A Scholarship for Word Nerds
Does your inclination, endearment, and infatuation for the English language lead you to consider yourself a word nerd? My dear friend Jeanne Lucas was a self-professed word nerd herself. Jeanne was also a spirited educator and supportive friend who left this world far too soon. The National Test Prep Association, the non-profit organization of which I am the founding president, is proud to commemorate the life and legacy of a tremendous teacher through the Jeanne Lucas Memorial Scholarship. One-time $500 scholarships will be awarded to multiple students, and all language lovers in the high school graduating class of 2023 are invited to apply by submitting a response to the following prompt in 300 to 500 carefully selected words by May 1, 2023: Our dear friend Jeanne Lucas frequently referred to herself as a word nerd. She reveled in using lesser-known vocabulary in everyday settings. Jeanne’s love of vocabulary and grammar…
Am I a National Merit Scholarship Contender?
The National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual academic competition for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships. According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which was established in 1955, over 1.5 million students in about 21,000 high schools enter the National Merit Scholarship Program each year, with about 50,000 entrants qualifying for program recognition, and approximately 8,050 outstanding students receiving scholarships valued collectively at over $35 million for college undergraduate study. The primary way students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), almost always in 11th grade. For many students, a shot at scholarship recognition may be the only good reason to sit for the PSAT. After all, the PSAT is not relevant in college admissions, is not exactly a practice SAT, and doesn’t provide test scores early enough in junior year for many students to act on. That said, there are plenty…
Congratulations to Our 2021 Scholarship Winner!
One of our greatest pleasures at Chariot Learning is helping students unlock the substantial scholarship opportunities tied to outstanding grades and test scores. It’s no exaggeration that an investment in test prep often comes back tenfold in merit aid. However, when you help as many motivated, authentic, and endearing students as we do in the college admissions process, you can’t help but want to find more ways to support them. From that thought arose the Tests and the Rest Counselor Select Scholarship. My podcast partner Amy Seeley and I both wanted to add something new to the constellation of local, national, and organizational awards students contend for and consulted with scholarship expert Monica Matthews on the best way to proceed. The concept behind the Tests and the Rest Counselor Select Scholarship is to provide a way for one student per school in multiple states to be nominated for the scholarship…
Why Take the PSAT?
This time of year finds us answering a lot of questions about the PSAT, from parents eager to arrange prep to others wondering if their teens should take the the October test at all. And, really, the question deserves consideration. Just about every high school has its juniors, and sometimes even sophomores, sit for the PSAT. Schools have good reason to administer these tests, thanks to the wealth of score data the College Board sends back. But is the test worth any single student’s time? Why take the PSAT? The College Board describes many benefits to taking the PSAT, but only a couple of them seem persuasive. Consider each one: Discover Your AP® Potential BAD IDEA, at least if you are already a junior. By that time, qualified students with access are already enrolled in several AP classes. 10th graders who haven’t already tried AP European or World History might…
Congratulations to Our 2020 Scholarship Winner!
When you help as many motivated, authentic, and endearing students as we do in the college admissions process, you can’t help but want to find more ways to support them. Obviously, the best way we educators can support high schoolers is by providing the best test prep, tutoring, and coaching possible. But sometimes you want to do even more. From that thought arose the Tests and the Rest Counselor Select Scholarship. My podcast partner Amy Seeley and I both wanted to add something new to the constellation of local, national, and organizational awards students contend for and consulted with scholarship expert Monica Matthews on the best way to proceed. We liked our initial idea so much that we extended it to our national professional network to provide a way for students in multiple states to be nominated for the scholarship by their school counselor and apply for it. As a…
Thinking About an ROTC Scholarship or Military College?
Choosing a school is already a difficult decision, making the choice with the ROTC scholarship in mind could make the decision easier… or that much harder. Here are some things to keep in mind that have the potential to make the decision-making process less of a headache. One important first step is to help your son or daughter to decide on a major, if they have not done so already. This can narrow down the search for the right school. Military vs. non-military college is another topic to think about. A traditional college is going to offer your son or daughter a traditional college experience for the most part. He or she will still be required to fulfill their ROTC obligations. A military service academy is not going to reflect the traditional college experience, but it will help you son or daughter learn the military culture and help them to…