The Scholarship GPS Podcast: Your Directions to a Debt-Free College Degree

This episode of the Scholarship GPS Podcast is sponsored by prepmedians.com, where SAT and ACT prep is actually fun. Lessons are built on sketch comedy and music, so your teen remembers them on test day, just like the lyrics to their favorite songs. All courses include an AI tutor that explains any question, thousands of practice questions with step-by-step explanations, and 99th-percentile tutors. With fall test dates coming up, get 10% off with code SCHOLARSHIPGPS, one word, at prepmedians.com.

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Get personalized support for your scholarship journey!

The Scholarship Navigator programs include:

• Review, feedback, and editing of your scholarship essays and applications
• Access to the Scholarship GPS video course, where I share best practices for the scholarship process and sample winning scholarship essays
• A custom list of scholarships for your student to apply for, based on their unique profile.
• Online support for your scholarship questions.
• Much more

Click the link based on your student’s grade level to learn more:

• Current college students
• High school seniors (Class of 2027)
• High school juniors (Class of 2028)
• High school sophomores (Class of 2029)
• High school freshmen (Class of 2030)
• Middle school students

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Selected interviews with multiple scholarship winners:

• Madeline (18 scholarships won)
• Talon (19 scholarships won)
• Victoria(9 scholarships won)
• Macayla (14 scholarships won)

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Featured Scholarships:

• Barrios Virguez Attorneys $2500 Strength Through Struggle Scholarship
• $25,000 Live Más Scholarship
• Largey Law Firm $1000 Overcoming the Impossible Scholarship
• $60,000 Hagan Scholarship
• Herman & Wells $1000 Power of Listening Scholarship
• $2026 No Essay Scholarship from ScholarshipOwl

This episode of the Scholarship GPS Podcast is sponsored by prepmedians.com, where SAT and ACT prep is actually fun. Lessons are built on sketch comedy and music, so your teen remembers them on test day, just like the lyrics to their favorite songs. All courses include an AI tutor that explains any question, thousands of practice questions with step-by-step explanations, and 99th-percentile tutors. With fall test dates coming up, get 10% off with code SCHOLARSHIPGPS, one word, at prepmedians.com.

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Carrie Jorgenson has worked across multiple parts of the college admissions ecosystem, including K-12 schools, university admissions offices, and the private counseling sector. While working in K-12 schools, she supported more than 1,000 families navigating the college planning process. She later served in the admissions offices at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz, where she evaluated more than 2,000 applications and gained an inside perspective on how admissions decisions are made.

Her perspective deepened again while working in the private sector, advising families who could afford elite counseling services. There she noticed something surprising: even highly successful families often felt overwhelmed by the complexity of the college process. Carrie founded early bird™ to help close that gap. She believes every student deserves the clarity and support needed to find their best-fit future—not just those who can afford private counseling.

In our conversation, Carrie and I discuss:

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The mistakes that students and families make when it comes to building a college list or choosing a college.

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What “best fit” actually means, and why it matters for scholarships and financial aid.

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When families should start college planning.

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What early bird™ is, and how it helps students who don’t have access to a private counselor.

Click here to learn more about early bird™

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Get personalized support for your scholarship journey!

The Scholarship Navigator Program includes:

• Review, feedback, and editing of your scholarship essays and applications
• Access to the Scholarship GPS video course, where I share best practices for the scholarship process and sample winning scholarship essays
• A custom list of scholarships for your student to apply for, based on their unique profile.
• Online support for your scholarship questions.
• Much more

Click the link based on your student’s grade level to learn more:

• Current college students
• High school seniors (Class of 2027)
• High school juniors (Class of 2028)
• High school sophomores (Class of 2029)
• High school freshmen (Class of 2030)
• Middle school students

If you would like to learn more about the Scholarship Navigator programs, I am offering a limited number of free 15-minute Zoom meetings to answer your questions. To book your free consultation, click here.

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Featured Scholarships:

• Whetstone Perkins & Fulda $1000 Starfish Scholarship
• Boyk Law $2000 Veteran Scholarship
• $20,000 Equitable Excellence Scholarship® Program
• Full-Ride Coolidge Scholarship
• Carson Scholars Fund
• $5000 Christian College Scholarship
• $2,000 Protestant Faith-Based College Scholarship
• $2,000 Catholic College Scholarship Drawing

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Victoria is an accomplished student, but in her senior year, she has realized that accomplishments alone aren’t enough to earn scholarships. So, how did Victoria go from zero scholarship wins to over $185,000 in less than a year?

In our conversation, we discussed:

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Advice for rising seniors

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Advice for younger students

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The need for a compelling Personal Narrative

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The need for practice and repeatedly refining a student’s scholarship essays

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How Victoria stayed motivated in the face of numerous scholarship losses

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The need for parental involvement in the scholarship process

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How the scholarship process gave Victoria confidence in her future plans

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The importance of applying for the right scholarships based on the student’s profile

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How scholarship essays are different than what students write in school

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The non-monetary value of applying for scholarships

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Get personalized support for your scholarship journey!

