Ask: Financial aid officeThe FAFSA, start to finish
Course 1 · 6 lessons · 18 min to read
FreeStart lesson 1
Scholarships, found and finished
Find awards close to home, write applications that answer the question, and keep the money once you win it.
- 6 lessons, about 18 minutesRead them in order, or jump to the one you need
- Steps to try after every lessonShort actions for the week ahead
- Who to ask: Scholarship officeRuns the school's own awards and logs outside ones.
- Free, with no sign-inNothing to buy and no account to make
About this course
Scholarships come from schools, states, employers, community groups and foundations, and the ones nearest to you often have the fewest applicants. This course shows where to look, how to write to a prompt and how to ask for a recommendation.
It also covers what happens after you win: how an outside award is reported and how it changes the rest of your package, plus the warning signs of an offer that asks you to pay.
Syllabus
- 6 lessons3 to 3 min each
- 24 steps to trySpread across the lessons
- About 18 min in allAt an easy reading pace
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- Your college is often the largest source
- State programs and the FAFSA
- Private organizations of every size
- Merit, need and the fine print
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- Why local awards are worth your time
- Places to look this month
- Free search tools and how to use them
- Keeping a scholarship tracker
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- Taking the prompt apart
- Choosing one specific story
- Drafting within the limit
- Revising and reusing your work
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- Choosing who to ask
- Asking early and asking clearly
- Giving them what they need
- Following up and saying thanks
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- Reporting every award
- Why aid can change
- Which part of your aid is reduced first
- Payment, renewal and taxes
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- Warning signs to watch for
- Seminars, services and your FAFSA
- Checking a sponsor before you share anything
- Your next steps from here
What the course covers
By the end you can
- Build a short list of awards worth your time
- Write an essay that answers the prompt it was given
- Ask for recommendation letters early and clearly
- Report an award and spot an offer that wants a fee
Not part of it
- A database of scholarships
- Writing or editing your essays
- Applications sent on your behalf
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