BLOG ENTRIES
Blog #1: Friday 29, May
The idea of this project came to my mind because I wanted to do something that would really benefit me in the future. I found that this was the perfect time to work on my future goals before heading out to college. The process of applying to scholarships has been on my to do list for a long time now. I also wanted to help other students who are attending college this year or those who are planning to go in the future and make this process more accessible, enjoyable and less complicated for them. At first, I didn’t know what resources to use or which ones to trust, but after talking with Lissa, one of the college advisors, she introduced me to several sources that I could use. Talking to someone that understands my goals and is there for me through the process has been really helpful because it gives me more hope for my future. Some students struggle to succeed after high school due to lack of motivation and from not seeking for help when they are feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Having a teacher, advisor, or counselor guiding you through the process is essential because they can help you make better decisions and motivate you to have bigger visions. During this week, I made my own research on the best websites for students to apply for scholarships and I applied to eight of them. I realized that applying for scholarships is a long process because you have to make sure that every scholarship fits your description and that you fill all the requirements to be able to have an opportunity to win. The most significant thing I have learned from my research this week is that applying for scholarships takes time and you should apply to them as early as possible, so that you have enough time to do your research and apply to many as you can without missing any deadlines. It has been challenging for me to find scholarships and I wish I took the time and started applying earlier so I didn’t have to worry about it during this time. This project has been really helpful for me because I am taking the time to look for helpful resources and scholarships that can help me and other students in the future. My plan for next week is to find new sources and start building the scholarships website for the use of other students who are struggling to find financial aid. I also want to be more productive with my time and work on this project a little bit faster, so that way I can get it done by the end of next week. I want to be more efficient with the time that I have right now and stop procrastinating to finish the work that I have to do. Something remarkable I want to add to my exit interview regarding this project is that I’m proud of myself for working on my time management and self advocation even in times like these when it is hard to stay motivated and continue producing work.
The idea of this project came to my mind because I wanted to do something that would really benefit me in the future. I found that this was the perfect time to work on my future goals before heading out to college. The process of applying to scholarships has been on my to do list for a long time now. I also wanted to help other students who are attending college this year or those who are planning to go in the future and make this process more accessible, enjoyable and less complicated for them. At first, I didn’t know what resources to use or which ones to trust, but after talking with Lissa, one of the college advisors, she introduced me to several sources that I could use. Talking to someone that understands my goals and is there for me through the process has been really helpful because it gives me more hope for my future. Some students struggle to succeed after high school due to lack of motivation and from not seeking for help when they are feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Having a teacher, advisor, or counselor guiding you through the process is essential because they can help you make better decisions and motivate you to have bigger visions. During this week, I made my own research on the best websites for students to apply for scholarships and I applied to eight of them. I realized that applying for scholarships is a long process because you have to make sure that every scholarship fits your description and that you fill all the requirements to be able to have an opportunity to win. The most significant thing I have learned from my research this week is that applying for scholarships takes time and you should apply to them as early as possible, so that you have enough time to do your research and apply to many as you can without missing any deadlines. It has been challenging for me to find scholarships and I wish I took the time and started applying earlier so I didn’t have to worry about it during this time. This project has been really helpful for me because I am taking the time to look for helpful resources and scholarships that can help me and other students in the future. My plan for next week is to find new sources and start building the scholarships website for the use of other students who are struggling to find financial aid. I also want to be more productive with my time and work on this project a little bit faster, so that way I can get it done by the end of next week. I want to be more efficient with the time that I have right now and stop procrastinating to finish the work that I have to do. Something remarkable I want to add to my exit interview regarding this project is that I’m proud of myself for working on my time management and self advocation even in times like these when it is hard to stay motivated and continue producing work.
My List of Scholarships/Grants.
|
List of Scholarships/Grants.
|
Blog #2: Friday 5, June
My original plans for this week were to find the more reliable sources in order to start building the financial aid website. At the beginning of the week, I proposed myself to apply to at least 10 more scholarships/grants, but I could not find any financial aid available that would fit my person. Instead of spending my time applying to new scholarships this week, I decided to take this time to look more in further and do more research to find new sources. I wanted to create this website for students to educate themselves on the different types of financial aid that this college system offers and for them to be able to have as many options as possible during their application. I also started looking for other sources that might help students understand a lot better on how to start their application process and how to continue to do so throughout their years of attending school. I found two helpful videos that talk about the steps towards a successful path before going to college and knowing how to read their financial aid award letter. I chose these videos as my sources because both have a great explanation of how and where to begin the process of financial application. The last source I found is an article that gives students tips on how to pay college on their own. I chose this article because the majority of students do not have financial support from their families because college is really expensive. I also found these sources helpful for myself because I am currently doing my research on how I am going to pay for college and how everything is going to work, so looking at these sources have been very helpful for me too. A struggle I been facing with my senior project during these two weeks is balancing the work load and meeting deadlines. On top of all these assignments, I have been trying to finish everything that I proposed to myself at the beginning of Co-op. Applying for scholarships or any type of financial aid is quite of a slow process and I did not acknowledge that before proposing my goals for these two weeks. I proposed to myself that I would use this time to apply to as many scholarships/grants as possible, but I also wanted to use this time to make some research to build a helpful website for the benefit of other students. It was really important for me to complete this website because I find important that students who are planning to attend college in the future have the resources and the help that they need with easy access to the internet. To be able to finish all of my work this week, I propose myself that I would continue applying to more scholarships after I graduate high school and would continue to use my time during summer break to be able to meet my goals. I wanted to put all my energy into the website because I found this a priority that needed to get done first before school ended. Something that I would probably mention during my exit interview is how much I have grown as a student and as an individual. My mentality and the way I see the world has changed during these past few weeks. I have learned to see the world with different eyes and to appreciate the things that I took for granted before all of these occurrences happened.
