Tips Beasiswa                                                                        

Net takes the scholar out of scholarships
Feb 19, 2007 New York Daily News (New-York)

There's a scholarship at Ball State University for average students who study telecommunications. It's sponsored by alum David Letterman.

Yo, free money!

Now that I have your attention, let's talk about scholarships. Everyone knows these cash awards are available to geniuses, star athletes and musical virtuosos. But there are scholarships for average students, too. Nationally, about $3 billion in scholarship money is available in amounts from a few hundred bucks to thousands of dollars.

Of course, no one just hands over cash - you have to prove you're worthy. That means spending long hours finding scholarships, filling out applications and writing essays. Sound like homework, doesn't it? Get used to it.

How to start? Your best source is the Internet, which offers free, effective scholarship search Web sites. Other resources: your current or future college, workplaces and unions (yours and your parents), and the government.

At fastweb. com, you just plug in your personal data - such as age, residence and ethnic origin to intended major and career aspirations - and the site delivers. Srnexpress. com, collegeboard. com, collegenet. com and scholarship america. com can also help you tap billions in available funds.

If you don't have a computer, your public library, high school college counseling office or college financial aid office are excellent places to gather information. But bear in mind that scams abound, and you do not need to pay anyone to help you search for scholarships.

So, who's doling out all this loot? Scholarships are bestowed by billion-dollar corporations and philanthropies, by your parents' employers, by government agencies and by companies and non-profits both large and small. If you or your parents belong to a union, trade or fraternal organization, it's a good bet they offer scholarships.

Criteria for eligibility are wide and varied. Example: Are you an engineering student who belongs to a Native American tribe? Yep, there's a scholarship for that.

There are scholarships for left-handers, redheads, people over 6-foot-2 and even one at Ball State University, in Indiana, for average students who study telecommunications. It's sponsored by alum David Letterman.

Closer to home, the City University of New York offers a variety of academic scholarships; information is available at each college's financial aid office. The Macaulay CUNY Honors College offers an aid package, augmented by private funding by alumni and other donors, that includes full tuition, an academic expense account of up to $7,500, and a free laptop. CUNY's Peter F. Vallone Academic Scholarships give up to $1,250 to students graduating from city public or private high schools with at least a B average.

Questions you may have:

When is the best time to search for scholarships?

You can start shopping around as early as your junior year in high school, or when you apply for financial aid, and even while you are in college.

Will a scholarship affect my financial aid?

Ask your college how it treats outside financial resources and scholarships. In many cases your aid package will be adjusted to compensate for the scholarship, often by reducing your student loan. If you are receiving aid from university or government sources, you must report your scholarship to your school's financial aid office.

How can I tell if a scholarship offer is legitimate?

There are red flags that tip you off when a scholarship or scholarship search service is out to steal your money. Absolutely refuse if an organization, company or individual:

* Asks you to pay a fee to apply for scholarships. Free services, such as those mentioned above, are perfectly adequate in ferreting out scholarship funds.

* Asks for your credit card or checking account information to "hold" scholarship funds. Scam!

* Guarantees scholarships or search results if you provide financial information. Can you say, "identity theft? "

n Notifies you that you have been chosen to receive a scholarship for which you never applied.

* Invites you or your family to a free seminar. You may obtain free information there, but be pressured to pay for scholarship searches.

* Uses a mail drop for a return address or fails to provide a phone number for inquiries. Duh.

The Web site ftc. gov/scholarshipscams will help you weed out the phonies.

Remember, it takes patience and perseverance to find and apply for scholarships - requirements vary, along with application processes.

But whether you're an English major, soccer star or aiming for a veterinary, law-enforcement, Wall Street, teaching or plumbing career, odds are there's a scholarship for you. The challenge is to find the one that matches your situation.

So get online and start clicking your way to cash!

Originally published on February 19, 2007