Brianna is back to bless our blog, AGAIN!
In July, Brianna explained how she approached applying for scholarships her senior year of high school. Many of our readers were hungry for more information! So in this interview, Brianna provides the scholarship strategy she used to get funding for her college career.
Along with sharing her scholarship strategy, we're thrilled to hear all about her first week as a college student!
Check It Out Below. . .
First Week As A College Student
Brianna, you're a college freshmen now - YES! Before we jump into your scholarship strategy, we must know - how did you feel in the days leading up to your move to college?
In my days leading up to college I was super excited. All I could think about was ...
“I’m all grown up now , I really made it through high school.”
How would you describe your first week in college?
My first week was a breeze. I have 3 face-to-face classes and 2 online. But, because of COVID, all classes are changing to online so that 40+ people will not be in one small space.
That's great- your college is taking all precautions to keep students safe. How would you describe your experience in the dorms and with your roommate?
The good thing about COVID-19 is it saved me from having a roommate. So everything is very quiet and chill.
What has been the most surprising to learn about college life so far?
The most surprising thing to learn about college life is you are literally on your own . Everything is up to you at this point . You don’t have anybody to tell you to get up, when you wash your clothes, how to spend your money. It’s all up to you.
It's so much responsibility and you're going to NAIL IT! Are there any campus organizations you’re looking to join? If so, what made you choose them?
A campus organization I am looking forward to joining is one of the sororities. I would tell you the exact one but I don’t want to spoil it for the future!
I can respect that. I'm sure some of our readers would love to suggest their sorority! We'll patiently wait to see what you decide.
What class are you looking forward to the most and why?
The class I was looking forward to the most was Principles of Biology because that’s the class that sets my foundation to be a Midwife in the future. I have chosen to be a MidWife because I have always liked the idea of an at-home pregnancy and delivery. I want to be able to be there and help moms safely bring their new addition to the world.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your college experience so far?!
When you get to college, yes please have fun but there is a time for fun and a time for work. Always read your syllabus because there will be a quiz the first week you get there. College grading scales are different so learn it and do the work so you are guaranteed to get an A.
Scholarship Application Strategy
That's great advice! Now, let's dive into your scholarship strategy. What websites do you recommend for finding college scholarships or grants?
When applying for scholarships, there are a lot of different ones out there but the website I found myself using the most is www.scholarships.com and www.fastweb.com. These two websites help when we have to work for 2 a week.
Why do you recommend these websites?
Scholarships.com and fastweb.com helped me when we had to apply for 2 a week. These websites were easy to work with when it came to the application.
Why do you suggest applying for at least 2 scholarships per week?
I suggest this method because within the month you can receive at least one or two, and you should continue to apply until you get your desired amount.
What advice can you give when writing essays for college scholarships? Any writing tips?
When writing an essay, think outside the box. Write about things that will make whoever is reading it wanna read it again. Also make sure you have somebody else read it right, after you have read it out loud to yourself multiple times.
Are you aware of any local organizations that also give scholarship funds for college students?
Local organizations give scholarships all the time. Get active in your community. Churches, banks, stores, sororities, and many others give scholarships to students every year.
Since most students need lots of funds for college, is there any other advice you can give that will help students find the right scholarships for them?
When financial aid or the FAFSA becomes available, get right to it. The longer you wait to do your financial aid application, the less money you will have in the long run. When going to college, you need as much free money you can get so you will not have to take out loans.
This was very helpful, Brianna. Thank you for always being willing to share your knowledge with others. We can't wait to hear more about how you conquer your freshmen year!