march.madness.might.make.money

Well, last week I applied for a $2500 scholarship that is so far from my nature it is kind of humorous but I qualified because I was at least 13 years of age!!  And although winning is such a long shot, I thought it would be fun and harmless to try.  (One time my husband casually signed up for a contest for a new pair of Atomic skis at Breckenridge, CO and a few months later we got a call that I ALMOST DELETED … and it was stating that he won skis and to claim them at our local ski shop… so sometimes people actually do win far-fetched contests.)  Anyway, the FastWeb Tournament of Champions $2500 Sweepstakes Scholarship is open to registered FastWeb members who are at least thirteen (13) years of age with a limit of one initial entry per person during the promotion period, and one additional entry per person per day during the promotion period.  So, every day I ask a colleague at work about the new “odds-on favorite” for winning March Madness.  Now that Kansas is out of the running I will have to enter another team…  I think I will pull for Kentucky…

http://www.fastweb.com/content/tournament_of_champions_promo

Later…  AB

…a little luck o’ the irish, please

It’s March 17 and I have just added to my Scholarship.com profile and finished applying to three scholarships online.

Regarding my profile, I have many skills but I did not have any experience in the 31 athletic abilities mentioned, the 24 artistic abilities outlined or any affiliation with the 43 occupations or defined employer groups.  I was starting to get an inferiority complex.  Then I moved on to the Special Interest Categories and continued to decline as I don’t belong to “Tall People,” “Little People,” “Duck Callers,” or “Left-handed People.”  I would like to lose ten pounds so I can’t even say I belong to, “Fat Acceptance Supporters.”  I know where I belong but I have yet to find that SIG on any personal profile application… (Please refer to my first post if you are confused.)

The scholarships to which I applied are as follows:

1.  the $1000 Cappex, “I Don’t Want to Pay for College” Scholarship… I had to complete a profile with as much detail as possible and write a few 200 word essays… not complicated but it all takes time… www.scholarships.com/scc.aspx?pid=671

2.  the College Prowler  $2000 No Essay Scholarship…  13 questions and anyone can win…winners selected randomly… www.scholarships.com/scc/aspx?pid=655

3.  the FCS:  Free College Scholarships…  this scholarship was sponsored by select businesses, universities and colleges.  It required answering 11 questions, visiting each sponsoring college or university’s scholarship site and confirming registration online.  One winner is selected in a random drawing and anyone who applies should look forward to being contacted by phone or email from ANY number of admissions representatives   …  www.freecollegescholarships.net

Later…  AB

I stand corrected….

Regarding a FAFSA discussion in my first post to this blog, I questioned Blythe’s statement about who actually qualifies for FAFSA funding because we didn’t qualify for our children… And yesterday she responded…  “I said all graduate students qualify for funding, not all undergrads…that is why you didn’t get funding for your kids in full..”

Okay.. just passing the info on……

AB

One scholarship application… done

At Blythe’s suggestion, I set up a Fastweb account and started researching scholarships to which I could apply immediately…

Hmmmmm… the $1000 Gen and Kelly Scholarship sounded like a perfect place to start.

“The Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship is a merit-based program which means financial need is not considered. The selection of the winner is made by an independent panel of judges and is based primarily on the quality of the submitted personal statement. Past academic performance (e.g. grades and standardized test scores) are not considered. The goal is to create a level field where students have complete control over their applications and are not given an advantage or disadvantage based on financial or academic circumstances.”

This application was very easy to fill out and only required a 250 word essay answering one question from a few options ..  Check out their website at www.gkscholarship.com for more information.

Keep your fingers crossed………

AB

ps…  This scholarship program is named after Gen and Kelly Tanabe who are the award-winning authors of eleven books on admission and scholarships.  So not only did I apply for this scholarship but I found all kinds of other scholarship information and links to research for $funding my leap.   Check it out.

No Pell Grant for me…

Okay… for the first response to anything I’ve done, see below…

Congratulations, Ann!  Your FAFSA on the Web Application was successfully submitted to Federal Student Aid… You can check your status, make corrections or updates to a processed FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov.

So at their suggestion, I checked my status, found out I was given a DRN (Data Release Number), an EFC (Expected Family Contribution) and then read comments from my SAR (student aid report.)  Their answer?  I was deemed not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant but may be eligible for other aid. (wha.wha.wha.wha.whaaaaa)  My SAR also mentioned that graduate students are eligible for most types of federal aid, but generally not the Federal Pell Grant.   At least I’m not alone.

Btw, I think I’ve met my match in an organization that also finds great joy in creating acronyms… The Federal Government

So as I wait to hear back from Loyola with regard to receiving scholarship money or a graduate assistantship, I will begin looking at external sources of funding from the federal government or other private scholarship options.  I am a bit worried as to the level of assistance that will come from Loyola as Blythe said flat out, “No social work experience generally means no funding.”  You may remember that I’m a career changer and therefore have no social work experience to date.  But Blythe also said, “You’ll find the money if you’re willing to do the work.”  So back to work…

As mentioned in an earlier post, I have identified the SIGs to which I belong… so now I must set up a profile on Fast Web.com, look at opportunities at Scholarship.com and start the application process…. tomorrow.

