— Get a fixed interest rate as low as 5.375% for the life of your loans, saving you thousands of dollars
— Combine your loans into one easy payment
— Reduce monthly payments by up to 50%

See for yourself. Use our savings calculator to do the math.

Important! Law School Loans Borrower Benefits are 100% Guaranteed. Unlike other lenders, Law School Loans will not revoke your benefits for any reason. With Law School Loans, you are a valued and rewarded borrower.

Want to Save Even More?
Responsible attorneys can qualify for our Platinum Counsel and Platinum Counsel Select benefits!
Responsible attorneys deserve to be rewarded for their responsible behavior. With a consolidation from Law School Loans, you can reduce your already low interest rate by up to an additional 1.25% with these exclusive benefits:

Platinum Counsel
An interest rate reduction of 0.25% for using our automated debit program to repay your loan.

Platinum Counsel Select
An interest rate reduction of 1.0% if you consolidate $20,000 or more in eligible student loans and make 36 consecutive on-time payments.

Additionally, you can lower your interest rate by an extra 0.50% by consolidating before the end of your grace period.

You can also lower your payments with our graduated repayment program.

It’s easy. Just call us or Apply Online today. The average phone call takes just minutes, and our online application process is quick and convenient, especially with online e-signature.

The issue of college graduates accumulating insurmountable debt—if they can afford to pursue higher education at all—has been worsening every year. The objective of the College Student Relief Act of 2007 is to cut interest rates on student loans by 50%. This reprieve alone would save millions of students thousands of dollars.

In a statement released last week, Education and Workforce Committee Chairman George Miller voiced his concern: “The cost of higher education has skyrocketed. Over the last five years, tuition at public colleges and universities increased by 35%. This represents the highest increase in any five-year period since 1976. More and more, students are relying on loans to pay for rising tuition.”

The new chairman further emphasized his point by concluding that loans represent more than half of all financial aid awarded to students in need, a circumstance that prevents more than 4 million high school graduates from pursuing four-year degrees and about 2 million from enrolling in any type of higher education program.

The College Student Relief Act of 2007 would cut interest rates over the course of five years for undergraduate borrowers with new subsidized student loans. Loans that previously carried a fixed rate of 6.8% would begin carrying a fixed rate of 3.4%. This interest rate reduction would begin on July 1, 2007.

Not everyone is on board with the College Student Relief Act of 2007. A critical apprehension expressed by some House Republicans is that the new legislation will be too costly. An early estimation calculated that putting the act’s proposals into practice would cost more than $60 billion, inciting a negative response. However, a more recent assessment envisions the plan within a more limited scope and with a more manageable budget.

Another significant topic that may make its way into discussion during the slated January meeting of the 110th Congress is increasing the amount of money awarded by the Pell Grant. The grant currently awards $4,050 to qualified college students working on undergraduate degrees. Also, it’s been reported that the minimum wage may be raised as an attempt to advance the middle and lower classes.

Miller has made his blueprints for building a better future for American college students clear. He has referred to “college tuition” as a basic need, likening it to necessities such as housing and food. The College Student Relief Act of 2007 may only be the first step in a broader plan to increase student aid.

The 2007 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill includes a proposal to increase Pell Grants by $100 to $4,150. This increase is the largest to come in more than five years; the grant maximum amount has never been higher.

The $141.93 billion budget exceeds what the President had in mind by $4.136 billion. It also calls for $47 million in scholarships for disadvantaged students; President Bush had only wanted to use $10 million for this purpose.

Biz Scholarships Boosted
The National Federation of Independent Business’ Young Entrepreneur Foundation will provide 408 students with $1,000 in tuition assistance. This number has increased from the 381 scholarships awarded in 2005.

The scholarships, known as the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Awards, aim at encouraging high school seniors owning and operating small businesses to proceed on the path of entrepreneurship. Used by students to attend the school of their choice, the scholarships have grown as a result of resounding financial support from small and large companies and foundations. NFIB will also provide four regional scholarships of $5,000 each, and the most outstanding student applicant will receive a $10,000 scholarship.

Grants For Grads At UCR
The University of California, Riverside has received a DOE fellowship grant to support its graduate students who are working in health and medical research.

The grant will be used to support recruitment of biotech and biomedical engineering students and will be funded for five years with a $380,000 endowment from the Department of Education and $95,000 from UCR.

