This week, I’m chatting with Lauren Herskovic of Admissionado to uncover the truth about elite college admissions.

Is your child interested in attending an elite school? Watch this video to discover what makes this process different, how students can set themselves apart, and a common mistake you can avoid.

Each week, our Founder, Jordan Schanda chats with #collegeprepgurus about planning for college, building a resume, preparing for the ACT and SAT, writing essays, winning scholarships, navigating financial aid and so much more!

Tune in every Wednesday and hear it from the experts!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Looking for more college and scholarship tips and advice?

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!
 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
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Chances are, if you’re like the parents I’ve worked with, you have the desire to help your child succeed but you’re struggling with where to start! You want to do everything in your power to make sure they can afford the college of their dreams, but the amount of information out there is downright overwhelming! What you need is someone to show you a tested step-by-step process to get prepared early, rather than scrambling at application time.

I’m Jordan… and that’s exactly what I do.

I built ScholarPrep based on my own experience applying for college and securing as many scholarships as possible. Through lots of hard work I was fortunate to be awarded nearly $50,000. Knowing my brother was not that type of student, my mom and I carefully outlined and documented the process that had worked so successfully for me. Since we started, we’ve helped students across the country create competitive applications, get into their top choice school and win scholarships to pay for their education.

This week, I’m chatting with Ted Dorsey, founder of Tutor Ted. He’s known for his non-boring approach to test prep – yes, it’s possible! We also talk about how parents can motivate their children to prepare for the ACT or SAT, the importance of setting a realistic score goal, and the two factors that are key to performing well on test day.

Learn more about Tutor Ted to see if he would be a good fit for your family.

BONUS: he also has a podcast!

Each week, our Founder, Jordan Schanda chats with #collegeprepgurus about planning for college, building a resume, preparing for the ACT and SAT, writing essays, winning scholarships, navigating financial aid and so much more!

Tune in every Wednesday and hear it from the experts!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Looking for more college and scholarship tips and advice?

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!
 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
 Find out How we Help Families
 Visit our Website
 Subscribe to our Blog
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Instagram
 LinkedIn
 Pinterest

Chances are, if you’re like the parents I’ve worked with, you have the desire to help your child succeed but you’re struggling with where to start! You want to do everything in your power to make sure they can afford the college of their dreams, but the amount of information out there is downright overwhelming! What you need is someone to show you a tested step-by-step process to get prepared early, rather than scrambling at application time.

I’m Jordan… and that’s exactly what I do.

I built ScholarPrep based on my own experience applying for college and securing as many scholarships as possible. Through lots of hard work I was fortunate to be awarded nearly $50,000. Knowing my brother was not that type of student, my mom and I carefully outlined and documented the process that had worked so successfully for me. Since we started, we’ve helped students across the country create competitive applications, get into their top choice school and win scholarships to pay for their education.

This is a guest post written by our friend, Heather Lomax, a contributing writer and media relations specialist for Hi Quality Tutorials. She regularly produces content for a variety of higher education blogs, discussing how to apply to college and survive while you’re there.

Where you choose to attend school is one of life’s biggest choices, serving as the first major step on the path to your career. Every university will have different connections programs, job opportunities. With this added pressure, it can be pretty overwhelming to narrow down your final list of potential colleges, but we’re here to help.

1. The Cost

The cost of higher education ranks as one of the top deciding factors for prospective students. In-state and out-of-state tuition can vary dramatically, and earning a scholarship to attend a certain school can make take a huge toll on your financial well-being once you graduate. If you earn a substantial scholarship or a full-ride to a university, then that school warrants your full consideration.

While a specific school might not be one of your top choices for various reasons, a full scholarship could bump it to the top of the list, especially if your parents can’t afford to contribute to your schooling. Knowing that you’ll graduate without a load of student loan debt will also ease much of the stress that comes with attending school.