The Scholarship Navigator Program includes:

• Review, feedback, and editing of your scholarship essays and applications
• Access to the Scholarship GPS video course, where I share best practices for the scholarship process and sample winning scholarship essays
• A custom list of scholarships for your student to apply for, based on their unique profile.
• Online support for your scholarship questions.
• Much more

Click the link based on your student’s grade level to learn more:

• Current college students
• High school seniors (Class of 2027)
• High school juniors (Class of 2028)
• High school sophomores (Class of 2029)
• High school freshmen (Class of 2030)
• Middle school students

If you would like to learn more about the Scholarship Navigator programs, I am offering a limited number of free 15-minute Zoom meetings to answer your questions. To book your free consultation, click here.

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This episode of the Scholarship GPS Podcast is sponsored by prepmedians.com, where SAT and ACT prep is actually fun. Lessons are built on sketch comedy and music, so your teen remembers them on test day, just like the lyrics to their favorite songs. All courses include an AI tutor that explains any question, thousands of practice questions with step-by-step explanations, and 99th-percentile tutors. With fall test dates coming up, get 10% off with code SCHOLARSHIPGPS, one word, at prepmedians.com.

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Featured Scholarships:

• $2000 Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship
• $1000 Serving the Community Scholarship
• $2500 Fostering Education Scholarship
• $10,000 Community Impact Contest
• $60,000 Burger King Foundation Scholarship
• $10,000 No Essay Scholarship

With Scholarship Navigator programs for students in the Classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, middle school, and college students, students get personalized assistance with building their Personal Narrative, essay reviews, editing, and suggestions, a custom list of scholarships that match the student’s profile, and much more.

If you would like to learn more about the Scholarship Navigator programs, I am offering a limited number of free 15-minute Zoom meetings to answer your questions. To book your free consultation, click here.

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Eddy Ciobanu is a former Yale Admissions Officer with a decade of experience in college admissions. He also held roles in the admissions office at Williams College and as a college counselor at Phillips Academy Andover, supporting students and families through the entire college process. With a commitment to access and affordability, he joined Juno to help lower the burden of student loans for all families applying to college.

In our conversation, Eddy and I discuss:

• What holistic admission review is and why it matters
• Do colleges have a preference between the SAT and the ACT exam, and what is a test-optional policy?
• Whether it is better to get an “A” in a higher-level class (honors, AP) or a “B” in a lower-level class
• Some common mistakes that students make on their admissions applications
• How a student can write a standout personal statement

Upcoming Webinars (click the links to register):

FAFSA Tips & Tricks: Tuesday, 10/13 @ 8pm ET

Creating an Affordable College List: Sunday, 10/25/26 @ 8pm ET

Understanding the Student Aid Index: Monday, 11/2/26

Click here to learn more about Juno and how they negotiate student loans for their members.

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Featured Scholarships:

• DP Law $1000 Encouraging Diversity Scholarship
• Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship
• Berkowitz Hanna Malpractice and Injury Lawyers $1000 Defining the Disability Scholarship
• $1000 “Tuition Solution” Scholarship for STEM Students
• $1000 Thomas T. Downer Make an Impact Scholarship
• $3000 October Scholarship from CollegeXpress
• $2250 Future Ready Scholarship

On October 6th and 7th, it’s Amazon Prime Big Deal Days with 48 hours of exclusive deals across more than 35 categories. Whether you are shopping for your student who is off at college, for yourself, or getting an early start on Holiday Shopping, you’ll find great deals on all of the items you’re looking for. And if you click this link when you start your Amazon shopping, the Scholarship GPS Podcast will earn a small commission on your purchases. There is no cost to you for doing this. You get the same great deals. So, if you have found the Scholarship GPS Podcast helpful and would like to show your appreciation, please use this link the next time you shop on Amazon.

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The Scholarship Navigator Programs provide personalized guidance for the entire scholarship process. To learn more, click the link for the program that matches your student's grade level:

• Current college students
• High school seniors (Class of 2027)
• High school juniors (Class of 2028)
• High school sophomores (Class of 2029)
• High school freshmen (Class of 2030)
• Middle school students

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Featured Scholarships:

• $25,000 Chick-fil-A™ Community Scholars program
• Cifarelli Law Firm $1000 Future Advocate Scholarship
• $1000 “Pen to Paper” Scholarship for Storytellers
• $1000 “Moving Mountains” Scholarship for Hispanic Students
• Full-Ride Coolidge Scholarship
• $1000 Appily Easy Money Scholarship

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Jacqueline Biscotti is a mom who saw a gap in the college admissions process. So, she founded CampusWink to fill that gap, helping students and families get the real inside scoop on the colleges their kids are considering from real college students.

In our conversation, we talk about:

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The gap that CampusWink fills

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Whether CampusWink replaces or complements official college tours

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How CampusWink is also helping the college students providing tours

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How leveraging CampusWink can help students with their supplemental college essays

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The ability to leverage CampusWink for Greek life networking

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And much more…

To learn more, visit https://campuswink.com/

(Note: This conversation was recorded in 2024. Audria recently updated me with her son’s latest scholarship stats, which are reflected below.)

Audria describes her son, Talon, as “average.” He is not the type of student that most people think would earn a significant number of scholarships. Yet, to date, he’s earned 19 scholarships worth $120,000!

Audria and Talon’s story is an inspiration and example of how “average” students can have success with scholarships if they implement the right plan.

In our conversation, Audria shared:

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The attributes her “average” son leveraged to earn scholarships

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Why it is not financially sound to rely solely on merit aid (from the college)

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The freedom that scholarships gave her son

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Some of the non-monetary benefits of scholarships

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The importance of college major and career clarity for winning scholarships

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Advice for students and parents

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The importance of intentionality, resilience, and the role of parents for winning scholarships

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The one thing she will do differently with her younger child

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The importance of starting the scholarship process early

If Talon and Audria’s story has inspired you, and you would like to get the same support that I provided them, check out the Scholarship Navigator programs.

There are Scholarship Navigator programs for:

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College students

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High school seniors (Class of 2027)

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High school juniors (Class of 2028)

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High school sophomores (Class of 2029)

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High school freshmen (Class of 2030)

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Middle school students

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Featured Scholarship:

• Dolan Divorce Lawyers $1000 Mediation & Conversations Scholarship
• $2,000,000 NHS Scholarship
• mikeroweWORKS Work Ethic Scholarship
• $200,000 Mensa Foundation Scholarship
• Weekender: $2500 "No Sweat" Scholarship

To learn more about GradGuard Tuition and Renters Insurance Plans, click here.

Featured Scholarships:

• Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia $1000 Ripple Effect Scholarship
• $1000 College Here I Come Scholarship for High School Seniors
• Lowenthal & Abrams $1000 Hospital Safety Awareness Scholarship
• Dr. Pepper $100,000 Tuition Giveaway
• $5000 Christian Connector Scholarship
• $2,000 Protestant Faith-Based College Scholarship
• $2,000 Catholic College Scholarship

To have all of our featured scholarships and interviews delivered to your inbox, subscribe to our free newsletter, Your Daily Scholarship.

Most families know scholarships can help pay for college.

What most families do not know is how to actually win them.

They are overwhelmed by where to start. They are unsure which scholarships are worth pursuing. They do not know what scholarship judges are really looking for. And many students wait too long to begin.

That is exactly why the Scholarship Bootcamp was created.

The Scholarship Bootcamp is a five-week guided program for high school students in the Classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.

But this is not just another course full of generic scholarship advice.

Students will actually apply for real scholarships during the program, with expert guidance, personalized feedback, and step-by-step instruction along the way.

By the end of the program, your family will not only understand how the scholarship process works, but will also have the knowledge and confidence to continue applying for scholarships for years to come.

The Fall Scholarship Bootcamp begins on September 14th. Click here to learn more: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-bootcamp-fall-2026

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Featured Scholarships:

• $35,000 Voice of Democracy Contest
• $1500 Shout it Out Scholarship
• $8000 Regions Riding Forward Scholarship
• The Hagan Scholarship
• $2250 Future Ready Scholarship

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With nearly two decades of experience in college application coaching, Dr. Kellie Coppi provides expert guidance tailored to each student's unique needs. Dr. Coppi's background in higher education ensures that she understands the nuances of crafting compelling admissions essays.

Dr. Coppi recently offered a scholarship, and what she saw as a scholarship provider gives insight into how your student can become a better scholarship applicant.

In our conversation, Dr. Coppi and I discussed:

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Why she offered a scholarship and why she chose to list it on a popular scholarship website

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The percentage of students who submitted entries that failed to meet the entry requirements or respond to the essay topic

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How she identified AI-written essays

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What current seniors should be doing right now in the college admissions process

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How senior year grades can affect college admissions

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How younger students can build a better profile by not spreading themself too thin

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And much more…

To connect with Dr. Coppi, go to https://sayyestotheessaywithdrcoppi.com/

To get my free list of recommended scholarship websites, click here.

Learn How to Win Scholarships by Applying for Real Scholarships

Most families know scholarships can help pay for college.

What most families do not know is how to actually win them.

They are overwhelmed by where to start. They are unsure which scholarships are worth pursuing. They do not know what scholarship judges are really looking for. And many students wait too long to begin.

