Last year $200,000 of scholarship money was given to Bucks students. This year the same amount of money (or possibly more) is waiting to be given away and you have until April 1 to turn in the applications.
Unfortunately like every year, many students will not take advantage of the numerous possibilities for them to have free money.
Jean Holmes, the scholarship specialist at Bucks spoke to a group of students at a recent scholarship seminar. To begin her presentation, she said “If they would let me bring all of the scholarship money available and lay it in front of you as a pile of cash, I would.”
For whatever reason, most people do not take advantage of the scholarships available for them at Bucks. Some believe that it is no use filling out applications, believing that they are too complicated and the chances of winning the scholarship are slim to non. The reality is that the applications are easy to fill out and there is lots of money waiting to be given away.
Some of the scholarships are specific to certain majors, minorities, or students who have gone through certain life circumstances. Others are very general and are available for any student to apply for.
Holmes also gave us a few tips on how to put together a great scholarship application. Most of the applications require short essays that ask questions such as, “What are your educational and career goals?”
When asked about how to write a good essay, Holmes said, “I am a crier. I cry when I see commercials with puppies and kittens. I cry when I see some applications because they are inspiring.”
Holmes encouraged the students to dream big, to tell inspiring stories, and to stay away from sob stories. “Don’t beg for money,” said Holmes. Also, always type your essays on the computer and attach it to the back of the application. This is especially important for people with sloppy handwriting.
Once again, the deadline is April 1. If you have not visited the Bucks website to find all of the scholarships which are available to you, this is the first step.