2. Campus Size

Depending on where you’re from and what kind of experience you’re looking for, campus size and style is another significant thing to consider when making your choice. Some students are looking for a smaller, more intimate learning experience at a private liberal arts college, while many want the lifestyle and social opportunities that are provided by a much larger campus. Making on-campus visits to some of the more appealing options on your list can help you get a feel for your options, and eliminate some of the weaker choices on your list

3. Strength of Program

Many incoming freshmen have no idea what their intended major will be, and that’s okay! But for those who have at least a general idea of what they wish to study, checking into the strength of certain programs is a must. Different universities offer different specializations, and while a certain school might have a nice campus or a strong athletics program, if they have a bad reputation for your desired major, it’s a good idea to scratch that school of your list.

4. Distance from Home

It can be inconvenient to live far from home while in college, especially if you plan to visit your family often. But perhaps you want to go as far away as possible to foster your independence. Whatever your preference, consider how comfortable you are living out on your own and how often you would like to be able to visit home. Sometimes it’s a safe bet to stay within a few hours of home so you won’t have to deal with holiday traffic or long flights – even though it’s only a few times a year, the inconvenience will have you dreading the happiest times of year.

5. Pros and Cons

If the first four points don’t help, then it’s time to make a pros and cons list. Consider the top three or four universities that are remaining, and make a list of all the pros and cons that these choices offer. Take everything into consideration, from the cost of room and board, to the number of people you know are attending, to the mock classes that you took during your tour. Share the list with family and close friends, and with their guidance, you should come to the right conclusion.

Need a little bit of help narrowing down your list?

Download our College List Worksheet:

One of the questions I hear most often is: how can we actually find scholarships?

So, here’s my best advice and top resources for finding and winning scholarships.

First, it’s important to know that there are four main sources of scholarships:

1. The college or university you will attend
2. The department that houses your major
3. Local organizations and businesses
4. Organizations and businesses nationwide

As I walk you through each of these sources, keep in mind that some of these tips are for seniors who are already applying to college (or have maybe already been accepted – congrats!). Other tips are applicable to ALL students (junior high, high school or college).

The college or university you will attend

You will likely automatically be considered for these scholarships when you apply; however, check with your school because you may have to submit a separate application.

The department that houses your major/minor

One of the reasons why it is important to declare your major freshman year is because it makes you eligible for scholarships from your department. Check their website for scholarship opportunities, which will require a separate application (you won’t automatically be entered to win these when you apply for admission).

Local organizations and businesses

I split up local and non-local sources because the way you find these can vary.

Finding local scholarship opportunities has become easier in recent years because of the internet. However, you may still have to make phone calls, visit businesses and read your local newspaper to cover all of your bases.

The best place to start is with your guidance counselor and even the counselors at other local schools. They are experts on college scholarship opportunities and will be able to point you in the right direction. Find out if they post these online or if they have an email list you can join. For some, you may need to call or stop by periodically to see if there are new scholarship opportunities available.

You can also check with the local colleges in your area. Typically, they will have a list of scholarships available to students in the region, regardless of where you actually attend school.

Why is searching locally so important?

Local scholarships have far fewer applicants than national or college specific scholarship opportunities. It’s important to find all of these scholarships, even if they are smaller awards. They are usually less competitive and just a few small scholarships will add up quickly.

Sources of local college scholarships include:

• Community foundations
• Local businesses
• Local chapters of national, state or international organizations
• State and local governments

A quick google search and some phone calls will help you put together a great list of local scholarship opportunities. Make sure you add them to our handy dandy scholarship tracking spreadsheet so that you can stay organized and never miss a deadline.

BONUS TIP: Get your parents involved by asking them to make a list of potential sources based on the ideas above. They might also want to ask around town about sources that may have been overlooked.

