Articles for High School Counselors

Any of your students planning to be Entrepreneurs? They should apply for these scholarships.

Owning their own business is the dream of many students. From Jeff Bezos to Elon Musk there are examples of many entrepreneurs that are now the richest of the rich. Finimpact has published a list of scholarships available for students that are planning to go down the entrepreneurial career path. Here are 14 of them that might be of interest to your students:

1. Business Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship

The Scholarship for the Business Leaders of Tomorrow is provided annually by the Business Broker Network. Business Broker Network is dedicated to connecting business buyers and sellers through its online database of over 28,000 businesses and franchises. One winner will be selected and notified by the end of the year. Selection will be based primarily on the quality of submitted essays. The Scholarship for the Business Leaders of Tomorrow is available for U.S. college freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are between the ages of 17 and 24.

Prize Amount: $2,000
Eligibility Requirements: Aged between 17 – 24, US student.
Application Process: 800-word essay, proof of enrollment.
Application Deadline: 30th October.

2. Cancer for College Leonard Family Entrepreneurial Spirit Scholarship

Cancer For College is a charity that specializes in giving scholarships and financial aid to those in need of it (mainly due to adverse health conditions). Awards are around $5,000 each. Scholarship recipients must maintain full-time enrollment at his/her stated university. Failure to maintain full-time enrollment or transfer from a 4-year university to a community college may result in loss of scholarship funds. Graduate students receiving scholarships do not need to maintain full-time student status. Scholarship recipients experiencing health-related issues that force them to leave school may request a one-time extension of their scholarship, not to exceed one school year. Recipients exceeding this time will forgo their scholarship but may reapply when ready to return to school.

The Cancer for College scholarship application is completed completely online. It offers several scholarships for students suffering from a variety of serious ailments. For the Leonard Family Entrepreneurial Spirit Scholarship, the award is $5,000 and applicants must be a business major or related field with a desire to pursue a career in the food-service industry, and potentially own and operate a restaurant.

Prize Amount: $5,000
Eligibility Requirements: Diagnosed with cancer, planning to attend university full time, total parents income is not more than $150,000.
Application Process: Parents or personal tax statement, two years of previous college transcripts, confirmation of illness from a doctor, and a letter of recommendation from one person outside of the family.
Application Deadline: The application period opens on November 1 and closes on January 31 each year. The application requires some detailed information that you can find here.

3. The FormSwift Startup Scholarship Program

This is one of the more fun and creative scholarship programs out there. Applicants may select from a total of 5 industries – startup, restaurant, non-profit, transportation, and clothing. They then make an infographic on one of these industries for a chance to win $1,000. The program runs 3 times a year with the deadlines of January 15, March 15, and September 15 for entry. So there are multiple opportunities to win this scholarship.

The only hard condition is that applicants must be graduating high school or enrolled in college. After this, you simply send the infographic and some details to a designated email address. International students are also welcome to apply. The idea behind the scholarship is that new entrepreneurs can hone some of the skills they will need after college.

Prize Amount: $1,000
Eligibility Requirements: US student attending or going to attend university. Cannot have friends/family who work at FormSwift.
Application Process: Send infographic to a designated email address.

Application Deadline: The program runs 3 times a year with the deadlines of January 15, March 15, and September 15 for entry.

4. Kitchen Cabinet Kings Entrepreneur Scholarship

This is a construction industry scholarship started by two entrepreneurs in the kitchen cabinet industry. Kitchen Cabinet Kings will award one $5,000 scholarship for the best-submitted entry determined by the Kitchen Cabinet Kings team. The scholarship will be awarded in check form, made payable directly to the winner. The deadline is June 30th, 2021. The winner to be announced on August 31st.

Prize Amount: $5,000
Eligibility Requirements: Any current college student or incoming freshman enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program in a 2021 semester. The student must be enrolled at an accredited American college, university, or trade school.
Application Process: Submit an essay with an online form through the site. The 2021 essay relates to how companies can take advantage of ways to make a profit while the population is mainly indoors.
Application Deadline: June 30th.

5. Grasshopper Entrepreneur Scholarship

Founded by two entrepreneurs, Grasshopper has been making it easier to start and grow a small business since 2003. It was started as just two guys with a dream and to date have served over 300,000 entrepreneurs. The Grasshopper scholarship is worth $5,000 for the winners. The eligibility criteria are that the candidate is enrolled in a US college or trade school with a current GPA of 3.0. The deadline is August 30th and the essay topics vary each year but are based around a current or future business model. Basically, if you are a current undergraduate with an idea to start a business, this could be the perfect start.

Prize Amount: $5,000
Eligibility Requirements: Enrolled in a US university or trade school.
Application Process: Online submission of essay and details.
Application Deadline: 30th August.

6. Insureon Small Business Scholarship

Insureon is an insurance company that offers 2 prizes of $2,500 for winners of its scholarship. To qualify, candidates must be currently attending a 4-year undergraduate. The deadline is 30th April 2021. No GPA average is required for this small business scholarship. The candidate simply needs to have a business idea and pitch it via online submission.

Prize Amount: $2,500 for 2 winners.
Eligibility Requirements: Current US undergraduate.
Application Process: Submissions via email. A short essay between 500 -750 words.
Application Deadline: 30th April

7. GreenPal Scholarship for Tomorrow’s Entrepreneur

The purpose of The GreenPal Small Business Scholarship is to assist a motivated, driven student and future business leader. The program believes that the generation of today’s students is the future employers of tomorrow.

If you currently run a small business while attending college or have a small business idea to start while you plan to attend college, you are invited to attend. The winner is announced in December of each year.

However, the standard for this scholarship is a little higher than most. Applicants must show a lot of ambition and maintain a GPA above 3.5. Further, they have to major in business, economics, or finance. To apply for the scholarship, current or future students must email a short submission essay (500 – 1000 words) along with a photo to a designated email address.

Prize Amount: $2,000
Eligibility Requirements: 3.5 average GPA. Business, economics, or finance major in a US university.
Application Process: Online essay submission via email.
Application Deadline: The deadline to apply is Nov 15th of each running year.

8. National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Scholarships

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation provides multiple merit-based scholarships to students pursuing degrees related to the restaurant industry (to include majors within the culinary, hospitality, and food-service fields). Scholarship award amounts range between $2,500 and $10,000. Deadlines are March 31st, 2021

In addition to the general NRAEF scholarships, several named leadership scholarships are also available through the application portal. Requirements may vary but all applicants must be pursuing a degree related to the restaurant industry. There are some niche scholarships here for those pursuing business majors that are heavily associated with restaurants. Many of these scholarships are run in conjunction with other organizations, such as Choose Restaurants, where you can find a definitive list of culinary scholarships on offer.

Prize Amount: $2,500 – $10,000
Eligibility Requirements: US Students in restaurant-related majors.
Application Process: Varies depending on the particular scholarship in question.
Application Deadline: 31st March.

9. BlueVine Young Entrepreneurs Scholarship

BlueVine, which helps small businesses address their working capital needs with access to fast funding, is offering two $5,000 scholarships to college or graduate students interested in pursuing careers as entrepreneurs. The BlueVine Young Entrepreneurs scholarship program aims to motivate and support aspiring business owners in undergraduate and graduate programs related to entrepreneurship. The scholarships will be offered in the spring and fall semesters.
BlueVine is launching the scholarship program to recognize the contributions of small businesses to their communities, employees, and communities.

Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.3 to be considered. One scholarship will be awarded in the spring, and another in the fall. Each applicant must submit a 600 to 800-word essay on what drives his or her passion to start a business. The essay must include details on how the scholarship can help the applicant succeed in school and later as an entrepreneur.

Prize Amount: Two $5,000 amounts to be awarded.
Eligibility Requirements: Current US student with a minimum of 3.3 GPA.
Application Process: Online submissions with an essay.
Application Deadline: Unknown.

10. Triadex Services Scholarship

The Triadex Services Scholarship Program supports college students each year with scholarships for recipients who excel academically and in service to others. Most Triadex Services Scholarship recipients share a passion for marketing, entrepreneurship, technology, and helping to make their communities better places to live, work, and grow.

