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Most frequently asked questions
I'm completely lost & overwhelmed, I can't figure out what to do here or what to do next! Help!Here's a basic "step-by-step" guide: 1. Click on the Search link on any page, fill out the form and search the scholarship database. 4. Read all the information that is shown. 5. Write down or print out the information you see on the scholarships that you think you are most eligible for. 6. Take all the information on scholarship organizations that you have collected and send a letter to the address shown or visit their website if one is listed asking for more information and an application. 7. When you receive information and application from the organization(s) you wrote to, read the information they sent you CAREFULLY. Follow all instructions. Be aware that it can take a long time for many organizations to send out information. While you are here at FreSch! you should also read the Tips on Applying section. There is excellent information in there on how to find scholarships, how to present your application in a winning manner, even the "reality" of scholarships.
The Search and Browse forms pull specific criteria directly from the database. If a scholarship exists for a specific major/religion/heritage/hobby/or other criteria, you will see that criteria listed. If I do NOT have a scholarship in the database with that specific criteria, you will NOT see the criteria listed on the search form. OK, here's where I get slightly rude *smiling* Over the years, I have received HUNDREDS of the most incredibly hateful, abusive, insulting, threatening, and actually frightening emails regarding the ommission of specific criteria. Because of these simply awful emails, I want to emphasize this: Omission of your religion, your major, your hobby, or other criteria is NOT to be taken as an OFFENSE to YOU! It just means I DO NOT CURRENTLY KNOW OF ANY SCHOLARSHIPS THAT HAVE THAT CRITERIA AS A REQUIREMENT. Please, DO NOT send me an email calling me Satan or every word that equals "hate" in the thesaurus because I do not list your major or other criteria. Instead, please be constructive: Find a scholarship somewhere else that does have that criteria and send me the information. I'd be happy to add the scholarship to the database, and then that specific criteria will show up on the search form. OK, I'm off my soapbox! Thanks for understanding! What about Application Fees?Some scholarships will ask for a small "handling" or "processing" fee. I strongly recommend that you do not waste your time or money on applying for scholarships that require a fee of any kind. Some of these may be scams or at least a bit dubious. Your odds of winning a scholarship, any scholarship, are not increased enough to make this a worthwhile expense. I do NOT list ANY scholarship that charges a fee in the database. So many that do are dubious, questionable, or outright scams. I found myself spending FAR too much time researching these programs, time that could be better spent providing you with more sources that do NOT charge fees, that I chose to not list ANY that charge a fee here on FreSch!. I apologize that legitimate sources that do charge fees will no longer be listed, but I've got to draw the line somewhere.
After you have run a Search and played with the Browse, I suggest reading my Tips on Finding Scholarships for some advice on other ways to find scholarships, then head over to my Links to other free scholarship search websites and check out other databases on the web.
I link to the HOME PAGE of any organization that has a website that I know of. While many organizations do have websites, not all put their scholarship information on their site. I do NOT link directly to their scholarship information - if there is any - because those links change frequently. It would impossible to keep up with!
SASE stands for "Self Addressed Stamped Envelope." Even if a particular scholarship does not require a SASE, it is a good idea to always include one anyway. It's polite! Organizations move. And they don't always tell me. Some organizations seem to move a LOT! Whenever this happens, please send me the information using the Feedback form - include the "bad" address - and I will do what I can to find the correct address and let you know.
From Debbie: Every scholarship source that you are eligible for is worth a try. But don't apply for any that you are NOT eligible for, or are only "slightly" eligible for. This is a waste of your time and a source of irritation to the generous scholarship committees. Manage your time wisely. If you are lucky and persistent enough to find lots of applications that you are eligible for, it is a time for prioritization! If the scholarship source is a good fit, you should spend at least 5 hours on the application. So, spend 5 hours each on the important ones, that you have a good chance at, and if you can still manage some more time, work on the rest of them, too. My strategy is to spend lots of time on the few that are a good fit. Next spend a little time on the ones that are effortless and take less than 25 minutes. Next, work on which ever ones are left that I can afford the time for. Don't dilute your time and effort for the ones that you stand a good chance at winning with allowing equal time for those that you barely have a chance at. First come, first served doesn't work here. You need to optimize!
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