There is a scholarship (or many scholarships) out there for everyone. Every student has some skill, interest, experience, or characteristic that may make them an attractive candidate for one scholarship or another. And while we often refer to scholarships as “free money,” scholarships don’t actually come for free. It takes work to thoughtfully consider your strengths and research the scholarships that might be most appropriate for you. While the effort that goes into finding and winning scholarships may be akin to a part-time job, we at College Coach want to make your job a little easier. This on-going scholarship series highlights a new scholarship each week. Check out the opportunity below, along with the other posts in the series, and you may discover a funding resource that will make covering that college bill a little (or a lot!) easier.

The Coalition for College offers some great tools to help students get a head start on the college application process. Details of the Exploration Scholarship were announced previously and now the Coalition has unveiled a new opportunity for high school seniors. By using the tools on the website students will be on track for college success!

Scholarship: The Path to College Scholarship

by Steve Fernandez-Brennan, former admissions officer at Occidental College

When helping students prepare for college visits before COVID-19 I would encourage them to do their research, to know what they wanted to learn, to keep an open mind, and to have fun. Fourteen months into the pandemic, what would I say now? The exact same thing—with one addition: be polite!

Guest post by Jamiere N. Abney, Ed.M.

As a product of a Liberal Arts education, and now a professional promoting this type of postsecondary experience, I hear tons of conversation about the relative value of the Liberal Arts in today’s world. A 2020 article from the Washington Post asks whether this education is a “waste of money or practical investment?” For many students in conversation with admission professionals, like myself, this is the very discussion they will have with their parents as they choose where they will spend their undergraduate years.

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school!

School Spotlight: Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, Alabama

by Michelle Richardson, former Assistant Vice President at Chase Student Loans

Congratulations! You graduated with your undergraduate degree, studied diligently for the MCAT, and applied to medical school using the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). You have put in many hours, blood, sweat, and even a few tears to prepare for medical school. One question remains: have you prepared financially?

Finding a job can be tough, especially if you are a teen looking for your first job with no experience. In this video, our college admissions experts provide some helpful tips to aid first time job hunters in their quest to land an interview. Tune in to the latest installment of the Bright Horizons College Coach video series, We Can Explain, to learn how.

This week’s show is all about health, from remaining healthy while you’re in college to maintaining healthy finances as a way of supporting mental health. Jill and Dave Henry, authors of the newly published College Health Guide will join the show to share what they’ve learned as coaches for young people over the years. And in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we will also look at the correlation of healthy finances and mental health.

by Julie Wolf, Guest Writer

My oldest child graduated from high school in 2019. For her, the time from junior year to graduation was spent seeking out college fairs and admissions information sessions in our area. We toured and explored campuses when possible. Virtual tours were already a thing then. They just weren’t our thing—or the only thing.

Fast-forward to 2020, and on to 2021, and the virtual tour (or virtual admissions session, or virtual college fair) is practically all we’ve got. My current high school junior has amassed Zoom invitations for myriad online admissions events. Colleges and universities have adapted their “customer service” to fit these physically distanced times, and the shows they once took on the road now come to our venue of choice: bedroom, dining room table, living room couch.

There is a scholarship (or many scholarships) out there for everyone. Every student has some skill, interest, experience, or characteristic that may make them an attractive candidate for one scholarship or another. And while we often refer to scholarships as “free money,” scholarships don’t actually come for free. It takes work to thoughtfully consider your strengths and research the scholarships that might be most appropriate for you. While the effort that goes into finding and winning scholarships may be akin to a part-time job, we at Bright Horizons College Coach want to make your job a little easier. This ongoing scholarship series highlights a new scholarship each week. Check out the post below, along with the other posts in the series, and you may discover a funding resource that will make covering that college bill a little (or a lot!) easier.

We believe that students should start looking for outside scholarships as early as freshman year of high school. Students who set up a MyCoalition account can not only look for scholarships, they can apply for one! The Coalition for College has combined early college preparation activities with an opportunity to win money for school.

Scholarship: Coalition Exploration Scholarship

by Michelle Richardson, former Assistant Vice President at Chase Student Loans

Even though your grandmother probably told you there is no such thing as a free lunch, everyone loves getting something for nothing. We are offered free things—typically of little to no value—all of the time, usually with a catch. For many families, college is far from free. But, what if you were offered a freebie that would help pay for your child to go to college?