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Marianne "Angel" Ragins knew by the seventh grade that she wanted to
go to college and that financing her education would be her sole
responsibility. She spent more than 200 hours filling out
scholarship applications, often late at night after completing
homework and after working 30 hours per week. Her hard work paid off
in the result of over $315,000 in scholarship money - possibly the
largest sum ever received by one student, and all of it through
non-athletic awards. Ragins has since written a book, Winning
Scholarships For College, in which she offers tips to students
and parents applying for college scholarships. Below are the rules
she emphasizes in her book. 1.
Start in 9th grade
Keep your slate clean and stay out of
trouble. The faculty writes your recommendations, so keep them on
your good side.
2. Get involved
Straight A's don't do it alone. A lot
of students have good grades and test scores, but don't get financial aid.
Take part in school activities and community groups. They show your
potential.
3. Research
There's lots of money out there.
Librarians can show you where to look. If you take the SAT or ACT, check
"yes" in the Student Search Service box; you'll be bombarded with
brochures. Read them all. Decide what you're interested in.
4. Get your act together
As senior year starts, look back over
all you have done--academics, athletics, clubs, community and church
work--and be sure to put everything on applications. For easy access, keep
copies of personal essays, transcripts and reference letters on file.
5. Work
It takes a lot of time to fill out
all those forms but, if you're reasonably talented, it should be no
problem at all to find money for college. |