This scholarship is available to those currently enrolled in a US college or their last year of high school with enrollment awaiting. Students must be attending a course in marketing, business, entrepreneurship, or technology to qualify. The minimum average GPA is 3.3 and the scholarship is not available to temporary residents or international students. Besides, applicants cannot have friends/family who work at Triadex. Up to 5 awards are given every year. Individual awards range from $250-$750.

Prize Amount: $250 – $750, 5 times a year.
Eligibility Requirements: Current or future US student in marketing, business, entrepreneurship, or technology.
Application Process: Email the application form online.
Application Deadline: Anytime. Awards granted quarterly.

11. Lily Pabilona Emerging Entrepreneur Scholarship

The Lily Pabilona Emerging Entrepreneur Scholarship is funded by entrepreneurs Grace and Ranier Pabilona. The Scholarship recognizes Asian American high school, graduate, and post-graduate students pursuing a career in entrepreneurship. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.

Applicants must also be either a high school senior or a college student currently enrolled full-time at an accredited U.S. vocational, junior college or four-year college/university and must be a full-time, associate/bachelor/master degree-seeking student by the upcoming academic calendar year. The minimum GPA is 3.0 and the applicant must be at least 25% Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity. Applicants must demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit and the applicant must also be a small business owner.

Prize Amount: $1,000 – $5,000 depending on the quality of the application.
Eligibility Requirements: Students with at least 25% Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity. Must also be a small business owner.
Application Process: Online essay submission, along with letters of recommendation and phone/video interview.
Application Deadline: 31st May 2021

12. Al Schuman Ecolab Entrepreneurial Scholarship

Ranging in value from $3,000 to $5,500 annually, the Al Schuman Ecolab Entrepreneurial Scholarship is granted through the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to highly ambitious, dedicated, innovative, and creative undergraduate students who clearly demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit. Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be enrolled in a partnering accredited university in a food service management-related program, carry at least nine credits per term, and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students will present a 750-word describing their future innovative entrepreneurial goals and how they’ll impact the restaurant or food-service industry.

Prize Amount: $3,000 – $5,000 annually.
Eligibility Requirements: US students in a food service management field, average GPA of 3.0 or above.
Application Process: 750-word essay describing their vision. Two recommendation letters with the application form.
Application Deadline: March 14th.

13. Media Fellows Scholarship

The Washington Media Scholars Foundation (WMSF) provides the opportunity for college students to gain firsthand knowledge of the public policy advertising world through scholarship and networking opportunities. The primary majors would include Advertising, Marketing, Communications, Business, Political Science, and Strategic Media. The financial details of the scholarship are unknown, but the WMSF also runs media case competitions with prizes of $5,000, $2,500 given out to the winners.

The Media Fellows program is the Foundation’s essay-based scholarship program, striving to provide financial assistance to undergraduate college students with interests at the intersection of advertising and public policy. Successful Media Fellows Scholarship submissions include an essay that includes the student’s personal financial need statement as well as a description of their academic achievements and career aspirations. Only current students may apply, not future students.

Prize Amount: Not specified.
Eligibility Requirements: US major student in related area (mainly Advertising, Marketing, Communications, Business, Political Science, and Strategic Media).
Application Process: Online form with attached essay.
Application Deadline: July 16 & November 16, 2021.

14. Hostgator Website Scholarship

Hostgator are a well-known provider of web services, particularly web hosting and design. HostGator’s annual scholarship program aims to help aspiring entrepreneurs pay for their education while sharing their thoughts and visions for a world shaped by the internet. HostGator itself was founded in a college dorm room back in 2002 and the founders are eager to help out undergraduates. A $1,500 prize is given to 3 winners after answering an essay question. Students of all majors are welcome to apply.

Prize Amount: $1,500 for 3 winners.
Eligibility Requirements: Current US undergraduate student.
Application Process: Submit a 500-word essay along with your personal details.
Application Deadline: 30th November.

Top 50 Companies that Allow Their Employees to Work from Home

The pandemic has really accelerated the work at home movement to where it is expected to become the norm for some companies even when the pandemic has ended. A recent survey found that 83% of employers say the shift to remote work has been successful for them. It is expected that this trend will continue and in 2021 there are a number of companies that are specifically hiring employees willing to work remote.

