Prevent Getting Scammed by College Scholarships

College scholarship scams have become increasingly more common these days. Scholarships that are collectively worth billions of dollars are available to college bound students, but the key is to decipher which are for real and which are scams. 

Legitimate scholarships will never ask for a student’s bank account or social security number. They will never charge an application fee or a processing fee to apply.  They will never guarantee that a student will be awarded a scholarship, simply for applying.  

 

Legitimate scholarship applications will require some effort. Typically, an essay is required, often a letter of recommendation, and sometimes an interview. There needs to be some criteria on which “winners” are chosen. A “red flag” should go up when a student wins a scholarship for which he/she never applied.

Over 50% Of Students Are Leaving New Jersey for College

New Jersey is full of high school students with an impressive GPA, high SAT scores, and affluent parents willing to pay for even the most expensive colleges.  This has made New Jersey students quite attractive to top colleges in nearby states and has resulted in what is referred to as a “brain drain” for the Garden State.  

More than fifty percent of New Jersey’s college bound students exit the state for their higher education, according to statsamerica.org. In fact, New Jersey is ranked 6^th in the country as a leading exporter of students pursuing a college degree. 

 

Where do migrating students go? Typically, not very far.  New Jersey is the #1 feeder to many colleges in nearby states comprising a sizeable portion of their student body: Lehigh University (26%), Villanova University (25%), University of Delaware (23%), University of Maryland (10%), Loyola University of Maryland (26%), American University (11%).

When To Start Your College Search Process

The college application process starts the day a student steps foot into high school.  When students approach senior year and fill out their Common Application, which is accepted by more than 1,000 colleges, they are asked for their G.P.A. (the average of all their high school grades) and for details on all the activities that they engaged in starting with their freshman year. 

When college applications are reviewed, admission officers consider an applicant’s choice of courses and the rigor of one’s curriculum.  Thus, it greatly benefits students to choose a sequence of courses that will reflect their future college plans.  If it’s likely that they will be applying to college as engineering, business, or architecture majors, they should plan on getting through calculus while in high school.  This may mean doubling up on Geometry and Algebra II during their sophomore year or taking one of these courses during the summer.  If future career plans will likely be science related, students should plan a sequence of courses that will ultimately include AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and electives such as Organic Chemistry.

12 Student Part Time Jobs with College Tuition Assistance

High school students seeking a part time job may want to take a key criterion into consideration. There are businesses, including many fast-food chains, that offer tuition reimbursement to their employees. Working such a job would not only provide spending (or saving) money, but might also reduce the cost of attending college.  Many of these businesses are a part of “chains,” providing opportunities for students to continue working at college as well as at home during summer and holiday breaks. 

Chick-fil-A offers tuition discounts of up to 30% at more than 100 participating colleges to eligible employees.  Since this popular chain has more than 2,600 locations, there will likely be a Chick-fil-A near one’s home and college, providing the opportunity for year-round employment.  The company also offers a Leadership Scholarship of up to $2,500 per year for four years to selected employees.

 

Another popular eating destination with the high school crowd, Chipotle, offers annual tuition rebates of up to $5,250 to eligible employees. With more than 3,200 locations, this chain also provides the likelihood of securing employment both at college and at home.