There are many scholarships available for college-hopeful high school seniors, I mean hundreds of thousands! There is no excuse why not to go for these scholarships, especially the really big ones like the Gates Millennium. Filling out scholarship forms will become a long, and tedious task, but trust me, it will be definitely worth the effort; I know this because I’m a (recent) Gates Scholar myself! There are many things that are important and should be done in order to receive many scholarships (or, just the big ones).
Important steps toward getting a huge scholarship:
>Probably the most important thing, and the most head about, is your grades. It IS key to have a high grade point average. Aim to go for college level classes, many of them, they will help keep your high school GPA high and simultaneously give you credits that will give you a head start in college. College courses will also help you become more prepared for when you go to college. There is a huge difference between college-level courses and high school honor courses. College courses that are taken at a Community college or University that count for dual credit are way more faster-paced than high school courses.
>Another of the most important components is community service. The bottom line with this one is: the more you do, the better. There is no other way to put it. You know that you will have that weekend free, so why not use it to make yourself a better person, look good in front of other peers, meet new people, and gain many contacts. Volunteering is not boring or even hard, its just doesn’t pay you money. But this does not matter because when Harvard’s acceptance letter along with a “Congratulations!” letter from Gates Millennium comes in the mail, you will understand that in a way it did pay to do volunteer work!
> Writing is a huge part in filling out a scholarship, HUGE part. The Gates Millennium is probably the lengthy-est scholarship out there and with good reason, it is the best. Don’t let the length hold you back because it will go by quickly if you brainstorm hard enough. I would be willing to write even more because not paying for college in any way is super worth it.
>Don’t feel like you are not worthy for any scholarship and don’t fear not getting them either, just like wolves, scholarship agencies can smell fear and lack of confidence. You may not feel capable of competing with other students across the nation, but consider that 1000 students get this grandiose scholarship out of the 25 thousand that apply.
The most important thing you must do along from applying to this scholarship is, apply to all other small scholarships and every scholarship in between, and apply to every single school that you are even considering! SERIOUSLY! Every school that you consider, if you do not have the money to pay for the application, there are programs on commonapp.com that will help you cover the cost. Who knows you may not be accepted to Harvard but you might be to Northwestern, you might even like Illinois! You will only go to college while being young once, so make the absolute most of it and study anywhere you want. If you win the Gates Millennium you wont even have to worry about how expensive the school you got accepted to will be. So use these tips and go for it! It will definitely pay off.
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