Must.go.to.bed.

AB

Every little bit helps…

Good morning! …  Just spent two days with my mom (80) and aunt (82)… Two very beautiful, accomplished ladies who may not completely understand this blog thing but are praying the rosary for my efforts..  the best line during my visit?  “Wait, let me go back and get my cane… we’ll be seated sooner.”

Back to $Funding the Leap….

Step 3.  Identify Special Interest Groups (SIG).    Done.

Must identify all other special interest groups to which I belong…  Blythe Landry, Admissions Coordinator at Loyola, suggested to list all of them, regardless of how far-fetched they may seem.  It’s hard to believe that belonging to PWAOFWHAPFTCEAWTQTJTGBTS isn’t enough….

Here is my list…

- PWAOFWHAPFTCEAWTQTJTGBTS: people who are over 50, who have already paid for two college educations and are willing to quit their job to go back to school..  (worth repeating)

-MWFWM: married, white, female, working mom

-Catholic married to a Jew

-RYT:  Registered Yoga instructor, alignment-based vinyasa with a strong emphasis on breath

-Future LSCW (licensed clinical social worker) with an interest in using mindfulness therapies as they relate to helping others deal with depression, anxiety, grief or other psychological challenges

-Daughter of one of the few, one of the proudest, WWII Marines

-Conservative Democrat…. or possibly a liberal Republican….  I can go either way depending on the candidate.

-Graduate of University of Wisconsin – Madison, December 1979… (i know..  i know…. i will be the oldest one in class)

-Inventors who have never made any money off of their inventions…  ex:  Cal-net 2000, the ultimate calendar networking system; the GardenSchmarden, the ultimate outdoor plant securing system

-PWTWHFWTW:  People willing to work hard for what they want

-PWLMUA:  People who love making up acronyms

Okay, that’s enough…  One can always come up with new SIGs so I may add another one later in this blog depending on the scholarships to which I apply.

Step 4:  Review the list of scholarship websites that was given out at the workshop…  Start applying….. working on.. definitely not done.

Hello world!

Hello out there! My name is Ann Bluemound and I am on a mission to find scholarship money for graduate school.  In a nutshell, I have worked full-time, lived within my means and saved for my children’s college education since the day they were born.   In fact, I just finished paying the final tuition installment last month for my second born.  Whew!  Time flies, as they say.  Born in 1957, I finished high school in 1975, graduated college in 1979, moved to Chicago in 1980 and started working full-time.  I was married in 1981, had a daughter in 1984, moved to our home in 1986 and had a son in 1987.  Both kids are pretty grown up and I think I am supposed to travel or something now, right?  Wrong!

I decided to look into graduate school for myself, as a “career changer,” nonetheless.  It’s so funny… I applied to two universities, and both said they “love career changers!” Why is that?  Anyway, I don’t have funding set aside for this decision.  Scholarship monies generally go to those with serious financial need, those who belong to special interest groups, those who are in the genius species, or to those who have had experience in their field of study… hmmmmmm.   What should I do as I don’t fall into any of these categories?  I definitely would not be considered wealthy, but I am definitely not financially needy as I can pay my bills and enjoy a few perks in life.  I’m definitely smart but a genius?  Not really… but I am very friendly.   I have no relevant experience in social work (my field of study), so what about these special interest groups?  Are people who are over 50, who have already paid for two college educations and are willing to quit their job to go back to school a “special interest group?”  Why not?  That’s it. The acronym for my special interest group will be PWAOFWHAPFTCEAWTQTJTGBTS.  Now that I have found at least one group to which I belong, what else can I do to find scholarship $funding?

I accepted at Loyola University Chicago in the School of Social Work to begin in Fall, 2010.  In February, I attended a scholarship workshop led by their dynamic Admissions Coordinator, Blythe Landry.  She said, “there absolutely is scholarship money out there; you just have to be willing to work hard to find it.” So, here I am…. 52 years old and ready to prove her either right or wrong, by doing everything she suggested to $fund my leap of faith. This blog will document everything I do to find the $funds for my education which will cost approximately $25,000 per year.  I am one of those is willing to do the work so wish me luck!

I’m taking a deep breath….  And here goes……

AB

Step 1:  Attend that Scholarship Workshop mentioned above… take notes… ask questions.  Meet and greet.    Done.

Step 2:  Complete and submit the FAFSA forms online (Free Application for Federal Student Aid.)    Done.

*According to Blythe, everyone qualifies for FAFSA money, which generally are student loans at low interest rates with flexible repayment terms… some federal grants are available and these, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid.    I am not sure I agree with her on the “everyone qualifies” statement… We applied for FAFSA money for each of our children in the past and never qualified for anything…  but maybe we missed something…..  too late now.

What Is a FAFSA?

Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a form that can be filled out annually by current and anticipating college (undergraduate or graduate level) students in the United States to determine their eligibility for federal student financial aid in the forms of grants, loans or work-study.  Find the online application at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov

Step 3.  Identify Special Interest Groups… working on this one… more.to.follow…

AB