Organizations and business nationwide

There are so many scholarships out there. In fact, there may be as many scholarships as there are students. Personal attributes or life experiences are often eligibility requirements for student specific scholarships. Examples include students who are:

• First generation college students
• American Indians
• Immigrants or have immigrant parents
• Minorities or under-represented populations
• Parents, especially single-parents
• Handicapped or disabled
• Children of Alumni
• Adopted or were in foster care
• Victims of tragedy, loss or illness
• Veterans or have veteran parents
• Home-schooled
• And many more…

When searching for college scholarships, be sure to also think about your interests, community involvement, memberships, affiliations and career aspirations. Examples of these include:

• Civic organizations
• Churches
• Eagle Scouts
• YMCA
• Boys & Girls Club
• High school clubs and organizations (FBLA, FCCLA, DECA, FFA, etc…)
• National Merit Scholarship (Did you take the PSAT junior year?)
• Varsity sports
• Musical or artistic abilities
• College majors
• Future career or profession

I have three favorite sources for finding scholarships:

1. Google
2. JLV College Counseling
3. This scholarship book on Amazon

I like google because you can search using keywords, like those listed above. For instance, if one of your hobbies is operating a ham radio, try searching “college scholarships for ham radio operators.” This is a real example that turned up a list of 80 scholarships for one of my students.

JLV College Counseling is a great site because you can search for scholarships by grade, age, interest, characteristics and more. She also keeps it current so you know they are scholarships still available.

The Ultimate Book of Scholarships on Amazon is a great resource for families because parents can flag scholarships when they have down time, like sitting at the doctor’s office, getting their oil changed, or waiting for kids to get done with practice.

Now all you have to do is start your search, compile your list, fill out the applications and be mindful of the deadlines. Make sure you stay organized by using our handy dandy scholarship tracking spreadsheet.

TIP: Try to think of searching for scholarships as a job. It may take you a total of 10 hours to find a scholarship, fill out the application, write the essay and submit all of the required materials. If you receive that $750 scholarship, you would have made $75 per hour!

Scholarship Resources:

• Our handy dandy scholarship tracking spreadsheet

• Where to look for scholarships blog post

• My favorite list of scholarships

• The best scholarship book on Amazon (okay, this one isn’t free, but it’s cheap and a great resource if you prefer searching for scholarships in a book vs. online)

• The Scholarship System FREE TRAINING (Founder, Jocelyn Paonita Pearson, won over $125,000 in scholarships)

• Interview: How to Win Scholarships for College with Jocelyn Paonita Pearson of The Scholarship System

This is a sponsored post. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal opinion.

Preparing for the SAT can seem like a daunting task.

You may be wondering:

• When do I start studying?
• How much time do I need to devote to test prep?
• What is the best way to prepare?

There are hundreds, if not thousands of test prep options out there, ranging from individual tutoring, group classes, online courses, practice tests, and much more.

We’re all about finding the method that works best for YOU. Every student is different in their learning style, so we encourage you to try different methods and seek out the test prep that is best for your style and budget.

To help you on this journey, we want to share one option with you: UWorld.

Up until recently, UWorld specialized in creating practice questions for licensing exams, with over 1 million doctors and nurses trusting them to prepare for their exams.

They have now developed UWorld SAT using their same proven methods.

Here are the 5 things we like most about UWorld:

1. Easy to sign-up
   1. Creating an account and signing up took less than two minutes. All you need is your e-mail address and a password and you’re ready to go!
2. Quick introduction tutorial
   1. Once you login, you will be walked through a quick tutorial. In less than five minutes, you’ll understand exactly how the program works and you’ll be ready to start studying.
3. Choose your focus
   1. You can choose to study math, reading or writing. If you feel you’re weaker in a certain category, just click the section and start working on problems.
4. Detailed explanations
   1. After you’ve completed each problem, you will see an explanation on why the right answer is correct. This will ensure that you fully understand what is being tested so that you are prepared for the exam.
5. Performance tracking
   1. The program tracks your performance and creates a report that you can review to help you better understand your weaknesses. This feedback is critical. It will allow you to study more efficiently and ultimately raise your scores.

