Join the Do You University Movement!

Do You University Launches Next Week!

If you read this blog with any kind of frequency, hopefully by now, you have seen my announcement about ForwardUniversity.com rebranding as Do You University (DYU).  We are ultra-excited around these here parts of the world these days because we truly believe that DYU is positioned to really help a lot of students out there in Scholastica.  I almost posted here the other night, but we were experiencing some last minute hiccups that made me delay sharing my exuberance.

The DYU concept planning began last fall, and the more we looked at our research and the market--the more excited we became about building, and launching a new admissions consulting company that employs a more student-centered approach to college admissions consulting.  In February, we began our developer search, and after many days of deliberation selected our web developer.    Once we engaged our developer, it was nothing but days, and days of strategic plan reviews, content writing and rewriting, system and process reviews, conference calls, and meetings via Skype, and other fun things like dealing with corporate formation, intellectual property and vendor issues.  Launching a start-up is a lot of hard work . . . whew . . . and we are still working, and striving for perfection or at least optimality, and cohesion.

So, good people--DYU is scheduled to launch on Monday, July 28th,  Yes, that is this Monday coming up people--y'know the day after Sunday (LOL).  After waking up this morning for some final edits to the website, and integrity checks, DYU should go-live on Monday, and to say that I am excited is an understatement.  This calls for a celebration, but alas there is too much work yet to be done for that right now--so, my friends we must continue to work hard so that DYU will become the very best at what it does.  Hip-hip, hooray!
Ok, enough of my celebratory and festive ravings.  Let me tell you why you should join DYU if you are in high school or secondary school.  You should join DYU because DYU was created and launched with you in mind.  If you are a college-bound student--that means YOU!  DYU's platform was developed to create a pipeline between you and the many different colleges and universities that are out there in Higher Ed land.  I am not going to waste precious time telling you about DYU here--find out for yourself--take the plunge--sign-up for your free student member account today, and let's get it started.

Sign-up if you are a Senior, Junior, Sophomore or Freshman.  Tell your friends, let's start a chain reaction--because the more students like you that join DYU--the more effective we will be in taking over the world!  (Just joking!)  But, seriously though, the more serious students like you that join the DYU movement, well the larger the voice DYU will have, and we all know that there is strength in numbers.  So, Join today! Create your individual member profile, and let's move Forward To Your Future!  

National FFA Scholarship Program

National FFA Scholarship Program

National FFA Scholarship Program is open to current college students or high school students planning to enroll in a two-year or four-year degree program majoring in agriculture. Students must be current members of Future Farmers of America (FFA).

Applicants must have at least a 2.8 grade point average, plus a history that demonstrates their leadership skills and dedication to community service. Students only need to complete one online application in order to be considered for all available FFA-administered scholarships.

To apply, students will need to complete a 1,000 word essay. In addition to an application, they will also be required to share information about their extracurricular and community activities. Tuition money may be used for books, supplies, tuition, fees and room and board.

FFA was founded in 1928 to support students and educators in the pursuit of agriculture education. They are headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization awards over $2 million in scholarships to deserving agriculture students across the country.

The deadline for this scholarship is usually in FEBRUARY of each year, and the award amount is usually $1,000. 

For more details, visitwww.ffa.org/programs/grantsandscholarships/Scholarships/Pages/default.aspx

Linda Lael Scholarship for Women

Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women

Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women is for women age 25 or older who want to complete their education. It is specifically designed to help women who were not able to complete their education previously due to barriers in their lives.

Eligible women must be 25 years old or older and planning to attend an accredited college or university in the U.S. or Canada. They must be U.S. or Canadian citizens. To apply, candidates must complete a 500-word essay that explains the reasons for applying for the scholarship, how the funds will be used, and how the scholarship award will help them with their education and career goals.

The scholarship is sponsored by author Linda Lael Miller, author of contemporary and historical stories that were on national bestsellers lists and won her numerous awards. Enduring her own struggles to become a writer, Linda established the scholarship to help other women succeed through education.

One winner per year will receive a scholarship award. Winners have included women from all walks of life who have struggled with obstacles that include disabilities, victims of domestic violence, single parents and older women, all of whom demonstrated a strong desire to pursue their dreams to complete their education.

The deadline for this scholarship is usually in AUGUST of each year, and the award amount is usually 1,000.

For more details, visit www.lindalaelmiller.com/lindas-scholarship/

Why I Started Do You University

The Do You University Revolution Has Begun

OK.  So, on last night I finally made the big announcement about the impending launch of Do You University.  I truly believe that Do You University is going to be a difference maker in the lives of many--if not all of the college-bound students that join the DYU movement by becoming a member of the DYU community.  Yes, DYU is a movement--a student movement to right the ship or let us say correct the current directional impact that higher education continues to have on hundreds of thousands of students in the United States, and around the globe.  As I am quite sure that you, and your parents are aware of the yearly rise in college and university tuition in the United States, it seems that every college or university whether small or large has joined the annual tuition increase parade.  Personally, I believe that such exorbitant ticket prices for a four-year college education are out of control, and similar to the way that American citizens get gouged at the gas pump--tuition paying parents are being gouged by U.S. colleges and universities.  So, what's a parent or guardian of an aspiring college student to do?

Middle-Class Family Incomes Cannot Keep Pace With Annual Tuition Increases

If you believe that I am being overly dramatic here let's look at some empirical data, and move beyond my mere conjecture.  Despite the fact that the economy is still in recovery, and the fact that the rate of inflation continues to outstrip the median family income in America--college and university tuition is up arithmetically at not only private colleges and universities, but tuition is also up at public universities that have for so long been subsidized for residents of the states in which those universities are located.  The Federal Reserve Bank chart below illustrates my point:

As you can see from the Federal Reserve's data, the difference in income and the cost of attending college in 2011-2012 is about 50 points higher than it was in 2001-02,  Furthermore, if I extrapolate, in 2014-15 the disparity will probably move to the 60-70 point mark. So, what does this do?  Increase the need for student loan indebtedness apparently, as more and more college financial aid packages constrict based on the parental and student income levels.  The irony here is that because household incomes are so grossly disproportionate to the perpetual tuition increases, it is nearly impossible for middle income families to keep up with such cost increases, and annual college tuition increases.  So, while colleges and universities continue to increase their tuition each year--most of them are doing nothing in terms of providing additional financial assistance in the form of grants, or scholarships. Instead, many middle-income families are left to their own devices, which usually amounts to government-backed Direct and Parent PLUS loans.

Student Loans Abound

The chart below delineates the stark reality of this new epidemic of student loan indebtedness:

Today's economic landscape impresses upon all future collegians, and their families to vigilantly prepare for their student's matriculation to the college campus.  Student loan debt in America has more than doubled from 2004 to 2012 to more than 900 billion dollars.  So, what's a family to do?  The simple and short answer is to start saving for your child's college education the minute that he/she is born; however, not everyone is able to do this effectively for a plethora of reasons.  So, the next thing you can do is try to save as much as you can, and be prepared to wing it.  That is to say, be prepared to set up a college payment plan to pay-off the balance of your student's cost of attendance once scholarship money, grant money or (un)subsidized loan funds have been applied to your bill.  This is always the practical alternative when you don't suddenly experience a major comeuppance six-months before little Stevie is about to go off to college because you found a chest of buried treasure in the back yard or the wall of your home using that ole' trusty metal detector.  Anyway, enough of my attempt at humor to lighten the mood.  My point here is simply this: college tuition around the country is exorbitant, and its about time someone started a movement to shakeup the higher education paradigm in America.  Otherwise, college truly will be for the children of the 1% alone, and eventually most of the 99% will be totally priced out of the market or if not, living beyond their college affordability means to keep up with the Joneses.

Why I Started DYU

So, this is effectively why I decided to start DYU . . . to try to fix the college affordability problem by creating an online platform that will empower each student member to recognize his/her power, and to know beyond a reasonable doubt that he/she has value, and true worth.  Join the DYU movement, and let's make this vision a reality together. Remember that you can sign up for your free student membership account at: http://doyouuniversity.com.

Fifth Third Scholarship

Fifth Third Scholarship Sweepstakes

Fifth Third Scholarship Sweepstakes is open to all college students age 18 and older. It is open to all U.S. legal residents, except residents of New York and Rhode Island.

Students may qualify to be entered into the competition in one of two ways. They are automatically entered into the drawing if they open a Fifth Third Student Checking Account. They receive an additional entry is they open a Fifth Third Goal Setter Savings account on the same day.

Students may also enter by sending in their name, address and contact information on a 3" x 5" card. Entries must be received by October 8. The winner's scholarship money will be awarded around the middle of October.

Fifth Third Bank is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was established in 1858. They offer consumer and commercial banking services as well as specialized services tailored to the needs of college students.

The deadline for this scholarship is usually in SEPTEMBER of each year, and the award amount is usually $10,000. 

For more details, visit www.53.com/student-banking/

Forward To Your Future!

I started blogging about the college admissions process, and things related to the college admissions process on ForwardUniversity (FU) in 2008.  At that time, my goal was to turn ForwardUniversity.com into a full-blown website about the college admissions and selection process.  I started FU as a means of writing about the college admissions application process in my spare time as sort of an underwhelming means for my daughter, Taylor, to become more familiar with the college application process, which at the time she didn't seem to be too enthused about.  Nevertheless, over the years, I have tried to write a post here or there that might contain tidbits of helpful information.  Despite my heart, and desire being in the right place, my time limitations were highly restrictive, and continually left me with a feeling of incompleteness. So, this year instead of trying to find time to write helpful and insightful posts about the college admissions and selection process, I decided to take a different approach--a more streamlined approach, but nevertheless helpful approach:  I decided to list various scholarship opportunities which I could normally do in a 10 - 30 minutes time (in the case of including multiple scholarship listings).

So, for about the last three to four-months, I have been posting various scholarship opportunities on this blog.  I figured that with the exorbitant, rising costs of a college education in the 21st Century that posting a few scholarships on a weekly basis was the least that I could do for those who visit this blog that I post to very sparingly at best.  Well, I have been waiting impatiently all summer to share a bit of new information with you.  Well, I guess it's more of an announcement than information, even though it is also the information (LOL). Sorry, my attempt at humor betrays me on this evening.  Anyway, I wanted to let my loyal visitors/readers of this blog know that ForwardUniversity.com will be shuttering its Internet windows, and this will be my last week posting to FU.  Hopefully, this does not come as too much of a surprise or too much of a disappointment to you.  If you seldom frequented these pages then you probably won't get all misty-eyed on me.  However, if you did look forward to the postings that appeared here--don't fret too much because FU is relaunching as DoYouUniversity.com (DYU), a college admissions consulting start-up, and online platform that will assist college-bound students, and their families to navigate the college admissions and selection process. DYU has been a long time coming, and has been in the works since last January.  Finally, we are about to launch, and I am very excited about the opportunity to provide college admissions information, and advice on a regular basis to the high school students who join the DYU community, which is also a free online platform for college-bound students who are currently in high school.

Introducing: DoYouUniversity.com

As I alluded to above, DYU doubles as a college admissions consulting site, and also as a platform for the college-bound.  DYU was created to empower high school students to express their individuality through the art of doing you.  Students who take advantage of our free platform will have an opportunity to take advantage of the many benefits of being a DYU member.  As a student member of the DYU community, students can build a customized student profile that they can be used to promote themselves to colleges and universities, as well as scholarship foundations, and the like.  Student members will also have access to free college admissions, financial aid, scholarship, college selection, and essay writing advice, among other things. Student members will also have a connection to many colleges and universities that they are interested in attending or learning more about.  Public chat rooms, and other topic-centered chat forums will also be available, and so much more.  So, if you are a high school student, join DYU's online student community:  meet your peers from around the Unites States and the world; chat with yours truly about the admissions process (yes, I will be answering your college-admissions related questions); attend online College Fairs and college forums.  However, most importantly, JOIN DYU's movement to revolutionize your future! After all, DYU is "All About You!"   I hope to see you at Do You University real soon.  Forward To Your Future!

SMART Scholarship Opportunity

Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program

Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program is for undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). SMART will fund the total cost of full-time tuition at an accredited U.S. college or university of the applicant's choice.

To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be U.S. citizens and 18 years of age or older. A grade point average of 3.0 or above is required. Applicants must must also be able to participate in summer internships at the Department of Defense laboratories, and be willing to accept post-graduate employment with the Department of Defense.

Eligible areas of study include engineering, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, information sciences, behavioral sciences, oceanography, geosciences, nuclear engineering, and more. All students must be currently enrolled as either an undergraduate or graduate student.

