How to Go to College Almost for Free: The Secrets of Winning Scholarship Money - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Benjamin Kaplan, age 22, won more than two dozen merit-based scholarships while still in high school--accumulating nearly $90,000 in scholarship money for use at any college. In 1999, he graduated from Harvard debt-free, with virtually the entire cost of his education covered by his scholarship winnings. Kaplan has written numerous articles on the subject, including columns for The New York Times and U.S. News & World Report, that have been syndicated in publications nationwide. Kaplan also conducts scholarship seminars throughout the country, consults with organizations desiring to set up scholarship programs, and serves as the resident scholarship coach at the WinScholarships.com Web scholarship portal.

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From the Introduction: Who Should Read This Book

How To Go To College Almost For Free is for any student in search of scholarship money for higher education--including students currently enrolled in high school, vocational school, two- and four-year colleges, and graduate school. The book is also ideal for returning students, interested parents, and younger students wanting to get an early start. Furthermore, the topics covered in this book are of special importance to families caught in the "middle-income financial aid crunch"--the dilemma families face when they have too much income to qualify for substantial need-based financial aid, but not enough money to comfortably pay off high-priced college tuition bills. This book will teach you how to win unrestricted merit-based scholarships--funds awarded on the basis of merit that you can use at the institution of your choice.

If you're a junior or senior in high school, applying the material in this book will help you stake your claim to the cornucopia of scholarships available to you in the next year or two. Indeed, the greatest share of scholarship money is available to students who are about to embark on their college careers.

Likewise, if you're already enrolled in college, but could still benefit from additional funds, then this book is also for you. I'll show you how to stake your claim to the huge amount of scholarship money targeted at college freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Furthermore, the tactics detailed in this book are essential strategies to employ when applying for fellowships, grants, and scholarships for graduate-level work.

And for younger students--high school freshmen and sophomores, as well as middle school students--this book can help provide what could be the most dramatic monetary results. A surprisingly large number of scholarship contests are geared toward younger students. But more important than the immediate scholarship options is the chance for younger students to prepare early and position themselves for scholarship winnings (and other exciting opportunities) in later years. Determined students who, years in advance, make a point of preparing themselves to win future scholarships become favorites to win a bounty of valuable awards. Although I didn't begin my search until late in my junior year, if I could do it all over again, I would start preparing for scholarships as early as my seventh- or eighth-grade year.

The scope of this book is also designed to appeal to students who exhibit a broad range of backgrounds, achievements, and interests. If you've had a rocky academic history, special sections show you how to distinguish yourself in other ways. If you have particular vocational or career goals, the book details creative methods for demonstrating passion and talent in a field. If you've been confronted with significant obstacles in your life, the book shows you how to use these challenges to demonstrate courage and determination, and create a powerfully compelling story in the process. If you attend a high school with fewer opportunities and resources than other schools, the book documents ways to create your own opportunities and piggyback on outside resources. If you're a student hoping to attend one of the nation's most competitive colleges (such as an Ivy League school), the book shows you how to round out your resume and turn your best skills into standout talents.