College costs are continuing to rise, with a four-year private school averaging $22,218 and a four-year public school averaging $5,836 for the 2006-07 school year. The good news is that more than $134 billion in financial aid is available. The Scholarship & Financial Aid Handbook will show you how to earmark some of that money for your college education, ensuring that you will be able to afford a higher education. In this book, you will learn about the different types of scholarships, including those based on academics, awards, honours, leadership, test scores, extracurricular activities, majors, community service, volunteer work, essays, financial aid, minority status, even some unusual ones. You will learn how to determine your eligibility for these scholarships, as well as how to enlist the help of your parents, how to recognise and avoid scholarship scams, how to create a resume, how to ask and who to ask for letters of recommendation, how to ace interviews with scholarship committees, and how to prepare for your interview. Additionally, you will discover where to look for scholarships, from your school to local organisations, businesses, and online. You will be provided with tips on filling out applications and tips for writing essays, as well as how to alter your essays for multiple uses. Also included are possible essay topics, sample interview questions, and information on state grants, FAFSA, and work study. This handbook is intended to be a guide for students, parents, and school personnel to assist students in finding and obtaining scholarships. The author uses her years of experience and exhaustive research to help you benefit from scholarships. Even if you do not have above average grades, participate in lots of extracurricular activities, or have an abundance of extracurricular activities, you can find money to go to college. Just read this book and apply the techniques found within.

Author Biography

I have given countless lectures and workshops, three to four weekly private meetings with parents and students, and have been interviewed on several local radio stations concerning scholarships. I have also received several awards for my work with scholarships as well. I received the County School Employee of the Year in 2000 and 2004, the first person to ever receive this honor twice and Vanguard High School s Employee of the Year twice. I have been honored by being the District Teacher of the Year for the VFW in 2000, 2004, the post winner for 2007, and currently selected as the District winner for 2008, and was a Semi-Finalist for the Junior League s Three Who Care Award in 2007. I am also in Who s Who Among America s Teachers (multiple times), Cambridge Who s Who Among Professional and Executive Women-2007/2008 (Honors Edition) Emerald s Who s Who for Executives and Professionals-2007, Biltmore Who s Who of Professional and Executive Women-2007, Princeton Premier Business Leaders and Professionals-2007, and Madison Who s Who Among Executives and Professionals-2007/2008. I have always loved writing and telling stories to my children so I thought that my first attempt at a novel would be fairly tales. Instead, one day I sat down and started to write about scholarships, a subject that I love working with and have researched and implemented with accomplishment, a total hands on approach to winning scholarships. After being asked by a multitude of other schools counselors and personnel on how my students have been so accomplished at obtaining scholarships, I decided to share this secret of achievement by writing it down and putting it into a book. I believe that with my hands on approach, that this book will be able to assist a multitude of students and parents in finding, applying, and winning scholarships to make college more than just a dream."