This grant is part of UCR’s aggressive campaign to expand its health research capabilities.

The DOE’s portion of the grant is funded through the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program for Ph.D. students in biology, chemistry, engineering, nursing, and other sciences.

In 2006, GAANN provides a maximum grad-student stipend of $30,000 and an institutional payment of $12,224 for tuition and fees.

Feds Lessen Savings Penalties In ’07
Beginning July 1, 2007, students who save for college before their first year at school will no longer be penalized for up to $3000 of their savings.

Previously, federal financial aid programs had used all funds, including pre-college savings from after-school or summer work, in calculating a student’s financial need. Fifty cents of every dollar saved was counted and used to reduce the amount of demonstrated need.

Now, students can save up to $3000 for college without any penalty.

For the 2006-2007 year, only $2550 of a student’s savings will be shielded; this represents a minor increase from $2200 of shielded in savings in 2001. All income from work-study programs is also exempt from calculations for financial need. Moreover, this income is tax-exempt, as well. Unless a student is offered an off-campus job paying 50 percent more than federal work-study, he or she would be best advised to stay on-campus to maintain the most accurate amounts to qualify for need-based aid. However, working more that 15 hours per week has been shown to be detrimental to academic performance.

PA Targets Nontrad’L Students
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency announced Monday that it is launching a new campaign to encourage nontraditional students to complete their degrees.

PHEAA is heavily promoting finaid programs such as the state’s grant program and the Workforce Advancement Grants for Education (WAGE) program, which provides $10 million to fund education for adult learners. The WAGE grants will provide $3,500 per qualifying student per academic year. Qualifying students must not be eligible for the state’s grants.

Alum Endows UI Scholarship
A former University of Iowa football player and his wife have donated $125,000 to the University of Iowa Foundation to establish a football scholarship.

The scholarship will be used to pay tuition for one athlete each year. Preference will be given to football players majoring in business.

Terry Mulligan played for the Iowa Hawkeye football team in the mid-1960s and was an assistant coach for the freshman football in 1967. Both of his sons and his daughter-in-law are UI alumni, as were his grandfather and great-grandfather.

Mulligan, who has been an active leader in the UI Alumni Association for many years, was presented with Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001, and both he and his wife, Susan Mulligan, are members of The Presidents Club, which recognizes the university’s most generous benefactors.

FL Dependents In Trouble
In Florida, dependent students may lose their in-state resident status if their parents move out of state.

A recent article in the Gainesville Sun states that a piece of legislation from 2005 cracked down on students who may have unfairly qualified for in-state tuition. A related report stated that $28.2 million was lost annually due to students being incorrectly classified as in-state residents.

Now, students living in Florida must provide financial proof of independence from their out-of-state parents if they are to pay in-state tuition. For some students, especially those working at minimum-wage jobs or federal work-study programs, their income is insufficient to do this. Also, higher declared income will decrease need-based financial aid awards.

Many students rely on federal student loans to help finance their education. The most common federal loan is a Stafford Loan. These may be issued directly from the government to the student, or they may be issued by a private lender, such as a bank or credit union, belonging to the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Either way, these loans are guaranteed against default by the federal government.

Something else to remember about Stafford Loans is they may be subsidized or unsubsidized. If you are eligible for a subsidized Stafford Loan, the government will pay the interest while you are in school. Subsidized Stafford Loans are generally given to students who can demonstrate financial need. If you receive an unsubsidized Stafford Loan, you will be responsible for paying all of the interest, although you may have the payments deferred until after graduation. If you choose to defer paying the interest until after graduation, the interest will be capitalized, or added to the loan amount. To qualify for an unsubsidized Stafford Loan, you do not need to demonstrate financial need.

The amount of your Stafford Loan will vary depending on your year in school. However, graduate students may borrow up to $18,500 each year (with $8,500 being subsidized) with a combined limit for graduate and undergraduate federal loans of $65,500 for dependent students. If you are an independent student, the cumulative limit you may borrow is $138,500 for your graduate and undergraduate studies.

Stafford Loans have variable interest rates, based on the 91-day T-bill, and this interest rate is adjusted each year on July 1. Stafford Loans have an interest rate cap of 8.25%. All lenders offer the same base rate for Stafford loans because the interest rate is pre-determined by the government, although many lenders offer payment incentives and/or discounts to help you reduce your interest rate further. Another benefit of federal loans is you may lock in a fixed interest rate if you choose to consolidate your federal student loans. That way, you will not be affected by adjustments in the interest rate each year.

