I meet so many people who ask for scholarship advice, take notes, write down websites and then when I see them a few months later and ask if they applied for scholarships, the excuses sputter from their mouths.   This happened or that happened, their computer was broke, they were too busy, etc.  The fact is they just weren't motivated.  They were hoping that the Scholarship Fairy would fly over their house and sprinkle dollars down the chimney.  Let's get real.

No pep talks this week - it's time for action.  Your self-imposed Scholarship Boot Camp will begin with a few key steps.  The Scholarship Boot Camp puts you in control, not the Scholarship Fairy. 

Day One of Boot Camp requires two solid, un-interrupted hours.  You must find the time.  No excuses.  If you finish in less time - give yourself a pat on the back.

Needed Supplies:  A folder, three pieces of paper and a pencil, OR a computer with a word-processing program (Word or Works).

Follow these SIX steps:

1. Find or buy a folder and label it "Scholarship Boot Camp."  (Don't spend two hours shopping for a folder - any folder will do!)

2. Write a one-page letter titled "MY DREAM."  You are writing this letter to yourself or someone you love and you will explain why you want to go to college, why you want to graduate and what's motivating you.  If you do not have a dream for yourself, you will not have the motivation it takes to be successful at winning scholarships.  Do not skip this step.  Without a dream, you won't go very far.

3.  Read the letter aloud to yourself, to someone you love, or someone who cares about you.  Do not skip this step.  By reading it out loud you are making yourself accountable.  You might be smiling when you are done or you might be crying.  That's okay.

4.  Dissect your dream and put a circle around each key thought or goal.  For instance if you said it is your dream to finish college and become a nurse, those are two goals.  If you said you are motivated because you want to earn more than minimum wage and you want your mom to be proud of you, those are two more key goals.

5. For each goal, highlight those that are related to money.  Why? Unless you have cash for college, you will probably have a mix of financial aid (grants, loans, scholarships).  Of the financial aid mix, you can directly influence scholarships, whereas other forms are distributed based on your family's income level.  It's important to keep yourself focused and motivated.  Realizing that many of your goals are related to money is important to your scholarship success.

6.  Next, create a new document called "ABOUT ME" and write down (or type) every unique thing about yourself.  Make a long list of "who" you are under two column headings "Academics" and "Personal."  Be specific.  Are you in school?  What is your grade point average? Have you won any awards?  Are you a member of any school groups?  Are you a leader?  Do you have a job? Where do your parents work?  Were you raised by a single parent?  Are YOU a single parent?  Where do you live?  Have you volunteered and if so what did you do?  Are in the church choir?  List everything you can.  This will become the information that fuels your scholarship search.  Save it.

Whew!  Now, you can take a break.  In the next blog, we'll pick up where we left off.  In the meantime, keep reading the documents "MY DREAM" and "ABOUT ME."