That is exactly why the Scholarship Bootcamp was created.

The Scholarship Bootcamp is a five-week guided program for high school students in the Classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.

But this is not just another course full of generic scholarship advice.

Students will actually apply for real scholarships during the program, with expert guidance, personalized feedback, and step-by-step instruction along the way.

By the end of the program, your family will not only understand how the scholarship process works, but will also have the knowledge and confidence to continue applying for scholarships for years to come.

The Fall Scholarship Bootcamp begins on September 14th. Click here to learn more. Or visit https://www.scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-bootcamp-fall-2026

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When our kids turn 18, we lose many rights that we take for granted when they are minors.

That is why I recommend getting a Power of Attorney in place. Mama Bear Legal Forms makes the process quick and easy, and listeners can save 20% with discount code ScholarshipCoach20 when you use this link: https://www.mamabearlegalforms.com/youngadult?oid=1&affid=44

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Featured Scholarships:

• Goostree Law Group $1000 Bright Futures Scholarship
• $1000 Building Bridges Scholarship
• Scholarships360 Making the Leap for Transfer Students Scholarship
• “Get Inspired” TikTok Scholarship

The Fall Scholarship Bootcamp is now open!

Most families know scholarships can help pay for college.

What most families do not know is how to actually win them.

They are overwhelmed by where to start. They are unsure which scholarships are worth pursuing. They do not know what scholarship judges are really looking for. And many students wait too long to begin.

That is exactly why the Scholarship Bootcamp was created.

The Scholarship Bootcamp is a five-week guided program for high school students in the Classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.

But this is not just another course full of generic scholarship advice.

Students will actually apply for real scholarships during the program, with expert guidance, personalized feedback, and step-by-step instruction along the way.

By the end of the program, your family will not only understand how the scholarship process works, but will also have the knowledge and confidence to continue applying for scholarships for years to come.

So, to learn more, click here. Register by September 5th and use discount code EARLYBIRD for a 20% discount.

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Featured Scholarships:

• $250,000 Breakthrough Junior Challenge
• $1000 Commencing at Community College Scholarship
• $10,000 Scholarships360 No Essay Scholarship

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Subscribe to our free newsletter, Your Daily Scholarship, to have all of our interviews and featured scholarships delivered to your inbox: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

Scholarship success is usually not about one perfect application.

It is about having a system and staying consistent long enough for the opportunities to add up.

Inside the Scholarship Navigator programs, I help families create that strategy.

That includes helping students and parents:

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organize scholarships and deadlines

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prioritize the best opportunities

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review essays and applications

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stay accountable throughout the process

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reduce stress and overwhelm

Because the scholarship process feels very different when families have a plan instead of panic.

There are Scholarship Navigator programs for college students and high school students in the Class of 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030, and now, have a program for middle schoolstudents. Click the links to learn more.

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Featured Scholarships:

• Siniard Law $2500 Gravitate Scholarship
• $10,000 Fund Your Future Scholarship
• Duffy and Duffy $1000 Compassionate Caregiver Scholarship
• $5000 Pizza Hut Foundation Scholarship
• $5000 Christian College Scholarship
• $2,000 Protestant Faith-Based College Scholarship
• $2,000 Catholic College Scholarship Drawing

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Natalie Schoonover and Stephanie Turner help college students cut through the noise and take smart, confident steps toward their future.

At LaunchPoint Talent, they do not just prepare students to land their first role. Natalie and Stephanie help them launch a career that aligns with their strengths, values, and ambitions.

Before founding LaunchPoint Talent, Natalie and Stephanie spent decades leading early career recruiting and talent strategy at top global professional services firms, reviewing and hiring tens of thousands of students into internships and full-time roles across business, accounting, finance, consulting, and marketing.

They know what works because they have been on both sides of the table.

From resume refinement to interview readiness, networking to negotiating offers, Natalie and Stephanie bring structure, personalization, and a strategic lens to every phase of the recruiting journey. They are not recruiters. They are coaches and strategic partners, helping students build the skills, confidence, and judgment they will use long after their first job.

In our conversation, we discussed:

• Why strong, qualified students keep getting passed over.
• When parents are doing college tours, what career-related questions should they actually be asking that most families don’t think to ask.
• Does the name of the school actually matter in recruiting? Public vs. private, big name vs. lesser known?
• For families whose student is about to start college, what that first semester or first year actually look like from a career standpoint.
• What a high school student can do right now, before they even set foot on campus, to give themselves a real edge in recruiting later.
• How students should think about extracurriculars from a recruiting standpoint, not just a resume-building one.
• And much more…

To connect with Natalie and Stephanie, visit https://www.launchpointtalent.com/.

