Financial aid expert offers advice for finding scholarships

Speaking to the New York Times last year, FinAid publisher Mark Kantrowitz shared his knowledge of the most successful methods students applying for scholarships can use to receive financial aid for college.

"Not to quote Charlie Sheen, but we want to create a culture of winning," he said to the news source, before explaining that applying for as many scholarships as possible increases the odds of "winning" financial aid for school.

Kantrowitz also noted that even especially qualified students get turned down by at least a few scholarship programs before being approved to receive benefits. The Times went on to profile Jeffrey Cipriano, a Fordham University student, who was only approved for five out of the 30 scholarships he applied for.

In addition to casting a wide net, having a solid letter of recommendation can't hurt when applying for scholarships. Evergreen Valley College recommends that students give individuals they've asked to write them a recommendation plenty of time before the filing deadline. Furthermore, students should only ask people who can write with authority about their academic and personal qualities for recommendations.

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