Our students agree, UWorld is simple to use and they LOVE the explanations on each question.

Here’s what one of the parents we work with had to say:

“Ally has been working on this and she really loves it. She loves that it gives explanations for each question, even if you get it right. She likes that you can see what percentages of people guessed each answer.”

Another student agrees that the explanations are key:

“UWorld offers SAT Prep questions that are the same format as the actual questions. What separates UWorld is they show a step-by-step process of how to solve each question.” 

Here is an overview of the features:

• 1,400+ challenging SAT questions
  • Questions designed to replicate the SAT in every way
  • Content developed by experienced educators
  • Choose the difficulty level – low, medium, hard
• In-depth explanations
  • Step-by-step, systematic way of solving problems
  • Detailed rationales for incorrect options
  • Vivid illustrations to help master the content
• Performance and improvement tracking
  • Identify weaknesses and improve skills
  • Track time and improve speed
  • Compare with peers to gauge performance

Want to give it a try?

This program is FREE for 30 Days if you use this special link.

You can boost your comprehension of SAT material as long as you are willing to apply yourself.

The cost after your trial is very reasonable:

• 90 days for $49
• 180 days for $79
• 360 days for $99

Investing time and money into your test prep is well worth the return on investment. Remember, find the program that works best for you and then commit to it.

Best of luck!

This week, I’m chatting with, Wayne Weber, CEO and Founder of GiftofCollege.com. He is passionate about providing families a simple and easy way to save for college tuition – yes, it’s possible! We talk about the student debt crisis and what families can do to start saving today! We also cover the importance of engaging your entire family in the process. 

Learn more about Gift of College!

Each week, our Founder, Jordan Schanda chats with #collegeprepgurus about planning for college, building a resume, preparing for the ACT and SAT, writing essays, winning scholarships, navigating financial aid and so much more!

Tune in every Wednesday and hear it from the experts!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Looking for more college and scholarship tips and advice?

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!
 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
 Find out How we Help Families
 Visit our Website
 Subscribe to our Blog
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Instagram
 LinkedIn
 Pinterest

Chances are, if you’re like the parents I’ve worked with, you have the desire to help your child succeed but you’re struggling with where to start! You want to do everything in your power to make sure they can afford the college of their dreams, but the amount of information out there is downright overwhelming! What you need is someone to show you a tested step-by-step process to get prepared early, rather than scrambling at application time.

I’m Jordan… and that’s exactly what I do.

I built ScholarPrep based on my own experience applying for college and securing as many scholarships as possible. Through lots of hard work I was fortunate to be awarded nearly $50,000. Knowing my brother was not that type of student, my mom and I carefully outlined and documented the process that had worked so successfully for me. Since we started, we’ve helped students across the country create competitive applications, get into their top choice school and win scholarships to pay for their education.

Students who can lead are considered motivated, dependable, problem-solvers, and team-players. This is exactly why college admission and scholarship review committees are looking for leadership qualities.

What is leadership?

But what does leadership experience mean, and more specifically what does it look like for high school students?

DEFINITION: By leadership experience, we mean everything that demonstrates a student’s ability to take initiative, lead their peers, serve as a role model or even create something new.

There are so many opportunities for students to gain leadership experience – and it’s not just officer positions of a club.

CLARIFICATION: Leadership does NOT mean outgoing; so don’t be intimidated at the thought of taking on a leadership role.

 How do I find leadership opportunities?

Many times, you can make your own opportunities for leadership experience. Don’t limit yourself to the idea that leadership is defined by officer titles such as president, secretary or treasurer. Often, you can find situations that require someone to step up. You can also brainstorm ways to create your own leadership role. Is there an event coming up that needs someone to plan it? Is there a need at your school or in your town that no one is addressing?

BONUS TIP: Students who are heavily involved in a particular interest or know their future career/major should strive for leadership roles that compliment that area.