Uduak is the mom of a middle school student. She happened upon the Scholarship GPS Podcast and, by listening on her daily commute, learned that her daughter could start applying for scholarships even before starting high school.

But her interest in scholarships went beyond just the potential financial rewards. Uduak understood that scholarships could be used to supplement her daughter’s education, particularly her writing abilities.

No matter your student’s age, I think you’ll be inspired by Uduak’s story and her desire to support her daughter’s educational journey. And I think that, even if you have older kids, you’ll discover a few things you can do to support your student, as well.

At Uduak’s urging, I have decided to start working with middle school students and their families, and have launched the Scholarship Navigator for Middle School Students program!

Middle school is the perfect time to start the scholarship journey. It makes scholarships part of the student’s regular routine, gives them the experience and practice they need to be better scholarship applicants than their peers, and allows the student (and parent) to build their Personal Narrative to align with future scholarships.

The Scholarship Navigator for Middle School Students provides personalized scholarship guidance, application reviews, essay feedback, and ongoing support so families can focus on the scholarships that best fit their student’s profile and goals.

To learn more about the program, click here.

And, if you have an older student, check out the Scholarship Navigator programs for college students and high school students in the Class of 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.

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The College Credit Tracker is a single spreadsheet — one you already know how to use — that does the research for you.

80+ colleges. Every major credit type. One dashboard.

✅ CLEP exams — which ones each college accepts, the minimum score needed, and the exact course it replaces

✅ AP exams — same breakdown, school by school

✅ ASU Universal Learner courses — tracked right alongside everything else

✅ Real course equivalencies, not vague “yes we accept credit” answers — so you know precisely what class you’ll get credit for.

✅ A one-stop-shop, Is this data readily available? Sure, sort of. If you know where to look and feel like searching in 7 different places and even then, organizing the data is a battle.

✅ Play in the ‘Sandbox’, Not sure if you want to take an exam or course? No problem! Use the tool as a guide to discover what, how, and if you should pursue the credit options.

That feature alone pays for this tool!

Stop guessing. Stop hoping the credit transfers. Know, before you or your student ever commits to CLEP, AP, or an ASU Universal Learners college courses, exactly what it’s worth — and where.

Instant download. Works immediately in Google Sheets or Excel. No subscription, no software to install — just answers.

Click Here to Get your College Credit Tracker

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Not Sure About Your Post-Graduation Path?

Because successful career launches don’t happen by accident..

If your child is:

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Still in high school and exploring future options…

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In college and second-guessing their major…

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Taking a gap year or unsure how to move forward…

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Out of school and floundering in the job market…

...this quiz is your first step toward helping them launch with clarity and purpose.

Click here to take the 2-Minute Career-Readiness Quiz.

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Featured Scholarships:

• $1000 Sam’s Legacy: Fighting to End Drunk Driving Scholarship
• $2500 Leaders Save Lives Scholarship
• The Gates Last-Dollar Scholarship
• Questbridge College Match Ful-Ride Scholarship

Jackie Pollina founded J&J Test Prep with the intention of making test prep fun and manageable for students. Jackie also co-developed No B.S. SAT® Prep, an online digital SAT® prep program that is used by tutors, programs, and schools nationwide.

In our conversation, Jackie explains:

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Why students should take the SAT/ACT.

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The timeline goal that students should have to achieve their best score.

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How students can reverse-engineer a prep timeline so that they hit that timeframe.

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The opportunities that may still exist when students don’t hit their desired goal by that timeframe.

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Where the PSAT fits into all of this.

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The impact that test scores have on scholarships and merit aid, and much more.

J&J Test Prep offers numerous ways to work with your student. Plus, they offer my readers a special discount. To learn more about J&J Test Prep’s programs, click here.

And, be sure to take advantage of J&J Test Prep’s FREE diagnostic to help you decide whether the SAT or ACT is the best option for your student. Click here for this complimentary program.

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Featured Scholarships:

• Silver Law Group $1000 Investor Advocacy Scholarship
• $1000 Follow Your Own Path Scholarship
• $20,000 Coca-Cola Foundation Scholarship
• Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship ($30,000 Top Prize, $2,500,000+ in Prizes + Local & State Awards)
• $3000 CollegeXpress August Scholarship Giveaway

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Nnotice the categories that the applicant must list on their application for the Coca-Cola and Elks Scholarships, as well as the topic of the essay:
• Academics
• Extracurriculars
• Volunteering
• Work Experience
• Leadership

These are the same categories that I refer to as The Five Pillars of a Student’s Personal Narrative.

Students don’t need to have experiences in all five of the Pillars, but they do need to know how to tie their experiences together in a compelling way that grabs the judge’s attention.

That is what I spend so much time helping students with in the Scholarship Navigator programs. With programs for students in the Classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, middle school, and college students, students get personalized assistance building their Personal Narrative, essay reviews, editing, and suggestions, a custom list of scholarships that match the student’s profile, and much more.

