Watch And Learn

By the third week in February, even the students who got started late working on their college applications are mostly done with the process. If there is still work to do, it is usually applying for scholarships. This form of financial aid could have originated from the colleges or from independent organizations. Either way, completing the scholarship applications is important and as competitive as the college applications.

For enterprising juniors and even sophomores, now is the time to whip out your notepads and take stock of what the seniors are doing. Volunteer to lend a hand as they get all their papers and words prepared to compete for scholarship money. Find out how they discovered the opportunities to secure this additional funding for college. Gleaning this valuable information is easy if the senior in question happens to be a sibling or a close relative. Even if you do not have a relative going off to college in the fall, you will still have opportunities to get a taste of what will be required of you next year.

If you have been able to complete most of the tasks in my preparation curriculum, you should be acquainted with a number of seniors. Consider the clubs you belong to, the athletic or academic teams you compete on or the charitable organizations where you volunteer your time. The lines that can strictly divide students into grade levels at school are not as prevalent in the smaller groups just mentioned. Any senior who is attempting to make excellent grades, participate in organized activities, volunteer on a regular basis and complete applications in a timely manner will welcome a helping hand now and then. Offer to help them out and let them know that you are trying to get a ready for the time when it is your turn to go through this process. You might be surprised at all you can learn.