Students who use Stafford Loans to finance their education will also enjoy a six-month grace period before they begin repaying their loans. The grace period starts upon graduation or any time the student’s enrollment status drops to below half-time. During this grace period, no payments for interest or principal are required. Additionally, in times of financial difficulty, students may be able to defer their payments or apply for a period of forbearance until their situation improves. Federal loans generally qualify for up to two years of forbearance over the life of the loan.

Private student loans have many differences from federal student loans. However, if used properly, they may also be effective tools for education funding. Private education loans are issued by lenders such as banks and credit unions. They are regulated by the federal government, but there are no guarantees against default.

The main difference between federal loans and private loans is that private loans are credit-based. This means that your eligibility is determined by your credit rating. Requirements do vary by lender, but most private lenders will allow you to use a cosigner, or co-borrower, to qualify for a private loan. Furthermore, private lenders may require proof of income from the student or a cosigner before the student is approved for a loan.

The amount you may receive from a private lender also varies. Oftentimes, the loan amount is based on an amount set by your school. However, some private lenders set their own limits and allow students to use the funds for whatever financial needs the student may have. This includes housing, transportation, purchasing a computer, tuition, etc.

Another difference between federal and private student loans is in interest rates. Generally, private loans will have a higher interest rate than federal loans, and the interest rate for private loans will always be variable, even after consolidation. Also, the student’s (or cosigner’s) credit score may have an effect on the interest rate. Many private lenders start at a prime interest rate and then add a margin depending on the credit score. If the borrower does not have good credit, the interest rate will be higher.

Repayment plans also differ by lender for private loans. However, private lenders may not offer benefits such as forbearance or deferment in times of financial hardship. They also may not offer a grace period, and some private lenders require that the interest payments be made while the student is in school, although most lenders have repayment options to allow deferment of the principal until the student graduates. Also, like federal loans, the repayment term is often 10 or more years for private education loans.

If you are a student, plan to become a student, or are a parent of a student, it is important for you to understand your education-funding options. Private and federal loans may be effectively used in combination to fill in the financial gaps. Regardless of the type of loan you use, remember that it is not free money and it must be repaid. Choose your lender carefully, and weigh your options. After all, you will likely be repaying your education loans for many years to come.

“A combined lack of funds, guidance, and opportunities can cause law school to seem like a pipe dream for minorities,” the Minority Corporate Counsel Association said in a statement on its website. “Without incentives to interest minority students in the vocation, scholarships to fund law school, mentors to open eyes to the various areas within the field, and internship and employment opportunities—all of which various scholarship programs normally offer—ethnic diversity among law students stagnates.”

“Without an able-bodied student pool to recruit from, diversity within the profession languishes. And without diversity in the profession, the ability to fully meet the needs of an increasingly diverse world will become increasingly rare,” the association stated.

Steefel, Levitt & Weiss, a firm based in San Francisco, is about to celebrate its 25-year anniversary; and as part of the celebration, it will also offer its first scholarship. Partnering with the University of California, Berkeley’s Boalt Hall, the firm has announced the first annual Steefel, Levitt & Weiss Diversity Scholarship.

The scholarship will award $25,000 annually to a law student going into his or her second year of law school. To qualify, the student must display exceptional academic standing and financial need. Partiality will be given to minority students.

“Our hopes and expectations with the founding of this scholarship are that it benefits deserving students and hopefully helps to develop diverse and talented leaders for tomorrow’s legal industry,” James Eastman, Managing Partner, said.

Eastman said the scholarship was not created with recruitment in mind but simply to offer financial assistance to a qualified law student from a diverse background.

“As an institution, you are only at your best when each individual brings something different to the table—whether it be experience or perspective,” he said. “Beyond the social significance, diversity is also critical to a law firm’s livelihood. In order to thrive in today’s business world, it’s imperative that companies reflect the communities they serve. In California, that need is compounded by the fact that we are the most diverse state in the country. It takes a diverse team of attorneys and staff to meet the needs of a diverse client base. So, at the end of the day, workplace diversity is both the smart thing to do and the right thing to do.”

Eastman said the firm will consider offering more than one scholarship in the future based on the results of the first one.

Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, a firm with offices in the United States as well as abroad, is also committed to diversity. Through its minority scholarship program, the firm has offered 16 scholarships through Northwestern University School of Law and the University of Chicago Law School, totaling $304,000.

The firm’s 40-member diversity committee is responsible for managing the firm’s resources in a way that create a diverse working environment, and that means making funds available for minority students to attend law school.

“The Diversity Committee’s focus is the recruitment, retention, and promotion of attorneys in a manner that promotes diversity at all levels within the firm,” the firm said in a statement on its website.

Vinson & Elkins, LLP, is yet another firm that offers minority scholarships. One of the largest international firms in the world, Vinson & Elkins created the scholarship program in 1990. Each year since then, the firm has awarded six $10,000 scholarships to minority students in Texas.

“In the 16 years since, 85 Latino, African-American, and other minority students from Austin, Dallas, and Houston have used the V&E scholarships to attend the University of Texas, Rice University, Southern Methodist University, Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, Princeton University, and other colleges throughout the nation,” the firm’s website stated.

The scholarships, which provide students with $2,500 a year for four years, are awarded to students who are interested in the field of law. In addition, the firm gives scholarship recipients the opportunity to work at the firm during the summer.

“V&E recognized that it needed to get involved at an earlier stage than law school to further its objective of promoting diversity within the firm and in the profession by increasing the presence in the law schools of minority students,” said Yolanda Chavez Knull—a partner who chairs the firm’s wills, trusts, and estates practice group—in a statement on the firm’s website.

“We targeted the program to high school seniors who showed promise and an interest in pursuing a legal education and who otherwise might not be able to attend the college of their choice. As many of the scholarship candidates did not have role models who were professionals, we integrated a summer internship and mentoring program into our scholarship package as additional tools to assist our scholars in reaching their goals,” she said.

James A. Reeder Jr., a partner at V&E and a chair on the firm’s scholarship committee, said he thinks the scholarships have definitely achieved the firm’s goal of promoting diversity.

“A very large percentage of the kids who have received our scholarships have gone on to law school and are now practicing law. These are kids who may not have had the resources to go to college at all,” he said. “Additionally, by giving them a job in the summer while they are in college, we have exposed them to the workings of a law firm, which also has hopefully contributed to their resolve to go to law school.”

Students who have received the scholarships in the past have gone on to become lawyers, investment bankers, teachers, and business leaders.

Reeder thinks it’s important for law firms to offer scholarships, not only to promote diversity but to give students the chance to fulfill their dreams.

“Scholarships often provide the only chance a young man or woman has to go to college,” he said. “Depending upon what a particular law firm wants to promote, it can often be achieved by just providing the means to allow one student to go to college who would not have had that chance but for the scholarship.”

Additional information on the scholarships mentioned in this article and other law firm scholarships is available through your school’s financial aid office.

Special Law School Loans Borrower Benefits:

Platinum Counsel: 0.25% interest rate reduction
Platinum Counsel Select: additional 1% interest rate reduction
Additional Federal Loan Consolidation Benefits:
Fixed rates as low as 5.375%
Extended repayment term with lower monthly payments
No fees
No credit checks
No prepayment penalties
Seven flexible repayment plans
Turn several monthly payments into one
Deferment and forbearance available

Platinum Counsel: 0.25% interest rate reduction

If you use our automated debit program for your loan payments, Law School Loans will give you an immediate interest rate reduction of 0.25%. Besides being convenient, using our auto-debit will give you extra savings on your repayment.

Platinum Counsel Select: additional 1% interest rate reduction

If you consolidate $20,000 or more in eligible student loans and make 36 consecutive on-time payments, Law School Loans will give you an additional interest rate reduction of 1.0%. This can amount to thousands of dollars of savings over the life of your loans.

Fixed rates as low as 5.375%

By locking in the current rates and taking advantage of the special Law School Loans borrower benefits described above, you can lock in a fixed rate as low as 5.375%!

Extended repayment term with lower monthly payments

By consolidating your loans you can extend your repayment term up to 30 years, depending upon your loan balance. This has the added benefit of lowering your monthly payments, so you are left with more money in your pocket each month.

No fees

There are no fees or costs whatsoever for a federal loan consolidation with Law School Loans.

