
Corvias Foundation Executive Director Julie Allen, a college and career prep expert, is passionate about supporting students’ educational and career aspirations. She recently shared some of her favorite tips and suggestions to navigate the college application process, which we have compiled here.
Things to keep in mind
A student’s future is not determined by the school they attend. The Ivy League doesn’t hold a monopoly on corner offices or governor’s mansions. While top-tier schools offer many opportunities and an excellent education, they are not the only way to help you achieve your goals. In fact, 47 percent of Fortune 100 CEOs graduated from state schools, while nearly 12 percent graduated from an Ivy League school.
Each year, approximately $46 billion in public money and $7.4 billion in private scholarship money is available, but $100 million goes unused. A positive mindset is the one thing you can control during this process. You and your student need to be organized, positive, and determined.
Managing FASFA
- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application students can and should fill out every year to receive student financial aid for college. Fill out the form every year as it can determine your eligibility for a range of grants and aid for all income levels.
- Fill the form out early. Be sure to pull together prospective college information and needed documentation before you fill it out.
- There is no cut-off for income. If you get more money than you need, that’s great! Use the extra money for books, school supplies, or other needed items. Or tuck it away for future travel abroad or graduate school.
Hot tip. As you move through the form, take screenshots of each page, including answers, password, and email address, and save frequently in case the FASFA site crashes.
For more information about the FASFA, visit StudentAid.gov.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available year-round and, yes, a $500 scholarship is worth your time. Treat applying for scholarships like you would a job. Devote the time you need to complete your task and turn in quality work. Don’t look down on $500 scholarships. One $500 scholarship could pay for books for an entire semester or a plane ticket home. Imagine how six $500 scholarships could help with expenses.
Managing The Scholarship Process:
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Pay attention to the scholarship’s criteria. Read the rules very carefully.
- Maintain a spreadsheet, binder, and/or calendar that you use only for scholarship research and materials.
- Compile your answers to common scholarship questions so you can easily retrieve them. If you write for one scholarship and save everything you submitted, it will make it easier to complete 10 more.
- Start early by collecting resume items such as student essays, volunteer paperwork, anecdotes, passion projects, and achievements during all four years in high school, not just senior year.
- Pick a time each week when you can devote several hours to completing scholarship applications.
Scholarships are available year-round, so always be on the lookout for scholarship opportunities.
Hot Tips
- Be cautious when searching online.
- Safeguard your personal information.
- Don’t waste time and money on pay-to-search services that skim through the internet for you.
- Some safer sources include BigFuture.CollegeBoard.org or JLV College Counseling.
As you start your online search, break it into three categories:
- Activities: Search for scholarships associated with your passion, such as gaming scholarships.
- Academic Interests: Search for scholarships related to your desired field of study (e.g. scholarships for computer science.)
- Affinity: Search for scholarships related to associations and clubs affiliated with your field of interest, such as marketing association scholarships.
Other places to look include the Ultimate Scholarship Book, which is available for purchase and may also be available at your local library. You can also look into organizations such as the Lions or Rotary Clubs, which often have scholarships available. Local banks, businesses, credit unions, law firms, and even employers could have scholarship opportunities.
Tips for your college applications
Don’t measure your success by someone else’s accomplishments. Worry about you, not where they got accepted or how much financial aid they received.
College Application Preparation
- Interesting and invested are the new well-rounded. Think vertically and focus on one or two interests. Sign up for one sport or club, not all of them. If you enjoy marine biology, get involved in the environmental club and volunteer for beach cleaning.
- Be unique. The average application review time is eight minutes. To get their attention, you must stand out. For example, don’t volunteer with all the other students. Think about life experiences that you can turn into assets on paper.
- Do not use AI. They have filters to detect it.
- Write your comeback story. You don’t need a 4.0 to get into a good college. How hard did you work to get where you are now and where do you want to go from here?
Choosing a College
- When picking a college, it doesn’t matter where you go as long as it offers the classes you want to take, has credits that can transfer, and works within your budget.
- Don’t let the price tag deter you from applying. Make your decision after you receive information on scholarships and aid.
- Become familiar with your prospective college’s admissions office and reach out often to demonstrate your interest. Make a paper trail of questions with their office to show how interested your student is in attending that school.
- Attend college events, which often have prospective student and parent activities. Go to college fairs and meet admissions staff. Make yourself seen and learn all that you can.
For more information about what Corvias is doing to support students who live in the on-campus residential properties we manage, please visit https://www.corvias.com/student-housing-solutions.