Every Penny Counts by Caitlyn

Every Penny Counts by Caitlyn - July 2017 Scholarship Essay

Your college education is not only a wonderful experience but it is also the most expensive purchase you will make in your lifetime. Tuition fees can cost over $100,000 a year and books alone could set you back into the thousands. Living expenses like rent, cell phone bills and gas for your vehicle call for constant attention. A TedTalk presented by yours truly, will inform parents and younger generations of working professionals, that applying for scholarships is no walk in the park but with my simple and easy instructions, it can be! It takes careful planning, hours of typing essays that squeeze your brain of its creative juices, and months of searching for as many scholarships you can qualify for.
My TedTalk will include why it is important to start applying early and step by step instructions on how to apply for these scholarships. These tips can range from where to start looking, what a typical application will look like, how to stay organized during the process, and resources to help improve your writing. This TedTalk is intended for students of all ages and parents and will educate people about the process of applying for a scholarship. Applying for scholarships at a young age will not only steer them in the right direction but it can increase the amount of money your child may apply towards additional educational expenses while attending college. Preparing younger students to apply for scholarships and collaborating with them about short-term and long-term goals will give kids a better sense of direction before high school. Working with them this early will keep them driven and focused in high school.
Some organizations allow students as young as 13 to apply for scholarships ranging from $100 to $1,000. Students who start applying for scholarships at a younger age tend to be more motivated and excited about going to college than those who wait until the last year. Getting younger children involved and interested in college will not only motivate them to be outstanding students in high school but also inspire parents to become more active in the child’s schoolwork. It’s all about ensuring families are educated and informed when applying for scholarships and to colleges.
What I hope people will take away from this TedTalk, is a better understanding of the scholarship application process, a competitive and confident attitude when applying for any scholarships, and most importantly, a yearning to be active in your child’s journey to higher education. A college education can bring many opportunities for you in “the real world” like better jobs, better living conditions and greater financial opportunities. By jumping on the scholarship train early, you can limit the amount of debt you’ll be in after graduation. Scholarships can help you pay your college debt and there are plenty scholarships to apply for. Millions of dollars of scholarships go unclaimed every year simply because people don’t apply for them. Watch my TedTalk to promote secondary education in younger generations and to understand how to apply for scholarships so it may assist them in paying for their college expenses.