620: How to Maximize College Scholarship Opportunities
Release Date: 03/09/2026
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The College Prep Podcast is signing off after 12 great years!!! Find out how Megan and Erin's businesses have shifted focus recently and why they are stepping back from the podcast. Of course, you can still reach out to us. Megan () and Erin () Some of our college prep advice is as good now as the date it originally aired. You might want to check out these episodes: If you are looking for new podcasts on college admissions, Megan highly recommends Drop In-- A Decision Drop Podcast () with Josh Hudley and Lisa Clay. For academic and study skill coaching, Erin recommends Crista Hopp of...
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info_outlinecollegepreppodcast's podcast
We are continuing with our shorter summer episodes and with Erin's series highlighting the ways in which students can learn key skills so they can live independently. Today's focus is on organization. Moving from decluttering (episode 481) to organization, Erin shares her big tips for getting a space organized including what to buy (hint: nothing), where to put things, and the different organizational styles. Resource: - Cas Aarssen
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This summer Megan will focus on different college application essay topics, pinpointing common pitfalls and offering suggestions for strong responses. Today’s topic: discuss a “great” book. — Not all colleges ask about books, but this question appears on a number of school’s supplemental essay lists. — Don’t overthink your answer; be genuine. There isn't a right or wrong answer. (Trying to sound impressive isn’t the goal.) — Brainstorm the “why” part of your answer. Your thought process is a significant part of the essay. — Look at your application...
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This summer Erin will focus on building skills that will help students in the present and are essential to transition to a functioning adult. Today's focus is on decluttering. Did you know that decluttering, organizing, and cleaning are three very separate tasks? Erin tackles the first of these with some of her best tips from her favorite declutterer. Resource: - Dana K. White
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This summer Megan will focus on different college application essay topics, pinpointing common pitfalls and offering suggestions for strong responses. Today’s topic: “how have your impacted your community?” — No, you don’t need to cure cancer to impact your community. — Impact is far more about what you DO than developing an activity with an impressive sounding title. — There are a lot of misleading rumors every year that try to crack the code on what activities sound good to college. — Community can be defined very broadly. — This topic should prompt...
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This summer Megan will focus on different college application essay topics, pinpointing common pitfalls and offering suggestions for strong responses. This summer Erin will focus on building skills that will help students in the present and are essential to transition to a functioning adult. Today’s focus: habits. This summer Megan will focus on different college application essay topics, pinpointing common pitfalls and offering suggestions for strong responses. Today’s topic: “what do you want to study?” (This may also appear as “why have you selected this major?”) —...
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back to school in the fall. This summer Erin will focus on building skills that will help students in the present and are essential to transition to a functioning adult. Today’s focus: habits. Learn How do you make change? How do you know you are ready? How do we form habits? Here are some resources mentioned: - Charles Duhigg - James Clear
info_outlineJoin Megan and Erin as they discuss strategies for maximizing college scholarship dollars while avoiding scams.
Scholarship Search Tools Overview
Megan and Erin discussed scholarship search tools, with Megan recommending several legitimate scholarship aggregators and advised listeners to be cautious of sites that charge fees for applications, as legitimate scholarship programs do not require payment to apply.
Scholarship Application Strategies
Megan and Erin discussed strategies for effectively applying for scholarships:
- creating separate email accounts for scholarship applications to manage the influx of information
- clicking through to the actual scholarship websites to verify current details, as requirements can change
- setting specific goals, such as applying for a set number of scholarships or spending a certain amount of time on application
- reusing essays for multiple applications, though Megan noted that some scholarships may require unique content.
Scholarship Search and Application Strategies
Megan and Erin agree that local scholarships, school counselors, and local organizations, places of worship, and employers are often overlooked sources worth exploring. Megan highlighted that many students stop applying for scholarships after their freshman year of college, despite the availability of scholarships for current students. Megan recommended checking with the financial aid office and department for specific major-related scholarships.
Overall, be proactive in seeking scholarships, avoid scams, and take advantage of available opportunities.
Questions?
If you have questions, feedback, or ideas for an upcomming show, we'd love to hear from you. You can email us at collegepreppodcast (at) gmail (dot) com
More about the hosts
Megan Dorsey is a parent, educator, and SAT/ACT prep expert. She graduated from Rice University and has over 25 years of experience helping students earn better scores and put together strong applications. Megan lives in Sugar Land, Texas and works with students in-person and on Zoom. You can find out more at CollegePrepResults.com.
Erin Tempest is the founder of Seattle Success Coaching where she and her team help families with a wide range of issues. Let Erin take the frustration out of learning with her academic support, exectuvie function coaching, and social/life skills packages. Her goal is to help parents get back to enjoying their kids. You can find out more at SeattleSuccessCoaching.com.