<p>This is a sore point with me.</p>
<p>Both my kids are at private colleges, following very specific programs of their own choosing. Cost of school was not the deciding factor but each was on notice that they would be directly responsible for a portion of the overall cost over the length of their degree pursuit by way of student loans.</p>
<p>I know the kids are busy, but neither of my two rarely bothered to fill out any opportunities that I had researched for them. I chose scholarship opportunities that suited their particular strengths, and they each had a fair shot at these if they chose to take the time and effort. I made sure not to overburden them with insignificant amounts, wild reaches, or ridiculous odds. I gave them any required financial info up front, and made sure that the effort involved in terms of time was offset by the dollar value of the award; They were given notice of the app months before the deadline.</p>
<p>In most cases, all they had to do was secure a couple of recommendation letters, and write a short essay. The most repeated excuse for not meeting the deadlines was “I didn’t have time”, translated as the requests for the letter(s) was never initiated or initated very late. </p>
<p>Come May, they both will have their degrees. Hopefully jobs, too.
When it’s time to buy either gas, food, or pay the loan, I hope they realize
what potential opportunities they so easily dismissed.</p>