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When you’re a first generation college student, you may discover that the people you expect to support you the most, don’t. Sherri Graf had that experience and it motivated her to work hard and develop an amazing resource to help incoming students find their way through college, trade school, and more.
Listen to learn how and why Sherri created the Imagine Scholarships platform. It’s designed with the needs of college-bound (or trade school-bound) students in mind. You’ll find out how the platform simplifies the scholarship process, how a Video Resource page helps students make the most of every opportunity, and how they can use the platform to reach the goal of a debt-free education.
Helping All Students Change Their Future through Education
The difference a quality education makes is undeniable and Sherri doesn’t like the thought of anyone being denied an education for financial reasons. For that reason, she built the Imagine Scholarship platform as a powerful resource for traditional students, those pursuing graduate degrees, law school, medical school, and even vocational technical education.
The platform can also be used by those pursuing additional certifications and training, enabling them to increase their ability to do their jobs and gain a higher wage. All of this is done with a very careful eye on the privacy of those using the platform. Sherri is committed to protecting students’ information so every scholarship listed is there for the sake of the applicants, not to capture information for marketing purposes.
Preparing Students for the Application Process
When Sherri looked through the data collected from college-bound students, she discovered even more reasons to create this platform. 65 percent of students don’t know where to apply for scholarships and 15 percent find the application process is overwhelming, which is why we put together this list of the most common scholarship questions. Sherri’s goal was to build a system that simplified that process.
To receive scholarship awards, it requires continuous effort and understanding the tips to writing a winning scholarship essay, which increases your odds. Also, Imagine Scholarships is designed to help students stay consistent in their quest for scholarship funds. Sherri encourages them to apply to three to five scholarships a week and the results have been impressive. On average, students using the platform are awarded $21,000 in scholarships.
It’s Never too Early to Begin Thinking about Scholarships
Sherri is also excited to help high school students who are looking toward college to set themselves up for the best scholarship opportunities. She encourages them to develop strong communication skills, to become good at time management and organization, AND to begin applying for scholarships as early as ninth grade. The goal? Debt-free education. Sherri wants everyone to have the opportunity to get the education they desire, no matter their income, social status, or ethnicity.
Listen to this episode to learn about...
- 00:41 - Why Sherri created Imagine Scholarships
- 02:12 - A range of scholarships for various types of students
- 05:47 - Preparing students for the scholarship application process
- 08:54 - Helping high schoolers understand scholarship possibilities
- 10:11 - How Imagine scholarships supports students beyond just finances
Listen to the bonus episode to learn the importance of building your online portfolio and about opportunities for traditional and non-traditional college students.
Resources:
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Learn more about Imagine Scholarships
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Follow Imagine Scholarships on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
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Connect with Imagine Scholarships on LinkedIn
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Check out other Motivational Mondays episodes
