If you are searching for some creative funding to pay for school, unusual scholarships might be the answer. Did you know that there are thousands of dollars in free money for college that go unclaimed each year because eligible students fail to apply for these oddball awards? You could very well be eligible for these unusual scholarships if you know where to look.
As weird as it may seem, you can earn money for school for being unique. Here are some of the best ways to find some of these unclaimed and low competition scholarships that you could very well be eligible for.
Watch the media around you. Commercials, magazines, newspapers, and bulletin boards are great places to spot odd scholarships. For example, the Coca Cola Company sponsors a scholarship with the main criteria based on being a first generation college student.
Get a list of scholarships offered by the college you interested in attending that includes the criteria. Some of these lists are not published or distributed to students but instead remain within the financial aid office of a school and are matched to students who are viewed as eligible.
Check with organizations you are involved with or those that support your interests or hobbies. For example, the Vegetarian Resource Group awards money for school to students who promote vegetarianism within the community and write an essay about being a vegetarian.
Online. The internet is without a doubt the number one way to find unusual scholarships. There are many databases that allow you to search for contests and awards based on your own personal characteristics and criteria. The best custom search I have found is on unusual scholarships, and it is completely free.
By: J.C. Taylor
Posts Tagged ‘College Education’
Unusual Scholarships – Strange and Wacky Ways to Fund a College Education
February 9th, 2010Pros And Cons Of Distance Education
February 7th, 2010
Previously, it was possible to practice distance learning only through the mail. However, in recent times, with the help of technological advancements, these programs are also available online. Distance learning is beneficial to those students who not only wish to complete higher studies but also need to earn a living at the same time. It is also ideal for those who can study only part-time, as they may be busy with other activities. Distance learning programs are offered for education at any level, but are more popular with university studies.
Distance education, as the name suggests, is a method of implementing education to students living in distant places and cannot access further education. Using this approach, the student is not required to attend classes like in a regular school or college. Education is imparted through correspondence and communication between the institution and the pupil.
Procedure
In order to gain knowledge and complete higher studies, a student does not have to attend regular educational institutions. Distance learning makes the task of achieving the desired course of education easier while sitting in the comfort of your home. In distance learning, you do not have the advantage of receiving personal attention and guidance of a teacher or a professor as in a regular school. Instead you need to study on your own.
The educational institution supplies all the required educational material, resources and references. This correspondence will help you to stay in touch and move in pace with the activities and course of studies of other students attending regular schools and colleges. The institution usually provides an entire range of books, audio and visual aids such as tapes and CDs where you have enrolled.
Requirements
In order to implement distance-learning programs effectively, you need to correspond and communicate with the instructors regularly. To enable efficient and quick communication, it may be necessary for you to install a computer. To clear your doubts and answer your queries, you may also have to download certain programs and suggested websites or interact with the professor through videoconferences.
Advantages
Distance learning provides you the convenience of studying in the comfort of your home and saves you from the daily grind of commuting. You have the liberty of performing other chores and completing studies at the same time. These programs offer immense flexibility of pace, especially to those who are involved in other occupational activities.
Disadvantages
You will be entirely by yourself and can receive help only through the resources supplied by the institution. If you are not good at grasping and learning without the supervision and guidance of an instructor, the program may prove to be quite a challenging task. If you cannot adhere to deadlines and have a habit of procrastinating, distance learning is not a very good idea.
A simple guide to make the task of distance learning easier is to follow basic rules and management techniques. Prepare a timetable and allocate appropriate hours to studies and other activities. Dedicate the required time and attention to learning. Stay in regular contact with your teachers and other students so that you don’t lag behind. Do not hesitate to ask questions and clear your doubts. Put in all the hard work and effort as you would in a regular school.
Before you finally decide to enroll as a student of distance education, remember to consider the positive and negative aspects so that the program proves to be beneficial.
By: Tony Jacowski
The Benefits of a College Education
January 11th, 2010
Many high school students today are either dropping out of high school or are just not attending college because they do not know the benefits. The benefits of a college education will be discussed in this article and hopefully after reading it you will walk away wanting to go to college.
The biggest reason you should get a college education is because of the money. Those with a college degree earn much more than those who are without the degree. A survey was taken in 2003 and it showed that workers who had a bachelor’s degree were getting paid an average of $900 a week and those who graduated high school had an average $554 a week. That means that those with a bachelor’s degree are making $346 more a week than those with only a high school degree, or roughly a 60% jump in the average earning.
For those who are thinking about getting a job that does not require a college education you will soon find that you could be paid more if you have a college degree. Even if you are paid more in jobs that do not require a college degree, you will probably find out later that you were short-changed of many benefits such as health insurance, career advancements and pension benefits.
The next benefit of a college education is the bigger availability and selection of job choices in the market. Unlike previous generations, the jobs being offered to those without a college education or even a high school diploma are dwindling. Jobs such as industrial jobs, trades, and skilled labor which used to be prevalent before computerization are now no longer available in a big scale as these are now replaced by the faster and more efficient computers and robots.
The assembly line used to be a major part of why there were so many jobs in the different businesses but these people are not required as much now. In contrast, the demand for professional people in engineering, business administration, and management are in the increase. Incidentally, all these jobs usually require the professionals to complete their college education at the least.
The other benefit of a college education is that it allows you the opportunity to progress in your career by becoming a specialist or an authority in a particular area of expertize. For example, those with degrees in science, manufacturing, and engineering fields can advance themselves further to become specialists in the field of environmental sciences or DNA analytics. Hence, not only will you be able to do almost any job if you get a college degree but you will also get the opportunity to explore new job opportunities. This is perfect for those who do not know what they want to do for a career.
By: Lester Lee
