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It seems earning a big-time  

Scholarship

  requires more than being an excellent, well-rounded student nowadays -- although awards for such students do exist. For high-stake returns, it's those with specialized knowledge or talent who cash in. We went to the experts to find out why, and let you in on the secrets to scoring big bucks.

As education program manager for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), a competition for high school students involving life sciences, Barbara Carman believes any increase in the number of scholarships out there, specialized or not, means super rewards for you. "The more opportunities there are to encourage students to go to college, the better," she declares.

And, with increased student need for college funds comes demand for a greater number of scholarship options, explains Chuck Wentzel, associate director of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, which rewards creative achievements by students grades seven to 12. "Students are looking at where they excel," he insists. "They want to differentiate themselves from others."

Through specialized processes such as science and art competitions, says Carman, students can set themselves apart, and be rewarded, recognized, and encouraged to pursue their talents as careers.

While these creditable competitions can be more financially rewarding than others, that's not to say focusing on one particular area of academic excellence is necessarily better than "playing the field" and exploring a variety of interests, say experts.

In fact, students who participate in the Intel ISEF are very well-rounded, claims Carman. Seventy-two percent play a musical instrument, 73 percent volunteer in their communities, and 62 percent read at least one foreign language fluently. They even have time to play sports! "They're not just focused on science," she affirms.

Wentzel agrees. "Our program isn't about a kid who goes home, locks himself in a room and writes for 10 hours. Even our top-placing kids are better served by having more and varied life experiences," he explains. "Students who achieve have a broader context to draw on."

In other words, surprise: You don't need a one-track mind to wow the competition! But, as both experts note, you generally can't jump into these super-charged scholarships unless you've been working in a specific area for a while, and have exceptional talent. "We recognize students who have been committed for years," asserts Wentzel. "These competitions are the capstone, the end event in a lot of hard work," adds Carman.

That's good news for all you superstars out there, since the amount of a scholarship award is often commensurate with the amount of work it takes to win. As Carman points out, the Intel ISEF is "not just filling out an application. It's quite involved."

How can you get to the head of the class? "Start early!" advises Carman. If your school doesn't participate in such events, there are hundreds of scholarship guides out there to lead the way, along with a wealth of information available online at such sites as Fastweb.com.

To get your award adventure started, check out The Art and Writing Scholarship and Intel ISEF.


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Amanda Fornecker is a staff writer at The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.

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