FlexJobs created a list of 50 of the top companies hiring remote jobs this year. Here is their list to with links to a summary of each company and job postings on their site:

Date March 4, 2021
Author Jason Bullock

Using clichés in College Essays – Should your students use them?

Last year, a counselor from Atlanta asked me what advice to give a student who wanted to use his personal statement to show colleges that he “gives 110% to everything he does.”

She knew it was a cliché.

But is that bad?

Nope. Not really. I told her it was okay and explained why.

Phrases like I give 110% and I’m a hard worker are clichés, but it’s perfectly fine for students to start with familiar phrases when they want to demonstrate that they persevere or face challenges with grace.

Students have a lot of the same experiences: working as camp counselors, making pizzas, bagging groceries, holding leadership positions in school organizations, sports teams and youth groups.

They face similar tragedies, too: someone they love dies, their parents’ divorce, someone close to them struggles with mental illness.

Colleges want to know who the student is, beyond accomplishments and experiences. As long as they answer the prompt and demonstrate positive characteristics, any topic can work.

I don’t know where my students’ stories will end up when they start writing. I know what they want to convey, so I trust the process, and I listen. I pay attention. I follow the student’s lead. Even if they start with a cliché.

We can edit out cliché statements later. The topics themselves still shine through.

Embrace the cliché. You never know where it might lead you.

Kim Lifton is President and Co-founder of Wow Writing Workshop, which teaches students and educational professionals a simple, step-by-step process for writing effective college essays so students can stand out and tell their stories. Since 2009, Wow has been leading the college admissions industry with our unique approach to communicating messages effectively through application essays, including personal statements, activity and short answer essays and supplements. We teach students – and we train professionals. Kim leads a team of writers and teachers who understand the writing process inside and out.

Join us next week for a free chat about cliches with pros

Sign up for our monthly free Pro Chat: Managing College Essay Cliches with Wow CEO Susan Knoppow on Wednesday, March 10 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. And if you can’t join us live, sign up anyway; we’ll send you the recording.

Let your students know we have a free class for them, too!

If you wants to help students with the basics, encourage them to sign up for our monthly free student class, or listen to the recording. Next up: Wednesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. ET! You are welcome to sign up, too.

Date March 3, 2021
Author Kim Lifton

Anxiety Self-Assessment Test

Directions: Read each statement and circle the answer that best applies to you; leave blank any questions you do not want to answer.

	Never	Sometimes	Often	Almost Always
1. I worry excessively about the future or bad things happening (for example, earthquakes, a loved one getting hurt or sick, failing a test).	0	1	2	3
2. I often feel restless or on edge.	0	1	2	3
3. I have trouble sleeping because my mind is racing with thoughts.	0	1	2	3
4. I stress a lot about my grades.	0	1	2	3
5. I experience a lot of headaches or stomach aches.	0	1	2	3
6. I spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think about me.	0	1	2	3
7. Social media causes me a lot of stress.	0	1	2	3
8. I have sudden rushes of intense fear or anxiety.	0	1	2	3
9. My health stresses me out.	0	1	2	3
10. I am afraid of being alone or doing things on my own.	0	1	2	3
11. I often avoid going places or doing things because I feel anxious.	0	1	2	3
12. I stress about my looks a lot.	0	1	2	3
13. I worry about a lot of things.	0	1	2	3
Add up the numbers you circled for 1-13, and see back of sheet for more details.	Total:
14. I can identify when I am feeling overly stressed and/or anxious.	0	1	2	3
15. I use tools/techniques that help me calm down/relax.	0	1	2	3
16. I have a good understanding about what anxiety is.	Yes	No
17. I can clearly identify the specific factors that cause me stress/anxiety.	Yes	No
18. I can identify areas of my body where I physically feel anxiety.	Yes	No
19. The gender I identify with is:
20. I would describe my race/ethnicity as:
21: I would describe my sexual orientation as:

*This assessment is not meant to diagnose anxiety, but to see if anxiety could be a problem for you.

