Finding Money for College

6 tips for winning scholarships

(Family Features) College is a significant investment and millions of families each year face the question of how to pay for it. One way students can position themselves for success is by seeking out various forms of financial assistance.

Earning scholarships can be one way to offset the financial burden, but winning a scholarship can sometimes be as competitive as gaining admission to the college of your choice. While most scholarships don’t entirely cover college tuition, they can be useful tools to help cover educational expenses such as room and board, tuition and books.

Some scholarships can be earned by meeting or exceeding certain standards, such as academic performance, while other scholarships are based on financial need or personal interests of the applicant. There’s also a wealth of opportunities that support students in specific areas, whether it be from companies, professional organizations or foundations. For example, the America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders program offers industry-specific scholarships each year for those looking to study agriculture-related fields.

While your academic performance, character and extracurricular resume all play a part, knowing where to look for scholarships can make all the difference when it comes time to pay for your education. These tips can help you identify and apply for scholarships that match your interests and credentials.

Complete the FAFSA
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may be required to apply for a number of scholarships, particularly scholarships offered by most colleges and universities based on need. It is also required for other forms of financial aid, such as subsidized or unsubsidized loans. While you can begin filling out the FAFSA on Oct. 1 of the year prior to needing aid, many need-based scholarships give priority to students who complete the FAFSA by their state’s application deadline. It is important to note that some colleges and universities have earlier deadlines.

Talk to Your Counselor
Colleges or universities and scholarship providers often supply information about their award offerings and applications to high school counselors. Many institutions also offer specific awards by major for both new and returning students that can be applied for through the school’s financial aid office. These resources, as well as newsletters and bulletin boards outside of these offices, can help you identify scholarships for which you may be eligible to apply.

Apply for Scholarships in Your Field of Interest
Many job sectors have scholarship opportunities available through related clubs, organizations, small businesses and other benefactors. For example, the America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund in conjunction with the FFA, provides $1,500 scholarships to students endorsed by local farmers for continuing their education at two- or four-year universities and trade schools in agriculture-related fields of study. This year, the program will award more than $500,000 in scholarships to students in fields such as mathematics, computer science, business, communications, engineering, farming, agronomy, education and more. Students can learn more about the program by visiting GrowAgLeaders.com.

Don’t Overlook Smaller Award Amounts
When it comes to paying for your education, every scholarship you receive – even those that come with smaller, one-time award amounts – can help defray the costs beyond tuition for books, supplies and living expenses. Many times, scholarships with smaller award amounts have fewer additional requirements that must be satisfied outside of materials traditionally required for submission such as transcripts, letters of reference and an application.

Look for Essay Applications
Students are often more likely to forgo applying to scholarships that require essays, videos or additional assets that promote their accomplishments outside of submitting an application and a copy of their transcripts. This typically leads to a smaller candidate pool. Due to the added requirements, these scholarships can oftentimes come with larger monetary values, as well.

Use a Scholarship Search Engine
While a simple search for “college scholarships” on any search engine is likely to elicit plenty of options, there are sites available that are dedicated to helping students identify college scholarship opportunities. While paid options exist, there are also several free sites, such as Scholarships.com, Fastweb and Scholarship America, that can provide local, regional and national options based on the information you provide. Other, more industry-specific websites, such as FFA.org, can provide scholarship opportunities that pertain to a certain field of interest.

Increasing Your Scholarship Odds

While there is no way to guarantee a scholarship to help offset the costs of higher education, there are things you can do to increase your odds of getting noticed by admissions departments and those who award scholarships. Before sending in your application, consider these tips:

Get Involved
Students who are involved in extracurricular activities, such as volunteer causes, sports, clubs or student government, often give themselves a leg up on the competition when achievements in the classroom are similar. Getting involved outside of the traditional school day is also a way to network, which can be helpful when it comes time to ask for letters of recommendation.

Apply Early
A good rule of thumb is to not wait until the due date to submit your application and other materials as issues out of your control can arise, such as a website malfunction or a not-yet-submitted recommendation letter. In fact, some scholarships close once they receive a certain amount of applicants, and those reviewing applications can put a premium on those received earlier.

Look Professional
Ensure your online presence matches the persona your application depicts. As more college admissions departments, employers and scholarship committees are researching candidates online prior to awarding admission, interviews or scholarship money, be sure to clear your social media accounts of any inappropriate or unprofessional material, look yourself up on search engines to be aware of any information available about you and use a simple email address that includes your name in some fashion.

