At what age can children start trying to earn scholarship money?

[mum4jenn]

I know there are contests and things like writing essays and such that will win scholarship money. What age is best for starting to look into this?
Does anyone know of any good websites to look at to see what is available???
I am also interested in those really "Out there" things that I have read about like "if you have red hair and are left handed" type of things.

 

[agnes!]

A lot of the alleged scholarship money out there is almost Snopes'ian in scope...it's supposed to be there, it's rumored to be there you just have to look for it. Well, that is sort of true and sort of not....there are legitimate contests but there are also somewhat-shady companies willing to take your money to find contests supposedly tailor-made for your child(say, that your child has red-hair and your last name is Morris, well the 'company' supposedly has information about a full-ride scholarship to Harvard for red-headed children with the last name of Morris...you just have to fork over a substantial finding-fee first).

In answer to your question about when the students in your household should to start going for the dough?...now. As in Right Now, as in never too young to start.

Here's one URL I found, but some of the links on their website are out-of-date:
http://homeschoolwriters.com/chart.aspx

I would suggest going for local stuff, where the odds are in your favor and the pool of possible applicants is smaller.
Check out your church/synagogue/house of worship...sometimes there are local or congregational scholarships your kid can apply for.
Sometimes essay contests are specific to a certain area, maybe your county/district/state.
Check out local business or alumni associations, etc...sometimes groups like the local Rotary Club or Kiwanis, etc., have scholarship money to give away.
Ask people in your school district what might be available.
If your child is older - like in high school - they should plan to write many of their essays for college apps & scholarship apps over the summer.
Be VERY aware of any and all deadlines for any types of financial aid or scholarships.
If there are any contests in the student's areas of interest:
They like making videos and entering a special-interest video could win a savings bond or even cash for college...
They like history and they could enter a project in the National History Day competition...
My point here is that if the contest is something they are already interested in, then they will be motivated to do something special for the event, they will have the prize of learning *and* they could also maybe win some $ for their efforts. Also, if during your research you become aware of some contests that have no local support (for instance the National PTA runs something called "Reflections" every year), then you could always volunteer to help run your child's school's involvement with that contest.

Good luck,
agnes!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Fastweb is the main site.
http://www.fastweb.com/

As far as earning money, you can earn at anytime. You just have to start looking for available scholarships. Like our city does one for schoolage kids with getting stamps or something like that from businesses. It think it is 500?

However the main time to earn is between 9-12 and 12th has a lot more potential due to a specific major if you are headed toward that route.

 

[agnes!]

Fastweb is the main site.
http://www.fastweb.com/

As far as earning money, you can earn at anytime. You just have to start looking for available scholarships. Like our city does one for schoolage kids with getting stamps or something like that from businesses. It think it is 500?

However the main time to earn is between 9-12 and 12th has a lot more potential due to a specific major if you are headed toward that route.

Does Fastweb cost anything to join?

agnes!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Does Fastweb cost anything to join?

agnes!

No but you have to register. It is just a site that lists all the scholarships available. And the reason you register is because it will point you in the direction toward degrees, colleges, minority stuff, etc....So you have to input that info.

 

[MrsPete]

A lot of the alleged scholarship money out there is almost Snopes'ian in scope...it's supposed to be there, it's rumored to be there you just have to look for it. Well, that is sort of true and sort of not....there are legitimate contests but there are also somewhat-shady companies willing to take your money to find contests supposedly tailor-made for your child(say, that your child has red-hair and your last name is Morris, well the 'company' supposedly has information about a full-ride scholarship to Harvard for red-headed children with the last name of Morris...you just have to fork over a substantial finding-fee first).

And then once you've paid the money you learn that the red-headed-left-handed-named-Morris scholarship -- the one for which you were a shoe-in -- is only accepted at the University of Montana (satelite campus north) and is only for males with military experience planning to major in social work. NEVER, NEVER pay to have someone find you scholarships.

Seriously, you're right to reference Snopes in your post because these nitch scholarships really are more of an urban legend than a reality.

Kids can start earning limited amounts of scholarship money around the time they begin high school. I've seen a few writing or speaking contests that offer scholarship prizes (but a couple hundred is books for a semester -- take it!). They aren't eligible for the big-money stuff, though, until they're high school seniors. Also, many scholarships are school or major-specific, and most kids aren't really "set" on a specific place/course of study until junior or senior year (and some not until after). You should get serious about this topic when your student's a junior; start making a plan at that point.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

And then once you've paid the money you learn that the red-headed-left-handed-named-Morris scholarship -- the one for which you were a shoe-in -- is only accepted at the University of Montana (satelite campus north) and is only for males with military experience planning to major in social work. NEVER, NEVER pay to have someone find you scholarships.