If you would like to learn more about the Scholarship Navigator programs, I am offering a limited number of free 15-minute Zoom meetings to answer your questions. To book your free consultation, click here.

Jennifer Gershberg is a campus and keynote speaker and a former University of Maryland professor. Through her campus programs, keynotes, trainings, and online courses, she helps prospective and current college students build confidence and competence by teaching them the fundamental skills they need for academic and professional success. While on the faculty at the University of Maryland, Jennifer won numerous teaching awards, including the highly coveted Allen J. Krowe Award for Teaching Excellence. She has been a featured guest on multiple podcasts, including Real Housewives of New Jersey Margaret Josephs’ “Caviar Dreams, Tuna Fish Budget.” Jennifer attended Cornell University and the George Washington University Law School.

Jennifer’s speaking career is a product of her deep concern for and commitment to student wellbeing. As a professor, she observed a continuous decline in student competencies and mental health following the pandemic and felt compelled to broaden her impact, leading her to this work. Jennifer is known for her natural ease and connection with students, relatability, genuine investment in student success, and being “nurturing but tough -- exactly what students need.” (source: a student)

In our conversation, we discussed:
• How students build confidence and reduce anxiety
• Some of the academic challenges she noticed college students commonly face
• Advice for students who need to ask for letters of recommendation
• Advice for parents to help their children launch into college successfully

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The bad news: Let’s be honest—the transition to college comes with challenges. As summer arrives, many students and parents are feeling the pinch of college costs. The merit aid offered by colleges is often less than hoped for, and concerns about students thriving without the guardrails of high school are increasing.

Now, here’s the good news: I’ve partnered with former college professor Jennifer Gershberg to help you turn these hurdles into opportunities for success. Jennifer is passionate about equipping students with essential skills—from time management to building strong relationships with professors—that set them up for college and beyond.

Her “Welcome to College! Bootcamp for Incoming Students” is specifically designed to prepare incoming students for the demands of college life, making the transition smoother and more confident. For just $159—a tiny investment compared to the staggering costs of college—this course offers immense value.

And here’s the best part: when you enroll through this link only, you’ll receive the Scholarship GPS course for free! (That’s a $197 value!) This comprehensive guide walks you through every step of securing scholarships—from finding scholarships, prioritizing the right ones, to crafting standout essays.

Don’t let the financial stress or fear of the unknown hold you back. Take advantage of this limited-time offer to give your student the tools they need for success. Once you purchase, I’ll send you instructions to access your free Scholarship GPS course. Act now—your student’s brighter college journey starts today!

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When Sarah's son experienced a medical emergency during his first semester of college, she suddenly found herself navigating an unexpected situation no family plans for. Fortunately, she had purchased GradGuard Tuition Insurance when her son started at Denison University. What began as a simple precaution became an invaluable source of support during a difficult time. In this testimonial, she shares how the claims process was straightforward, responsive, and easy to navigate, allowing her family to focus on what mattered most: her son's health and recovery. The tuition refund provided the flexibility and financial relief they needed while he took time away from school to heal before successfully returning to continue his education. Like homeowners or car insurance, you hope you never need to use it but it's comforting to know it's there if you do. Listen to her story and learn how tuition insurance helped provide peace of mind when the unexpected happened. 🎓 To learn more about GradGuard Tuition Insurance, click here.

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Featured Scholarships:

• $1500 Make Me Laugh Scholarship
• $1000 Achieve Today Scholarship
• $1000 Capital Auto Auction Scholarship
• Driver Education Initiative Award
• $2026 ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship

When Cheryl’s daughter’s junior year became overwhelming, her family was faced with a difficult situation. What started as a challenging semester soon became too much to manage, making it difficult for her daughter to continue attending classes and complete the term. Having purchased GradGuard Tuition Insurance before the semester, Cheryl’s family was able to navigate the process with support, compassion, and clear communication. Cheryl shares how simple the claims process felt, how helpful the team was along the way, and how receiving a tuition refund gave their family the time and flexibility to determine the best path forward. With the pressure of the semester lifted, her daughter was able to move at a pace that better supported her needs and is now doing fantastic. 🎓 To learn more about GradGuard Tuition Insurance, click here.

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Our Most Popular Program!

The Scholarship Summer Camp is for high school students in the Classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.
Your student will learn the skills required for scholarship success by applying for real scholarships, including a $35,000 scholarship capstone project!

Every Monday through Thursday, a new, pre-recorded lesson will be released.

On Thursday evenings, we will be live (but recorded for future viewing), discussing the week’s lessons and taking Q&A.

