Cougarpolitan - Crosby ISD

Have a Good College Application
Samantha King
Reporter
How to
Scholarships are
an “important thing” when
students talk about college.
Not too many families can
afford to spend the thousands
of dollars on extended
educational purposes and not
have it hurt their pockets.
It’s never too early
to apply for scholarships.
Though, it’s defiantly not
a fun process. There are
mounds of paperwork to fill
out, you have to know yours
and your parent’s financial
status, and then there are
the deadly essays that some
foundations ask you to write.
However, if you’re well
organized, prepared, and
know how to keep your sanity
then you’ll be all set!
The first step in the
process doesn’t even come
close to the paperwork. It’s
getting to know the people
that you already know.
This may sound redundant
but studies have shown if
you know your counselors,
principals, and teachers better,
say on a first name bases
then they will remember
you for more scholarship
opportunities. This helps
in more then one category.
By knowing the people in
your school and community
you can apply for local
scholarships and have more of
a pull. Going against friends
is a nasty business so you
want all the ammunition that
you can get. So, when you
need references for letters of
recommendations you’ll know
who to call.
You have this dream
college that you’ve wanted
to go to for your entire life.
What are you going to do if
they send you a letter that
starts out like this:
“We are sorry to inform you
that your application has
been denied. However…”
We have found an answer to
the problem-apply for lots
of schools; you have a better
chance for more scholarships
and if the school of your
choice says “We are sorry…”
then you don’t have to freak
out that much because you
have a back up plan.
Keeping options open
looks good too. Don’t rule
out anything just because you
don’t think you will like it.
No matter how low the cost of
the scholarship-it might help.
(NOTE: Applying for lower
cost scholarships has less
competition.)
Scholarship trusties
look for community service
that doesn’t resolve around
you.
Older generations think that
this generation is the “Megeneration.”
The services
don’t have to be all year
around, though that will help
in the long run, it just has to
be a substantial amount at
an accredited location. The
location has to be able to
vouch for the time and effort
put into the services. If you’re
having trouble finding places
in and/or around your town
you can use www.google.
com to help with the search.
Here is the Houston Area
Community Services, Inc.
information:
Executive Director:
Joe C. Fuentes, Jr.
Finance Director:
Mary Ann Wilkins
Medical Director:
Hunter Hammill, MD
Board Chair:
Barbara Garcia
Contact
Information:
3730 Kirby
Suite 820
Houston, TX 77098
(713) 526-0555 phone
(713) 526-1422 fax
Contact these people and
they can point out the right
direction. No matter what
is heard, there are always
people looking for [free] help.
Contacting the counselors,
principles and teachers can
be a good asset. Who knows
there might be a way for
your school to host a service
that you can put on your
applications.
Next, would be
the writing portion. Many
scholarships ask for a essay(s)
to get to know what you are
all about. This can be tricky
because they want the paper
to be unique in a world that
tells everyone to conform.
They grade extremely hard
so don’t start with a cliché
because the paper will go
straight to the “NO” pile.
Experts, former graders, and
other scholarship winners
have said “if you write
about something you have
experience with and can relate
to the reader, it’s a good idea
to go with that. It’ll help you
earn another round to the ‘big’
money.”
Start with a rough
draft, and read over the essay
a couple times. If the first
couple of paragraphs are weak
and not straight to the pointthen
get rid of them- pronto!
Your essay should be clear,
cut and to the point. Don’t
doll-loll around making long
intricate sentences with bigover
used- words. It should
sound intelligent but still be
able to relate with the reader.
Before sending the final copy,
have someone, either parents,
teachers, friends, ect. read
over it and give their opinion.
If they have suggestions take
them into consideration and
revise, fresh eyes can save
the essay a lot of trouble.
However, keep it the paper,
based around what was
written first. Don’t change
everything because someone
says that something looks
weird about it. When your
completely satisfied send it in.
Be patient! While
waiting for the results of
one scholarship there are 50
million others that haven’t
reached their deadlines!
Cougarpolitan
Editor-In-Chiefs..............................Ann Price
Britini Shaw
Graphic Artist.................................Steven Simon
Reporters........................................Taylor Copenhaver
Samantha King
Brittany Tutor
Martin Lemond
Beija Farish
Justin Kelm
Cougarpolitan
The Cougarpolitan is a student-run newspaper serving
Crosby High School. All students are encouraged to
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to edit submitted material for accuracy, grammar,
and length. The Cougarpolitan will not publish any
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Crosby High School.
Apply for all scholarships capable and for the rest of the
worlds’ sake- keep your sanity. This is only the beginning!
photo by Samantha King
Ashley Feack
Danica Womack
Jazmine Dicks
Ashley Hall
Sarah Spencer
Natasha Johnson