No credit checks

There are no credit checks whatsoever for a federal loan consolidation with Law School Loans. As a matter of fact, consolidating your loans can actually improve your credit rating, as a result of having lower monthly payments. This can actually make it easier for you to qualify for mortgages and other major loans.

No prepayment penalties

Although you have the option of extending your repayment term, you will not be charged any fees or penalties for paying off your loans early. This means that if you take advantage of the low consolidation interest rates and the special Law School Loans interest rate reductions, you can save thousands even if you pay down your loan early.

Seven flexible repayment plans

Law School Loans offers seven different repayment plans for your consolidation loans, giving you extreme flexibility for your repayment. We offer the following plans:

Equal Payments: This option provides equal monthly payments over the term of the loan.

Select 2/Graduated Payments: This option allows for interest-only payments for the first 2 years of repayment. In the third year, payments increase to level installments of principal and interest payments for the remaining term of the loan.

Select 5/Graduated Payments: This option allows for interest-only payments for the first 2 years of repayment. In the third through fifth years, payments increase to include a portion of principal. In the sixth year, payments increase to level installments of principal and interest payments for the remaining term of the loan.

Income-Sensitive Payments: This option provides for payments to be adjusted annually, based on your expected total monthly gross income from employment and all other sources. For spousal consolidation loans, monthly payments are adjusted according to combined monthly incomes. Your account will initially be disbursed at the Select 2/Graduated repayment plan. After the consolidation loan is disbursed, you must contact your servicer to qualify. Once eligibility is determined, your servicer will calculate your new payment.

Extended Equal Payments: This option allows up to a 25-year repayment term of equal payments.

Extended Select 2 Payments: This option allows up to a 25-year repayment term with the Select 2/Graduated Payment plan.

Extended Select 5 Payments: This option allows up to a 25-year repayment term with the Select 5/Graduated Payment plan.

All extended repayment plans are for qualified borrowers with more than $30,000 in eligible loans. Applicants interested in any of the extended repayment plans should contact one of our counselors to determine eligibility.

Combine several monthly payments into one

If you are currently making payments to more than one lender, consolidating your loans allows you to eliminate the complications of having to make multiple payments. Instead, you can combine those payments into one easy monthly payment.

Deferment and forbearance available

Loan consolidation with Law School Loans is done through the federal loan consolidation program, and thus you retain government benefits such as deferment and forbearance. Like your current federal loans, federal loan consolidations are guaranteed and insured by the federal government.

A deferment is a temporary suspension of loan payments for specific situations such as reenrollment in school, unemployment (up to 3 years only), or economic hardship (up to 3 years only). Forbearance is a temporary postponement or reduction of the payments on your consolidation loan for a period of time due to financial difficulty. Additionally, borrowers who consolidate while still in school will receive forbearance on their loans until after graduations.

Let’s face it, completing law school may be an expensive undertaking, and federal student loans usually are not sufficient to cover all of your tuition, housing, and living expenses. Our law school tuition loans are designed to help fill in the gaps so you can concentrate on your education, instead of worrying about how to pay your rent.

Our law school tuition loans are credit-based, and they have a variable interest rate. The minimum you may borrow is $3,000, and the maximum is $50,000 per year with a cumulative cap of $250,000. The money you borrow may be used for any of your financial needs, including tuition, housing, or personal living expenses as long as you provide proof of enrollment in a Title IV school (any school that receives federal funding, such as Stafford loans). There are a couple of key requirements to remember, though. First, either you or a cosigner must have at least $15,000 in verifiable annual income. The second thing to remember is that you must make the interest payments while you are in school. You may defer paying the principal for up to three years after you graduate, and we offer some of the longest repayment terms available.

Once you make it through law school, you must study for and pass the bar exam. Law School Loans offers bar loans to allow you to focus on preparing for your examination. Because this may be the most difficult test you have ever had to take, we want to eliminate the stress and distractions your financial obligations may otherwise cause. Our bar loans are also credit-based with a variable interest rate. The minimum you may borrow is $1,000, and the maximum is $20,000. You may opt to begin repaying principal and interest immediately, or you may defer paying the principal for up to six months after you graduate. In order to qualify for a bar loan, you must have attended a Title IV school, and you must be registered to take the bar exam in any state. Another way we ease your anxiety with a bar loan is by disbursing it quickly. Once we receive your signed promissory note, a check will be issued to you within 48 hours.