Seriously, you're right to reference Snopes in your post because these nitch scholarships really are more of an urban legend than a reality.

Kids can start earning limited amounts of scholarship money around the time they begin high school. I've seen a few writing or speaking contests that offer scholarship prizes (but a couple hundred is books for a semester -- take it!). They aren't eligible for the big-money stuff, though, until they're high school seniors. Also, many scholarships are school or major-specific, and most kids aren't really "set" on a specific place/course of study until junior or senior year (and some not until after). You should get serious about this topic when your student's a junior; start making a plan at that point.

Have you looked at FastWeb? You info is way off base.

 

[MrsPete]

Have you looked at FastWeb? You info is way off base.

Yes, I work with high school seniors and have a daughter who's going to be college-age very soon. I'm well informed on scholarship search info.

I'm not saying they aren't advertised . . . but having taught for 17 years, I've had many, many students set out to take advantage of these "unclaimed scholarships" that're out there . . . and my info is based upon what they've told me about their failed searches.

Legitimate scholarships are out there -- lots of them -- but what I'm saying is that the red-haired, left-handed stuff is not really going to come together for anyone.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes, I work with high school seniors and have a daughter who's going to be college-age very soon. I'm well informed on scholarship search info.

I'm not saying they aren't advertised . . . but having taught for 17 years, I've had many, many students set out to take advantage of these "unclaimed scholarships" that're out there . . . and my info is based upon what they've told me about their failed searches.

Legitimate scholarships are out there -- lots of them -- but what I'm saying is that the red-haired, left-handed stuff is not really going to come together for anyone.

I have no idea what you are talking about. I am talking about legit scholarships that are posted.

Yes the bulk of them are for HS seniors but not all of them. If you know your major that is what can help you the most.

Of course you have to put out the effort. My older dd did not do squat.

My younger dd knows that if she wants to go to "X" school she has to earn her way there. We have a limit on what we can pay.

 

[MrsPete]

I have no idea what you are talking about. I am talking about legit scholarships that are posted.

Yes the bulk of them are for HS seniors but not all of them. If you know your major that is what can help you the most.

Of course you have to put out the effort. My older dd did not do squat.

My younger dd knows that if she wants to go to "X" school she has to earn her way there. We have a limit on what we can pay.

Yes, there are lots of legitimate scholarships out there. They aren't hidden away in dark corners, they aren't going unawarded, and they aren't hard to find. Website like the one you're advocating make them easy to locate. Your high school guidance counselor is a great asset. Yes, they require effort. Yes, students who know their school and major are at an advantage. And students in certain majors (teaching, nursing, engineering) have more scholarship options than other students. I'm not contesting this at all. Legitimate scholarships are great!

My comments about the scholarships that ARE NOT OUT THERE are the ones that people claim are available in abundance, believe are going unawarded, and think can be found if the individual just works hard enough. It's sort of an urban legend that there are scholarships awarded simply for being left-handed, etc. People search for these, but no one ever gets one. You can sometimes find information about them written up here and there, but the requirements are so stringen and specialized that no one really can use them. The OP asked about these nitch scholarships, and I responded saying that they don't really exist.

Clear as mud?

 

[kirbsam]

i would start in the womb, just to get a head start on everybody else.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes, there are lots of legitimate scholarships out there. They aren't hidden away in dark corners, they aren't going unawarded, and they aren't hard to find. Website like the one you're advocating make them easy to locate. Your high school guidance counselor is a great asset. Yes, they require effort. Yes, students who know their school and major are at an advantage. And students in certain majors (teaching, nursing, engineering) have more scholarship options than other students. I'm not contesting this at all. Legitimate scholarships are great!

My comments about the scholarships that ARE NOT OUT THERE are the ones that people claim are available in abundance, believe are going unawarded, and think can be found if the individual just works hard enough. It's sort of an urban legend that there are scholarships awarded simply for being left-handed, etc. People search for these, but no one ever gets one. You can sometimes find information about them written up here and there, but the requirements are so stringen and specialized that no one really can use them. The OP asked about these nitch scholarships, and I responded saying that they don't really exist.

Clear as mud?

Got it.

 

[golfgal]

Yes, I work with high school seniors and have a daughter who's going to be college-age very soon. I'm well informed on scholarship search info.

