<p>We are just starting to look for local and bigger scholarships for D2 to apply for (next year). Not sure where to start but I did post in the scholarship forum!Yeah!!!! Anyway it made me wonder if you have your kids do the legwork to find the scholarships and fill out all the forms or do you help or even do all of it? I feel like we are already behind schedule on decision making and planning visits!</p>
<p>It's a team effort. Logical division of labor is parent researching and accessing financial data, child filling out forms, writing essays and getting the school data.</p>
<p>So...is there a good general source to start the researching from?</p>
<p>I know about the smaller local ones awarded by elementary school, middle school, sports associations, Local clubs, etc. But where do you find the bigger one??? D1 never got any info from GC about some of the bigger national ones.</p>
<p>If we heard about a scholarship, we sent or gave the info to the kids. BUT we did NOT complete the forms. We would proofread, if asked to do so, and we provided the postage.</p>
<p>Our HS has a college GC and she sends out related informations to all seniors. DD does 100% all the works herself. I only knew about a couple big ones when GC send us an e-mail to let us know DD got nominated etc.</p>
<p>Ou small public school keeps cabinet with all sorts of scholarship information as well as a computer station for the kids. The kids are welcome to go to the guidance office and search to their hearts content.My S1 only applied to a select couple of scholarships, one from my work, a couple from clubs/fraternal orders that we are affiliated with and one from a local foundation. He filled out the forms, collected the transcripts and required elements, I mailed and/or delivered. Some required a copy of the FAFSA.</p>
<p>I hear International Falls hit a new record today of 40 below zero Fahrenheit.
Yikes.</p>
<p>Google up Fastweb Scholarships and see if that helps.</p>
<p>I would check to see if your employer (and/or spouse's employer) has scholarships for children of employees. These seem to have one of the higher probabilities of getting an award. </p>
<p>I would also do searches on scholarships for xxxxx (business, science, etc.) students.</p>
<p>team effort. </p>
<p>All the basic data stuff (names, address, classes, honors, etc..) spit out by mom and dad... All the thought involved things (essays, opinions) by S and D. Best division of labor. For D, we had the luxury of a classroom full of computers. We had about four going at once. Tag team. I'd fill in all the redundant stuff, holler switch and she'd sit and do the essay. Knocked out a few that way ..</p>
<p>Great system Opie! </p>
<p>Won't get any finaid even though we'll have D1 and D2 in school at the same time. That's why we're starting to look at scholarships. Our local foundation which administers around 90 local scholarships only allows you to get one award, no double dipping. So even though D2 qualifies for several she can only get one. Need to find more that aren't local and administered through the community foundation. I'm trying to research and then she'll do the brain work!</p>
<p>As you do your research, consider the next four years. There are scholarships that you may come across that do not apply for now. However, a year or two down the road they may. Make up a folder and keep copies of potential scholarships and/or notes on what they are, where you can find the application, and their application deadlines. Periodically, go through the file and see if something is applicable.</p>
<p>Don't only focus on D2. There are many scholarships for non-first year students out there and some might be appropriate for D1, depending on her major and career interests. Do some research on D1's college website. Sometimes there are 'hidden' scholarships upperclassmen can apply for that are not commonly made known. Some are associated with certain programs. or within specific colleges or departments. Also, student chapters of national professional organizations sometimes offer scholarships aimed at upperclassmen.</p>
<p>Thanks karp! I hadn't been looking for D1! She receives a nice academic scholarship from the small LAC she attends and it seems that I took a year off from looking for her! I will start looking now!</p>
<p>The scholarship search process is something parents should involve themselves in since scholarship money would be replacing what for most of us would come out of our pockets. But I agree that the essays etc. need to be handled by the student with parents doing the mindless stuff. Opie your method is brilliant</p>
<p>I don't write essays, but I have spent countless hours doing research to find sources for scholarships.
My personal feeling is that the major sources such as Fastweb are just to big to bother with, so I try to stay local.
The way I see it is my legwork saves money for the whole family,so why not ?</p>
<p>I have helped with opening doors for community service opps too.</p>
<p>I did all my own. My parents were clueless immigrants. They totally hated having to provide the financial info needed. I think they were a bit embarassessed they made so little.</p>