After you pass the bar exam and hopefully find the job of your dreams, you may realize that you are making several payments each month to different lenders. It may be hard to budget and keep track of your fluctuating interest rates, payment due dates, and many lenders. Wouldn’t life be simpler if you only had to make one payment each month for your private education loans? Law School Loans has a private consolidation program to assist you with this dilemma. Through our private loan consolidations, you may be able to lower the interest rate of your loans, decrease your monthly payments, and simplify your life! Our private consolidations are also credit-based. The minimum we may consolidate is $10,000, and the maximum is $250,000. We offer some of the longest repayment terms available. Oftentimes, increasing your loan term will decrease your monthly payment, allowing you to become established in your new career and really get on your feet. After all, you deserve a reward! With our private consolidations, you may defer paying the principal of the loan for up to three years after you graduate, and again, our application process is simple and quick and can be done entirely over the phone.

Law School Loans is excited about starting two new programs for attorneys. If you are interested in starting your own private practice, we are here to help with that too! We may also be able to assist you with purchasing a commercial building for your practice. We really want to be your only lender!

Law School Loans has private loan programs to help you through each step of your legal profession. We are knowledgeable about the financial requirements attorneys may have and the struggles you may face in the early stages of your career while establishing yourself as a prominent attorney. You do not need to endure these tough times alone. Let Law School Loans provide you with the financial support you need for success.

Repayment plans vary, and the options usually include immediate repayment, due 45 days after last disbursement; deferred repayment which begins 6 months after graduation; or pay interest while enrolled in school and begin repayment of the principal after graduation. An undergraduate program may include no payment up to 4 or 5 years. A graduate program may include no payment up to 8-1/2 years based upon internship or residency requirements. A certificate program will depend on the certificate and the time to completion for repayment of private student loans. Most lenders offer up to 20-year terms for repayment on a private student loan. There are usually no prepayment penalties and, origination fees are usually charged by the lender and added on to the loan. These fees are based upon a percentage that varies depending on payback options.

To apply online is very easy with an online application. It is important to know the school of choice information when applying for private student loans. The lending institution will need to know the information and must have the school on their approved lists of schools. Online applications include fast fax back options that make the process fast. When applying for a private student loan it is a good ideal to know the degree program desired and the time it will take to complete the program. Having communicated with a school enrollment counselor will help the student to make these decisions and have this information available to the lender at the time of application. This will speed up the process. “How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!”

Skateboarding
Do you know what an Ollie is? Can you do a 50-50 grind, kickflip or nose wheelie? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may be eligible for the Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship. Applicants for this award must submit an essay on how skateboarding has had a positive impact on their lives. One scholarship winner receives $5,000 and three winners receive $1,000 each to attend the college of their choice as full-time students.

Rodeo
Whether you’re a barrel racer or a bareback rider, your rodeo skills could rope you a scholarship. Institutional awards, like Colorado State University’s rodeo scholarships, are usually reserved for students on the school’s rodeo team. Private awards, like the San Angelo Rodeo Scholarship, give students more flexibility in their college choice, but often have other requirements, like county of residence. Internationally-known scientist and cancer researcher, Dr. Raymond DuBois, won a rodeo scholarship to Texas A&M University, which helped start his successful career in medical research. He has called it one of the most important awards he has ever received.

Puppetry
Pinocchio may not be your style, but if you have an interest in puppetry, it could help you pay for college. The Connecticut Guild of Puppetry offers the Margo Rose Scholarship for students involved in puppetry who wish to attend the National Puppetry Conference. Unima-USA, the American chapter of the theatre organization Union Internationale de la Marionette, offers scholarships for students with experience in puppetry to study at the Institut Internationale de la Marionnette in Charleville-Mezieres, France. Since puppetry degree programs are rare, most scholarships in this field are for private programs or for puppetry studies within a theatre arts department.

Chess
Chess stars could turn their winning moves into money for college. Several colleges, including Texas Tech University, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and the University of Texas at Dallas, offer promising chess players up to four-year, full-tuition scholarships. The United States Chess Federation provides information on chess tournaments and available chess scholarships, both college and privately-sponsored. Casual chess players, be warned, these scholarship programs are often very competitive. “The scene is much more competitive than when I played,” says Doug Kasper, who was invited to apply for a UMBC chess scholarship in 1997, “The landscape has changed dramatically.”