I'm not saying they aren't advertised . . . but having taught for 17 years, I've had many, many students set out to take advantage of these "unclaimed scholarships" that're out there . . . and my info is based upon what they've told me about their failed searches.

Legitimate scholarships are out there -- lots of them -- but what I'm saying is that the red-haired, left-handed stuff is not really going to come together for anyone.

I know you have worked with kids for a long time but I think things must be different in your area because your experience with kids getting aid, scholarships, etc. is not typical. I do agree that the 'nitch scholarships' are limited but there are a LOT out there for strange things. It doesn't mean that everyone that applies gets one and yes, some of them are specific to a certain college but they are out there and applying for them hurts no one and if you happen to get one, great, if not, you are only out a little bit of time.

 

[MrsPete]

I know you have worked with kids for a long time but I think things must be different in your area because your experience with kids getting aid, scholarships, etc. is not typical. I do agree that the 'nitch scholarships' are limited but there are a LOT out there for strange things. It doesn't mean that everyone that applies gets one and yes, some of them are specific to a certain college but they are out there and applying for them hurts no one and if you happen to get one, great, if not, you are only out a little bit of time.

My experience has been that some students get the idea that these things are out there, all over the place, you just have to bother to find them . . . and when they figure out differently, they become discouraged and give up altogether.

What nitch scholarships have you known students to earn?

 

[agnes!]

I believe the term is "niche".

agnes!

 

[golfgal]

My experience has been that some students get the idea that these things are out there, all over the place, you just have to bother to find them . . . and when they figure out differently, they become discouraged and give up altogether.

What nitch scholarships have you known students to earn?

I have some friends that have kids that are getting scholarships because their parents are not college grads, some other friends that their DD got a scholarship for being of Danish descent, DS got a scholarship for having a relative that is an alumni of the school he is attending (in his case his Grandpa, Great-Grandpa and uncle but it could have been just one of them or a cousin, sibling, aunt too). He has applied to scholarships where the only criteria is being of German or Irish descent (we are both)-haven't heard from those yet(decision process isn't until May). DH got a scholarship because he was an economics major. I got a scholarship because I was considering going into medicine (which I did not do but freshman year I was a biology major and that was all I needed)-there are ones out there for pretty much every intended major. Some other friends DD got a scholarship for being a child of farmers going to college. They are out there and just like every other scholarship, not everyone that applies gets one but they DO have to have a place where you can write and get the information of who won.

Yes, some are institution specific but so what-if you are going to that school then it is a good deal.

 

[MrsPete]

I have some friends that have kids that are getting scholarships because their parents are not college grads, some other friends that their DD got a scholarship for being of Danish descent, DS got a scholarship for having a relative that is an alumni of the school he is attending (in his case his Grandpa, Great-Grandpa and uncle but it could have been just one of them or a cousin, sibling, aunt too). He has applied to scholarships where the only criteria is being of German or Irish descent (we are both)-haven't heard from those yet(decision process isn't until May). DH got a scholarship because he was an economics major. I got a scholarship because I was considering going into medicine (which I did not do but freshman year I was a biology major and that was all I needed)-there are ones out there for pretty much every intended major. Some other friends DD got a scholarship for being a child of farmers going to college. They are out there and just like every other scholarship, not everyone that applies gets one but they DO have to have a place where you can write and get the information of who won.

Yes, some are institution specific but so what-if you are going to that school then it is a good deal.

There are loads of opportunities out there for first-time-in-your-family-going-to-college grads. There are loads of major-specific scholarships (in my area especially for teachers and nurses because we have shortages in those fields). Those are hardly what we are talking about; those are main-stream scholarshps, not the crazy things that people claim exist. Ditto for alumni scholarships.

I've not personally known anyone who earns a scholarship for being of Danish descent (or any other nationality). That's the kind of thing that I've never seen.

 

[golfgal]

There are loads of opportunities out there for first-time-in-your-family-going-to-college grads. There are loads of major-specific scholarships (in my area especially for teachers and nurses because we have shortages in those fields). Those are hardly what we are talking about; those are main-stream scholarshps, not the crazy things that people claim exist. Ditto for alumni scholarships.

I've not personally known anyone who earns a scholarship for being of Danish descent (or any other nationality). That's the kind of thing that I've never seen.

Well, they are out there.. I don't know what to tell you. I do know people that have applied for and gotten scholarships like these. Heck, my niece found one that was for girls with red hair. She is only a freshman so she can't apply yet.

Go to Fastweb or some of the other online scholarship sites and you will see plenty of these listings. If you don't think they are real, write to the foundation and ask for a list of winners--they have the contact information on the sites to do that.