A mother was at home, and there was a knock at the door. She opened the door and was surprised to see a person standing there with a bouquet of flowers. It wasn’t a holiday, birthday, or anniversary. The flowers were a total surprise!

They turned a rather ordinary day into an exceptional one to be remembered for weeks to come.

Little remembrances are cherished. And, the person who sends them is not forgotten. We all like to be remembered in unusual and caring ways.

The teachers and staffs of high schools aren’t any different and yet, it does not happen very often for them. Kind words are good, but a thoughtful note is better, and a small gift is best.

A teacher remarked that she once had a student who had many physical issues. It created some unusual classroom problems in her chemistry class. The mother of that student knew this

and constantly thanked the teacher with complimentary notes and small gifts throughout the school year not just on holidays. It made the teacher feel appreciated, needed, and

respected.

A typical high school has administrators, teachers, and a support staff. Who will be affecting your student? Who will your student have for classroom teachers in the coming year?

Find out who they are. You will want to know the

receptionist at the main desk. Don’t forget the secretary in the guidance office. Who cooks the lunches, sweeps the floors, and empties the wastebaskets? Bus drivers often have a particularly difficult situation. Also remember the principal and vice-principal. Many times all of these people are only remembered when something negative happens. Letting them know that you recognize and appreciate the jobs they’re

performing, for the benefit of your child, will make it easier for your student.

Favors and kindnesses are always returned. Find out when those birthdays and anniversaries happen and remember them with a card, note or even cookies. And, in those few short years, when college scholarship time rolls around, people

will be happy to write glowing testimonials for your student.

Remember this: everything in life is a decision, make the right ones today for your college scholarship success.



By: Dale Clifton, The Scholarship Doctor

About the Author:

Are there mistakes that can disqualify a college

scholarship application? You bet. Generally speaking, most local scholarship committees may find a few minor mistakes acceptable, but the higher the level of competition, the less tolerance there is for a faux pas. And when you go for the gold at the national level of competition, no mistake is permissible. Even at the local level, if the competition is heavy, one error can result in the loss of money.

Even small spelling mistakes can cause an application to be thrown out. A judge reviewed a submission from a girl who was second in her class. She had a 3.95 GPA. The problem? She misspelled salutatorian. Believe it! How does that

happen? Surely, it should have been noticed. Was it a keyboarding error? Maybe.

Another application from a boy on the baseball team noted that he won the league batting title with a .259 average. Know anything about baseball? Most likely, the number 2 should have been a 3, 4, 5, or even 6.

Yet, another listed the applicant's age as "88." Do you suppose she was the oldest high school student in the country...in the world? But wait, she listed her birth date as eighteen years earlier. Those are the kinds of silly little miscues that can disqualify good candidates. Use the computer spell check and have someone read for context and spelling problems. Most people cannot do a good job of proof-reading themselves. Why take a chance?

Another blunder is leaving blank spaces. This is not a good thing. The committee may think that you are trying to hide something. If the question or statement is not applicable to you, write DNA on the line, which is the standard abbreviation or acronym for Does Not Apply.

Use a computer and keyboard whenever possible. Investigate the many inexpensive and free form-filling computer programs. No long hand here. Never write in pencil. And, NEVER, NEVER. EVER, EVER use whiteout.

Follow directions exactly. It is not unusual to see lists where paragraphs are required and vice versa. Sometimes a signature is needed with the name printed. A simple YES or NO may be necessary, Instead, an opinion is given.

Here's a tricky one that trips many juniors and seniors with honor roll credentials. After ten years in school, they still have problems using to, too, two, and they're, their,there.

Oops! I saw a sure regional and possible national winner disqualified, because her application missed the deadline date...by one day. Always beat the deadline. Mail early.

How could this happen? An app arrived without the parent permission slip signature.

Check, Check, Check.

This bears repeating: most mistakes can be eliminated when others proof the application. Then read it aloud while someone else listens.

What can you do, if the mistake cannot be corrected? Be sure to make a copy before you start. If it says "copies are not permitted," go back for one or two more originals.

Planning produces positive outcomes when the scholarship effort is truly a family affair.

To learn more about planning to win scholarships, visit:

http://ScholarshipDoctor.com

My newsletter is full of tips and ideas. No cost.

MailTo:signup@ScholarshipDoctor.com



By: Dale Clifton, The Scholarship Doctor

About the Author:

Driving to the beach. Visiting the park for an enjoyable picnic. Seeing a baseball game. Calling on the local fishing hole. These are great summertime activities. Other pursuits include painting, cutting the grass and washing

and waxing the car. We look forward to all of them with great anticipation. When the weather gets warm (no doubt about it), thoughts and actions turn to outdoor events.

One activity that gets forgotten by many college-bound students and their families is the inside expedition of hunting for college scholarships, searching for huge scholarship dollars, initiating the quest for money that will significantly reduce or eliminate college debt. This happens for four reasons. First, it is easy to forget because summer is now and scholarships are in the future, the distant future. Second, my child is not smart enough to win a scholarship. So, why bother thinking about it now or ever. A third possibility: our student has no desire to go

to college. Fourth, our family income is too high.

These are all relevant ideas. But, they are all bogus. Here’s why. Summer is the best time to begin scholarship activities because there is no rush to get the job done. One can take time to do everything leisurely and thoroughly. Rushing

creates anxiety and anxiety creates mistakes. The old maxim slow and sure wins the race also applies to going after scholarships.

Some students are slow in developing. The first two years produce mediocre outcomes, while the junior and senior years produce above average results. And, know this, scholarship committees often regard the last two years as more important

than the first two!

Got a seventeen year old that has no intention of getting a post-high school education? Attention, attention, attention: a high percentage of these change their minds. Have you made up your mind to use this summer in a profitable way, a way that could eliminate the need for future minimum wage summer jobs? There was a commercial on television a few years back. The slogan went like this: "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later. The choice is up to you." By starting right now, this summer, you can cut your college educational bill by $10,000, $20,000 or even $50,000. Use your computer to investigate and sign up for college scholarship information.

Everything in life is a decision, make the right ones today for your college scholarship success.



By: Dale Clifton, The Scholarship Doctor

About the Author: