also what they can share about you, your accomplishments and abilities. If the application calls for letters of recommendation from other sources – extra-curricular or community leaders – find those that can speak to projects in which you’ve played leadership roles or circumstances that demonstrate what sets you apart from the pack. 

Teachers and counselors are usually inundated with requests for recommendations, so make their jobs as easy as possible. Supply them with addressed and stamped envelopes, a resume, and clearly articulate procedures and deadlines. Ask for recommendations early in the game so that yours are first among the many letters your references must write.

The Essay

Scores of books have been written espousing the tricks to writing winning essays (see our Resources section for some good essay guides). There’s good reason for all of the fuss: the essay can be a deciding factor between competing applications.

What makes the essay so important is also one of the key reasons why many essays fail: it is the only real insight a selection committee has into who you are and what you value. Given its significance, the essay can take on a life of its own, compelling applicants to submit excessive or overwritten dissertations that lack personality and authenticity. Even an essay that is well-written but largely antiseptic can be passed over for one that may be less grammatically finessed, but more genuine. A good guideline: be yourself.

When approaching the essay question, first think about your authentic response. If the question is Why do you believe you should receive this scholarship?, your truthful answer may be Because I need the money. Delve into your answer further: Do you need funding because of extenuating circumstances? Have you overcome those circumstances in any meaningful way? Consider how the true you would respond to the question, not the person you believe the selection committee is looking for.

Putting your authentic foot forward doesn’t mean forgoing formalities. A good essay should communicate who you are and how seriously you take the process. Edit and proofread your work and be sure to have a friend or family member look it over as well. Nothing says “pass” to a selection committee more readily than a typo that could have been avoided with spellcheck.