Here are 13 ways students can show leadership experience on their applications:

1. Run for an officer position (the obvious choice): This could include student government or any other club or organization that you are a part of.
2. Plan an event: Events take a lot of planning, coordination and leadership. Look for opportunities to become a team leader or organizer for an event.
3. Lead a project: Do you have an idea for a project, but no one wants to take on the planning? Do it yourself! Creating a new project or initiative and bringing it to fruition really stands out on applications. Whether it’s implementing a new recycling program at your school, organizing a food donation collection, or starting your town’s first stream team, taking this kind of initiative will set you apart.
4. Spearhead a campaign: Interested in politics? Showcase your leadership abilities by getting involved in school, local community, state, or even national campaigns.
5. Step up at work: Leadership isn’t just for school clubs and community service organizations. You can gain leadership experience at your job by working your way up to shift leader, supervisor or management.
6. Become the captain of your sports team: Playing a sport gives you the opportunity to gain leadership by becoming a team captain or leader of the team.
7. Coordinate volunteers: It takes strong leadership and communication skills to coordinate volunteers. Offer to manage schedules, sign-ups, assignments, and more…
8. Start something new: Are you really passionate about robotics, or the environment, or something else? If there isn’t a club for your particular interest at your school, consider starting one! Not only will it give you leadership experience, it will also give you the opportunity to meet and engage with others who are interested in the same thing!
9. Head up a committee: Next time there’s a call for volunteers to manage a committee, raise your hand. Make sure you track the progress and impact of your committee – what did you accomplish?
10. Organize a fundraiser: Take initiative in a club or organization by offering to organize a fundraiser. This is a big undertaking, but this type of project looks great on an application, especially if you can highlight the specific outcomes of the fundraiser.
11. Become a peer mentor: Is there a peer mentoring program at your school? Have you served as a camp counselor? Look for ways to lead through mentorship.
12. Take the lead in community service: Ask the organization or your volunteer supervisor how you can get more involved and gain some leadership experience. They’ll be impressed and find ways for you to build your resume.
13. Show off your entrepreneurial side: Sell jewelry on Etsy, give private tennis lessons, start a small woodworking business in your basement, repair or tailor clothes for friends and family members, sell your famous granola and blueberry muffins, tutor for the ACT or SAT…. the possibilities are endless! What hobby, skill or interest can you turn into a business?

Here’s your leadership challenge:

Make a list of at least five (5) ideas for leadership experience. They can be roles you’ve already held or ones you can take on in the future. Use the list above to help brainstorm opportunities in areas that interest you. 

BONUS TIP: Anything that recognizes your leadership role should be kept, including awards, newspaper articles or pictures.

Congrats, you’re now officially on your way to creating an impressive application. Leadership is just one piece of the puzzle, read on for more tips: 

• How to make your resume stand out
• How to save and display your awards and honors
• How do you actually find scholarships?
• How to make the most of your college tours
• The secret to preparing for college and scholarship applications
• Mistakes That Could Make or Break Your Essay

Is debt-free college possible for student athletes these days? This week, I’m chatting with Jeremie Piette, Founder of Global Futbol Training and a former professional & collegiate soccer player who has helped hundreds of players get to the college level. We talk about the timeline families need to know about if their child wants to play sports in college, including concrete dates to keep in mind. We also cover the importance of a highlight video, follow-up with coaches and more…

If you’re the parent of an athlete who wants to play sports in college, download the free timeline that we’ve put together just for you: DOWNLOAD NOW

Each week, our Founder, Jordan Schanda chats with #collegeprepgurus about planning for college, building a resume, preparing for the ACT and SAT, writing essays, winning scholarships, navigating financial aid and so much more!

Tune in every Wednesday and hear it from the experts!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Looking for more college and scholarship tips and advice?