SMART Scholarship was established by the U.S. Department of Defense. The program's purpose is to support degrees in the STEM fields to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at Department of Defense laboratories.

The deadline for this scholarship is usually in AUGUST of each year, and the award amount is usually $25,000 - $41,000. 

For more details, visit smart.asee.org/

Ford Family Scholarship Programs

Ford Family Scholarship Programs

Ford Family Scholarship Programs offer several opportunities for students residing in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California to receive financial assistance for education. The scholarship programs are for high school and undergraduate students only.

Eligible students must enroll full-time at an accredited four-year college or university. Four separate scholarships are available. The Ford Scholars Program is for high school seniors or students currently attending a community college who want to transfer to a four-year college. The Ford Opportunity Program is designed to help single parents who are head of household and want to pursue a Bachelor's degree.

The Ford Restart Program is for older adults age 25 and older who want to return to college and earn a certificate or degree. All three programs are for students residing in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. The fourth scholarship program is The Scholarship Program for Sons and Daughters of Roseburg Forest Products Co. and is offered in Oregon, Siskiyou County, California and other regions.

The Ford Foundation is a private, independent foundation of the Roseburg Forest Products Company. Roseburg Forest Products Company is based in Roseburg, Oregon, and is one of the largest privately-owned wood products companies in the U.S. The foundation is dedicated to helping small rural communities in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. The foundation is not associated with the Ford Motor Company.

The deadline for this scholarship is usually in MARCH of each year, and the award VARIES. 

For more details, visitwww.tfff.org/ScholarshipPrograms/SummaryofScholarshipPrograms/tabid/83/Default.aspx

Mentoring Scholarship Opportunity

My Mentor Was Me Scholarship Video Challenge

My Mentor Was Me Scholarship Video Challenge is open to high school students and undergraduate as well as graduate students currently attending college.

Students may enter the contest by creating a video of 1-3 minutes long that describes their mentor and how they have influenced their education and career goals. Students must also include in their video, in their own words, how important mentor relationships are.

After completing and uploading the video, applicants will invite as many friends as possible to like the video. The winning video will be chosen based on number of likes, creativity, originality and quality.

The scholarship is sponsored by Dr. Cleamon Moorer and Associates, a Michigan-based non-profit organization that provides mentoring, annual giving and outreach programs that support and encourage students and educators to achieve excellence.

The deadline for this scholarship is usually in JULY of each year, and the award amount is usually $1,000. 

Kodak Film Student Scholarship

KODAK Student Scholarship

KODAK Student Scholarship recognizes both undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate exceptional skills in film making. The scholarship program includes both a tuition scholarship and a motion picture film grant.

Eligible students must be enrolled full-time at an accredited film school. Students must be nominated by their school. Three scholarships and grants are awarded each year to deserving students. The awards include Gold, Silver and Bronze awards, each including both a scholarship and a motion picture film grant.

Kodak, in partnership with the University Film & Video Foundation (UFVF), has held this annual contest since 1991 to encourage students who are pursuing careers in film making. The scholarship program is open to students internationally.

Eastman Kodak Company, commonly known as Kodak, is an American technology company focused on imaging solutions and services for businesses. The company was founded by George Eastman in 1888 and is headquartered in Rochester, New York.

The deadline for this scholarship is usually in MAY of each year, and the award amount is usually $3,000 - $5,000. 

National EMT Scholarship

NAEMT Scholarships

NAEMT Scholarships are designed to provide educational support for the advancement of EMS personnel. Individual, active members of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) are eligible to apply.

Scholarships are offered in the spring/summer, and fall/winter. They apply to those who are First Responders, EMT-Basic, and Paramedics who plan to enroll in an education program that leads to the next level in their EMS career and certification. Eligible applicants must demonstrate a commitment to their career, financial need, and dedication to their community.

To apply, candidates must submit a cover letter that describes in 1,000 words or less their career goals in the field of EMS and how the scholarship will help them achieve it.

The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians began in 1975 and now has more than 40,000 members in the U.S. It is the only member-based organization supporting the interests of EMS personnel.

The deadline for this scholarship is usually in SEPTEMBER each year, and the award amount is usually $500 to $5,000.