My original plans for this week were to find the more reliable sources in order to start building the financial aid website. At the beginning of the week, I proposed myself to apply to at least 10 more scholarships/grants, but I could not find any financial aid available that would fit my person. Instead of spending my time applying to new scholarships this week, I decided to take this time to look more in further and do more research to find new sources. I wanted to create this website for students to educate themselves on the different types of financial aid that this college system offers and for them to be able to have as many options as possible during their application. I also started looking for other sources that might help students understand a lot better on how to start their application process and how to continue to do so throughout their years of attending school. I found two helpful videos that talk about the steps towards a successful path before going to college and knowing how to read their financial aid award letter. I chose these videos as my sources because both have a great explanation of how and where to begin the process of financial application. The last source I found is an article that gives students tips on how to pay college on their own. I chose this article because the majority of students do not have financial support from their families because college is really expensive. I also found these sources helpful for myself because I am currently doing my research on how I am going to pay for college and how everything is going to work, so looking at these sources have been very helpful for me too. A struggle I been facing with my senior project during these two weeks is balancing the work load and meeting deadlines. On top of all these assignments, I have been trying to finish everything that I proposed to myself at the beginning of Co-op. Applying for scholarships or any type of financial aid is quite of a slow process and I did not acknowledge that before proposing my goals for these two weeks. I proposed to myself that I would use this time to apply to as many scholarships/grants as possible, but I also wanted to use this time to make some research to build a helpful website for the benefit of other students. It was really important for me to complete this website because I find important that students who are planning to attend college in the future have the resources and the help that they need with easy access to the internet. To be able to finish all of my work this week, I propose myself that I would continue applying to more scholarships after I graduate high school and would continue to use my time during summer break to be able to meet my goals. I wanted to put all my energy into the website because I found this a priority that needed to get done first before school ended. Something that I would probably mention during my exit interview is how much I have grown as a student and as an individual. My mentality and the way I see the world has changed during these past few weeks. I have learned to see the world with different eyes and to appreciate the things that I took for granted before all of these occurrences happened.
Financial Aid website for students.
Source #1
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZJIgGyabwI
Summary:
This video explains the steps that students must go through during their financial aid application process. The first step into the process is filling the FAFSA application, the second step is to apply for state aid, the third step is to get the financial aid offer from accepted college(s), the fourth step is to get scholarships/loans, and the fifth and last step is to appeal the aid package(s). The video explains more in further every step during the application process.
Quote:
“The money is there… schools keep close to 20% of funds for people who appeal their aid.”
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZJIgGyabwI
Summary:
This video explains the steps that students must go through during their financial aid application process. The first step into the process is filling the FAFSA application, the second step is to apply for state aid, the third step is to get the financial aid offer from accepted college(s), the fourth step is to get scholarships/loans, and the fifth and last step is to appeal the aid package(s). The video explains more in further every step during the application process.
Quote:
“The money is there… schools keep close to 20% of funds for people who appeal their aid.”
Source #2
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB-dVP5sU9A
Summary:
The purpose of this video is to teach students how to read their financial aid award letter after they have been accepted to college. The video also explains the different types of financial aid that most colleges offer.
Quote:
“You absolutely want to accept all of the grants and scholarships that you are being offered… the reason is that you do not have to pay back any of this money.”
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB-dVP5sU9A
Summary:
The purpose of this video is to teach students how to read their financial aid award letter after they have been accepted to college. The video also explains the different types of financial aid that most colleges offer.
Quote:
“You absolutely want to accept all of the grants and scholarships that you are being offered… the reason is that you do not have to pay back any of this money.”
Source #3
Link: https://www.thebalance.com/help-i-have-to-pay-for-college-myself-2386210
Summary:
This article summarizes seven tips for students on how to pay college on their own or without financial support from their family. The first tip is to complete the FAFSA form, the second tip is to apply for scholarships and grants, the third tip is to work while attending school, the fourth tip is to pay for college using student loans, the fifth tip is to reduce tuition costs, the sixth tip is to consider attending online school, and the last and seventh tip is to work on lowering living expenses. The article explains more in further each of these tips to help students how to pay for college.
Quote:
“The sooner you start tucking money aside in a savings account, the better.”
Link: https://www.thebalance.com/help-i-have-to-pay-for-college-myself-2386210
Summary:
This article summarizes seven tips for students on how to pay college on their own or without financial support from their family. The first tip is to complete the FAFSA form, the second tip is to apply for scholarships and grants, the third tip is to work while attending school, the fourth tip is to pay for college using student loans, the fifth tip is to reduce tuition costs, the sixth tip is to consider attending online school, and the last and seventh tip is to work on lowering living expenses. The article explains more in further each of these tips to help students how to pay for college.
Quote:
“The sooner you start tucking money aside in a savings account, the better.”