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!
 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
 Find out How we Help Families
 Visit our Website
 Subscribe to our Blog
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Instagram
 LinkedIn
 Pinterest

Chances are, if you’re like the parents I’ve worked with, you have the desire to help your child succeed but you’re struggling with where to start! You want to do everything in your power to make sure they can afford the college of their dreams, but the amount of information out there is downright overwhelming! What you need is someone to show you a tested step-by-step process to get prepared early, rather than scrambling at application time.

I’m Jordan… and that’s exactly what I do.

I built ScholarPrep based on my own experience applying for college and securing as many scholarships as possible. Through lots of hard work I was fortunate to be awarded nearly $50,000. Knowing my brother was not that type of student, my mom and I carefully outlined and documented the process that had worked so successfully for me. Since we started, we’ve helped students across the country create competitive applications, get into their top choice school and win scholarships to pay for their education.

Is it true that homeschool students have to jump through extra hoops when they apply to college? This week I’m chatting with Lori Dunlap, writer, education consultant and founder of teachyourown.org. Lori is an expert on homeschooling through high school and the college admissions process. We discuss what admissions officers look for in applicants, how parents can prepare their kids for the application process and the importance of reaching out to experts and seeking out advice.

Lori has distilled her knowledge and research into a comprehensive book for homeschool families: From Home Education to Higher Education: A Guide for Recruiting, Assessing, and Supporting Homeschooled Applicants

Each week, our Founder, Jordan Schanda chats with #collegeprepgurus about planning for college, building a resume, preparing for the ACT and SAT, writing essays, winning scholarships, navigating financial aid and so much more!

Tune in every Wednesday and hear it from the experts!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Looking for more college and scholarship tips and advice?

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!
 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
 Find out How we Help Families
 Visit our Website
 Subscribe to our Blog
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Instagram
 LinkedIn
 Pinterest

Chances are, if you’re like the parents I’ve worked with, you have the desire to help your child succeed but you’re struggling with where to start! You want to do everything in your power to make sure they can afford the college of their dreams, but the amount of information out there is downright overwhelming! What you need is someone to show you a tested step-by-step process to get prepared early, rather than scrambling at application time.

I’m Jordan… and that’s exactly what I do.

I built ScholarPrep based on my own experience applying for college and securing as many scholarships as possible. Through lots of hard work I was fortunate to be awarded nearly $50,000. Knowing my brother was not that type of student, my mom and I carefully outlined and documented the process that had worked so successfully for me. Since we started, we’ve helped students across the country create competitive applications, get into their top choice school and win scholarships to pay for their education.

This week, I’m sitting down for a round two with John Hupalo, Founder of Invite Education​, to chat about student loans.

Taking out loans for college is often demonized in the media, but for some situations they make a lot of sense. Watch this video to discover the different loans that are available, the pros and cons, and a couple of tips for making the right choice for your family.

Each week, our Founder, Jordan Schanda chats with #collegeprepgurus about planning for college, building a resume, preparing for the ACT and SAT, writing essays, winning scholarships, navigating financial aid and so much more!

Tune in every Wednesday and hear it from the experts!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Looking for more college and scholarship tips and advice?

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!
 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
 Find out How we Help Families
 Visit our Website
 Subscribe to our Blog
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Instagram
 LinkedIn
 Pinterest

Chances are, if you’re like the parents I’ve worked with, you have the desire to help your child succeed but you’re struggling with where to start! You want to do everything in your power to make sure they can afford the college of their dreams, but the amount of information out there is downright overwhelming! What you need is someone to show you a tested step-by-step process to get prepared early, rather than scrambling at application time.

I’m Jordan… and that’s exactly what I do.

I built ScholarPrep based on my own experience applying for college and securing as many scholarships as possible. Through lots of hard work I was fortunate to be awarded nearly $50,000. Knowing my brother was not that type of student, my mom and I carefully outlined and documented the process that had worked so successfully for me. Since we started, we’ve helped students across the country create competitive applications, get into their top choice school and win scholarships to pay for their education.

The post Comparing Loans for College with John Hupalo of Invite Education appeared first on ScholarPrep.