Knitting
If you are nimble with knitting needles, consider applying for a knitting scholarship. The American Sheep Industry Association sponsors four scholarships for applicants who submit a sample of an article of clothing they created completely with wool. To be eligible for the Bernard Steur Scholarship at Philadelphia University, you must be a textile engineering student with an interest in knitting.

Rugby
Rugby may not be an official sport at most U.S. universities, but it can still help pay your college costs. Rugby scholarships are offered at New Mexico University, Texas A&M University, Saint Bonaventure University and many other colleges. Playing rugby can also send you abroad. The Center for International Studies offers a rugby study abroad program for students to study for one or two semesters in Wellington, New Zealand and play in a local rugby club. A $500 scholarship is available to make this program more affordable. Check with USA Rugby for more rugby scholarships.

Your Own Research
Could your unique talent or unusual hobby help you land a scholarship? Maybe. Try looking for organizations that coordinate or support the activity on a regional, national or international level. You might be surprised what a simple Google search will produce.

Finally, make sure your FastWeb profile is complete and reflects your current interests. Then check out your scholarship results for a set of awards that are unique to you.

1. Plan to apply for as many scholarships as possible
Some students make the mistake of thinking that they maximize their chances of winning by pouring all of their energy into one or two scholarships.

But applying for scholarships is partially a numbers game. A variety of factors outside of your control affect the outcome of any given award. Only by applying for large numbers of scholarships can you minimize such factors, and maximize your chances of winning. In my own scholarship quest, I ended up applying for about three dozen awards.

Even if the scholarship prize is only a couple of hundred dollars, I still recommend entering the contest. This might not sound like much in the context of an entire college tuition bill, but the extra cash can help cover the cost of books for a term, or help pay for that spring break “research” trip to Cancun.

In addition, winning smaller awards provides you with additional credentials that you can include in applications for larger scholarships.

2. Develop a suite of generic reusable materials
When applying for large numbers of scholarships, creating a suite of generic reusable materials saves a great deal of time and energy. By having this suite to draw from, you will be able to focus less on just completing application requirements, and more on customizing and fine-tuning the material you’ve already prepared.

More than just a reduction in your workload, reusing and rethinking old materials can mean vast improvements as you repeatedly refine and edit the same work. By employing this strategy, you gain the opportunity to fine-tune your materials with every submission. And take it from me—your tenth draft will be far better than your first.

To create this suite of generic materials, first seek to develop standard essay responses to perennial scholarship application themes – such old favorites as college plans, career goals, and future contributions to society.

Next, survey the scholarship landscape and isolate common themes and requirements (whether it is a similar essay question or a comparable extracurricular activity worksheet). Attempt to bridge multiple applications with every sentence you write or form you prepare.

Also, go back into your archive of old scholarship applications (you’ll develop one quickly) and try to recycle essays and other past materials. Don’t just recopy such passages verbatim; instead, try to rethink, improve, and hone everything to fit the criteria of each new contest.

3. Leverage schoolwork and class time
If you have to do the schoolwork anyway, why not make it count toward your scholarship quest? For example, if you’re asked to write an essay on a book of your choosing, you may want to select The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. This way, you’ll have a submission ready to go for the annual essay contest on this famous novel. If you’re assigned a self-reflective essay, pick a personal topic that fits in well with scholarship applications you’re pursuing. Moreover, teachers can serve as a helpful source of early feedback for these potential scholarship submissions.

This technique isn’t restricted merely to classroom assignments. Most schools offer some type of independent study credit, in which you can pursue your own project under the guidance of an adviser. At many schools, you’re even allowed to use a class period during the day to pursue this work. Use the time to complete self-initiated projects that add to your record and improve your chances of scholarship (and college admission) success.

4. Learn from past scholarship winners
In playing the scholarship game, it’s extremely useful to have a roadmap of what it takes to win. To obtain this roadmap, make a point of reviewing past winning applications, essays and other materials. Many times, you can request sample winning entries from the organization administering the scholarship program.

In addition, it’s useful to interview past winners of scholarships you plan to enter. Ask them about their unique qualifications, the approach they took in filling out applications, and any insights they have about particular scholarship contests you’re planning to enter. Many scholarship contests will provide a list of past winners upon request. The best way to master the scholarship game is to learn from those who have played it well.