Proofread
Read back through your scholarship application as well as your essay a few times once you’re finished to ensure everything looks and sounds as you intended. Pay particularly close attention to spelling and grammar, and if time permits, ask someone you trust – such as a parent, teacher or counselor – to double-check your work prior to submitting your application.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

SOURCE:
Monsanto Fund

Best for Preemies

(Family Features) It is widely known that breast milk is best for babies. However, many people are not aware that babies born prematurely need more calories and protein than breast milk alone can provide.

This is why for preemies weighing less than 3 pounds, 5 ounces (1,500 grams), the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends fortifying mother’s milk or pasteurized donor milk, using a product called human milk fortifier (HMF).

This product name can be a cause of confusion for many because it suggests the fortifier is made from human milk. Yet, this is not the case; nearly all commercial HMFs are made from cow milk.

“In the past, we’ve had to rely on bovine milk – cow milk – protein to help preemies grow, and that’s not natural,” said Amy Hair, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, neonatologist and director of the neonatal nutrition program at Texas Children’s Hospital.

While some cow milk-based nutrition may be OK for full-term infants, clinical studies show that the risk of several severe complications, particularly necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), increases with every 10 percent of cow milk in a premature infant’s diet, according to research published in “Breastfeeding Medicine.” NEC is one of the leading causes of death among preterm babies.

In fact, NEC affects 1 in 6 extremely premature infants who receive cow milk-based nutrition in their diet, according to research published in the “Journal of Pediatrics.”

That is why neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the country are instead turning to a fortifier from Prolacta Bioscience that is made with 100 percent human donor milk, instead of cow milk. Using a fortifier in the NICU made from human milk is the only way to ensure that extremely premature infants receive an exclusive human milk diet.

“Provision of an exclusively human milk diet during the early postnatal period, a diet devoid of cow milk protein, is associated with lower risks of death, NEC, NEC requiring surgery and sepsis in extremely preterm infants,” said Steven A. Abrams, MD, director of the Dell Pediatric Research Institute and chair of pediatrics at the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin.

An exclusive human milk diet gives preemies the best chance to grow strong and healthy. Parents should be encouraged to talk with their baby’s care team about fortification and the benefits of a 100 percent human milk-based fortifier. Learn more at prolacta.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

SOURCE:
Prolacta

5 Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas She’ll Love

(Family Features) Finding the perfect Valentine’s Day gift has been a challenge for ages. Whether your relationship is new or has withstood the test of time, it’s the perfect time to remind her that she plays an important role in your life.

It turns out all that worry may be for nothing. A survey by PANDORA Jewelry found 65 percent of women agree that they receive the gift they want when they drop hints. This year, make the gift-giving process seamless by watching for hints, reading between the lines and considering one of these sure-to-please gift ideas.

Put a sparkle in her eye. According to the survey, the majority of women consider jewelry to be the most covetable gift, yet 77 percent normally receive flowers or chocolates. Read between the lines and give her a desirable gift, like pieces from the PANDORA Jewelry Valentine’s Day collection. From stacking rings to gorgeous pendants, the Lock Your Promise and Explosion of Love collections are full of high-quality, hand-crafted, stylish pieces that nearly any woman would be thrilled to receive this year.

It’s the thought that counts – really. Most women agree that a thoughtful gift, not the most expensive one, is a winner. Something that shows you really know her can send a strong message. For example, if you decide to give flowers, instead of defaulting to the usual dozen red roses, think about her favorite bloom, or choose a flower that may have special meaning in her life.

Make time the treasure. A busy pace of life means that there’s rarely enough time to spend together without distractions. A gift doesn’t have to be a physical object, but rather an experience you can share together. Plan a date night away from home, enroll in a class to learn a new hobby together or make a point to simply enjoy each other’s company.

Simple and sentimental. Even if sappy isn’t your standard MO, Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to get a little sentimental. Give a copy of the movie from your first date, or revisit a restaurant that holds special meaning in your relationship. Make it meaningful and you’ll see how a simple idea can earn a big response.

When in doubt, ask. If you’re out of ideas or inspiration, ask your beloved what she’d enjoy most. That’s not to say you must forgo the element of surprise. Remember that just because she suggests jewelry doesn’t mean she knows exactly what you’ll choose.

Find more tips for Valentine’s Day gift ideas at Pandora.net.

SOURCE:
PANDORA