Here’s the agenda:
Week 1: The Tools For Scholarship Success
Week 2: Your Personal Narrative
Week 3: Finding The Right Scholarships For You
Week 4: Why Do You Deserve To Win This Scholarship? (Apply for a Real Scholarship This Week!)
Week 5: Topical Scholarships (Apply for Another Real Scholarship This Week!)
Week 6: $35,000 Capstone Scholarship Project!

The Scholarship Summer Camp starts on July 27th, and registration will remain open through August 1st. Don’t worry, your student will easily be able to get caught up. Click here to learn more and to register today.

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Join Juno’s team of student loan experts as they offer guidance on the best approaches to pay for college in this webinar. We’ll cover how to increase your financial aid package, maximize scholarships, and decide between different loan options. Plenty of time will be allotted to questions, so bring yours! Click here to register for this free session on July 29, 2026 at 8pm ET.

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Featured Scholarships:

• $2000 World's Only Minecraft Scholarship
• Gen & Kelly Tanabe Think About Your Future Scholarship
• $1000 Courage to Grow Scholarship
• $1000 MoolahSPOT Scholarship
• $35,000 VFW Voice of Democracy Contest
• $10,000 Scholarships360 No Essay Scholarship

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Subscribe to our free newsletter, Your Daily Scholarship, here: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

Kami Wanous, The Freedom Scholar, works with homeschool families to help their students become lifelong learners.

Kenyon is Kami’s son, and he has been studying AI for many years. Keyon is working on a book on how young people can use AI safely.

In our conversation, we discussed:

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How Kenyon got into AI

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How students can use AI safely

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Ways to use AI properly as part of a student’s education

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The role parents play in how their kids use AI

Plus, Kenyon shares about his experience going through the Scholarship Summer Camp.

Click here to learn about Kami’s next Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass.

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The Scholarship Summer Camp is for high school students in the Classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.

Your student will learn the skills required for scholarship success by applying for real scholarships, including a $35,000 scholarship capstone project!

Every Monday through Thursday, a new, pre-recorded lesson will be released.

On Thursday evenings, we will be live (but recorded for future viewing), discussing the week’s lessons and taking Q&A.

Here’s the agenda:

Week 1: The Tools For Scholarship Success

Week 2: Your Personal Narrative

Week 3: Finding The Right Scholarships For You

Week 4: Why Do You Deserve To Win This Scholarship? (Apply for a Real Scholarship This Week!)

Week 5: Topical Scholarships (Apply for Another Real Scholarship This Week!)

Week 6: $35,000 Capstone Scholarship Project!

The Scholarship Summer Camp starts on July 27th. Click here to learn more and register today.

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Featured Scholarships:

• $1500 Flavor of the Month Scholarship
• $1000 CardRates.com Financial Futures Scholarship
• $1000 Spirit of Giving Scholarship
• $1000 Future Business Leaders Scholarship
• $2000 Better Financial Future Scholarship

Ingrid Moats of The Math Gift recently offered a scholarship, and in our conversation, she explained what it is like on the other side of the scholarship process, as a scholarship provider. From our conversation, you’ll gain a better understanding of why organizations offer scholarships and why they choose to host them on scholarship websites. She also provides insight into just how much (or how little) competition there really is for scholarships, and how students can stand out as scholarship applicants.

In our conversation, we discussed:

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Why she offered a scholarship

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Why she chose the website she did to host the scholarship

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How many applicants they received

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How many of those applicants were actually eligible

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The most common mistakes that students made when applying

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What made the selected winner stand out

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How she worked with her son in his scholarship journey

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How math is having an impact on college admissions

To connect with Ingrid, visit https://themathgift.com/.

Get our free list of recommended scholarship websites here: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-websites

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Featured Scholarships:

• Burnett Injury Group $1000 Strength Through Recovery Scholarship
• $2000 Office Chairs Unlimited Scholarship
• $2500 Joy Cappel Innovation Scholarship
• $1500 “First Step” to Distraction-Free Driving Scholarship
• $2000 Bachus & Schanker, LLC Scholarship
• $5000 Christian College Scholarship
• $2,000 Protestant Faith-Based College Scholarship
• $2,000 Catholic College Scholarship Drawing

Abbie Metzler is a PhD student in psychology, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and someone who believes the college admissions process should not take away your sense of confidence and calm.

Abbie started Confident College Admissions because she’s seen how overwhelming and confusing this process can be. But with the right guidance and support, it can actually feel manageable, meaningful, and even exciting. Her approach combines evidence-based tools from psychology with clear, step-by-step strategies to help students feel prepared and empowered.

Over the last 3 years, she’s worked with 200+ students on their essays, applications, and interviews, helping them tell their stories in a way that feels both authentic and impactful. With a background in positive psychology and mental health, she also supports students in managing stress, building confidence, and staying grounded throughout the admissions journey.

In our conversation, we discussed:

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What makes students successful in the college admissions process

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The biggest misconception students have about personal statements and what actually makes an essay memorable

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How Abbie’s background in psychology has influenced her approach to the way admissions and applications are handled

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How strong college essays help students with scholarship applications

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And much more…

Abbie and I are teaming up with an amazing offer! Get lifetime access to the Scholarship GPS course, where you and your student will learn:

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How to identify the best scholarships for your student

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Best practices for scholarship applications, essays, and projects

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The importance of crafting your student’s Personal Narrative -- a key element in winning scholarships

Additionally, you will have access to helpful tools such as:

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A scholarship tracking tool preloaded with quick and easy no-essay scholarships for immediate application

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A scholarship checklist template to ensure completion of applications

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An activity log to track your student’s volunteer experiences

As an added bonus, you’ll get Abbie’s Write Your Personal Statement with Confidence Course, a step-by-step course to help you write a personal statement that’s honest, powerful, and true to you. With clear lessons, real examples, and a companion workbook, you’ll go from stuck to submitted, feeling proud and confident every step of the way.

Get lifetime access to both programs at a special, limited price. Go to https://www.scholarshipgps.com/confident to learn more.

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https://campuswink.com/ gives students and families direct access to hundreds of current college students nationwide for personalized campus tours and virtual Q&A sessions.

Ask the questions that official tours won’t answer and get insider insight before stepping on campus.

So, choose your school. Choose your Guide. Ask anything.
Personalized tours and live student connections are available nationwide.

Go to https://campuswink.com/ to learn more.

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Featured Scholarships:

• $1000 Conflict Conqueror Scholarship
• $1000 Digital Justice Scholarship
• $2500 Mesothelioma Cancer Victims Scholarship
• $2000 GeneTex STEM Scholarship
• $2500 Cheers to 250 Scholarship

A conversation with one of Alex’s friends completely altered his college search process. His friend just started his first year at Duke University and was raving about the campus, the culture, and the opportunities. At that time, Duke wasn’t super high on Alex’s list, but that conversation set him on the path of becoming a life-long Blue Devil.

As Alex’s college experience played out, he came to realize the influence of those words and see that the most valuable thing a prospective student could have during a college visit was insights to someone who genuinely lived the experience they were imagining for themselves. Someone with similar interests, goals, and concerns not too long ago.

So Alex started Campus Maven to connect prospective students with current university students who just went through the process themselves, creating private, personalized tours that go beyond what any official campus visit could offer.

In our conversation, we discussed:

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How to best approach the college tour process

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How college tours help multiple aspects of the admissions process

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How “real” official campus tours are

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How a tour with Campus Maven gives a different perspective

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And much more…

To learn more, visit https://www.campus-maven.com/

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Featured Scholarships:

• $1000 Future in Family Law Scholarship
• $1000 Making the Leap for Transfer Students Scholarship
• $1000 KB Delta Scholarship
• $2000 Legal Marketing Scholarship
• $2500 "No Sweat" Scholarship

FREE Premium Cirkled In Student Portfolio Platform & Scholarship Database!

Students in any of the Scholarship Navigator Programs get a FREE premium CirkledIn membership! So, in addition to benefits like a custom list of scholarships that match the student’s profile, scholarship application and essay help, and access to the Scholarship GPS course to learn scholarship best practices, students will also get a premium Circkled In profile which they can share with colleges, internships, employers, and scholarships. Plus, students can access the scholarship database with over 6000 vetted scholarships, updated daily!

Click here to learn more about the Scholarship Navigator Programs.

When families begin the scholarship journey, many parents assume there are only two options:

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Either parents take over the process completely, or they step back and let students handle everything on their own.

Neither approach works very well.

The most successful scholarship families usually find a healthier balance...

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Student Loan Rates Drop!

Last Monday, one of Scholarship GPS’s partner organizations, Juno, saw a significant rate drop for undergraduate loans on Juno’s platform. Juno leverages collective bargaining to negotiate lower student loans. After receiving input from families, they shared feedback with their partner lenders who then lowered rates compared to previous weeks. For many people who need to borrow for college, rates may now be lower.

If you’ve completed a rate check before, it is worthwhile to do it again. We don’t know how long these rates will last, and are encouraging families to lock in a rate now. After completing a rate check, if you submit a full application and are approved, your rates are generally locked for 30 days. You can check your rates by clicking here.

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Featured Scholarships:

• $1000 Public by Default Scholarship
• Maschka Personal Injury $1000 Safety Advocate Scholarship
• $1000 Jeanne Murphy Scholarship: Compassion in Action
• $1000 “Commencing at Community College” Essay Scholarship
• $1000 No Essay Scholarship by Sallie
• $2026 ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship

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Free Resource: Click here to download our list of recommended scholarship websites.

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Click here to learn more about the Scholarship Navigator program.