Assessment:

0 – 12: You may have a normal amount of stress/anxiety, or it may be a lot, depending on the items you checked. If it is a lot to handle, you may want to try talking with someone.

13 -26: You are feeling quite a bit of anxiety in your life. It may be normal, or it may be a lot to handle. You may want to try talking with someone to help you deal with it all.

27 – 39: You are experiencing a lot of anxiety in your life. It might be wise to talk to someone to help you deal with it all.

This test was provided in the High Schools Counselors Group on FB by Tara Roddy. She tweaked the form into a Google Doc and added a place for teens that took the test anonymously to include their cell number if they would like to be contacted by the school counselor.

Date March 1, 2021
Author Tara Roddy

Example of a Parent Welcome Letter

Do you have a letter template written to send to parents this Fall? The Counselors at Normal Community High School have created a template that they use that you may be able to craft for your needs. They shared their letter in the High School Counselors Group on FB. Here is the template:

Dear Parents,

Welcome to (School Name)! We are looking forward to working with you and your student during their high school career! As your school counselors, we have a lot of great things planned for families and students. We are here to help your student gain success in high school and beyond!

(School Name) has 6 professional school counselors and 1 College and Career Counselor.

Our Duties: School counselors take on many different roles within a school. Our duties include classroom guidance lessons (during homerooms), small group and individual counseling, as well as consultation with parents, teachers, and administrators. While counselors do not discipline students, we can assist with positive behavior strategies. Our goal is for each student to develop socially, emotionally, and academically, and we strive to create a safe and positive environment in which each child can accomplish this.

School counselors work with students for a variety of reasons, including: academic concerns, college/post-secondary planning, career preparation, personal struggles, mental health concerns, and peer issues. We can also assist our families in times of hardship, as we have access to many community resources. As counselors, we are dedicated to helping each child succeed in school and life.

Please contact us if we can ever be of assistance. Please visit our website to learn more and to connect with us on social media. (URL link here) We are active on Twitter, Facebook, and Remind text messaging.

We look forward to serving you and your student(s)!

(Counselor Names, Phone Numbers and E-mail addresses listed here)

Sincerely, NCHS Counselors

Here is a link to their actual letter if you want to see an example: file:///C:/Users/JASONB~1/AppData/Local/Temp/parent%20welcome%20letter%20on%20letterhead.pdf

Date February 24, 2021
Author Jason Bullock

Have you considered earning extra money with a side hustle?

Many people, Counselors included have started freelancing to earn a little extra money, enjoy their side passions and to even create a side business that can eventually turn into a full time gig. It is estimated that 36% of all American workers have some type of freelance gig.

Thimble published a list of 19 sites that you can use to promote your freelance skills. Here are the sites and quick summary of each:

1. Freelancer

Freelancer is an online network where anyone can post a project of any duration. Freelancers have a chance to bid proposals which will include a brief description of themselves, their profile and skill set, previous ratings, a project rate quote and timeline. A rating system keeps freelancers and clients accountable and increases the potential for future work.

Who it’s for: Freelancers in technical, professional and creative fields.

2. Upwork

As an Upwork freelancer you’ll create a profile with your relevant skills and experience. Its algorithm will suggest jobs based on your profile to connect you with relevant opportunities, which are regularly updated.

Upwork works best for freelancers who use the platform often — the more successful jobs you complete, the more visible you’ll be to those hiring (and the lower your service fees will be).

Who it’s for: Any freelancer with talent for tasks that can be done on the computer.

3. Fiverr

Fiverr get’s its name by offering services that start as low as $5. As a freelancer, you’ll create a profile with the custom services you offer. Similar to Upwork, the more jobs you complete, the higher your rating potential and ability to charge more and land more gigs.

Who it’s for: Freelancers who sell digital services.

4. Toptal

Toptal has made a name for itself in the freelance job site market by rigorously screening its candidates through an application process. It boasts the top 3% of all freelance talent by evaluating thousands of applicants every month and selecting the best candidates. Those selected have the opportunity to work with huge brand names like Airbnb, HP and Gucci.

Who it’s for: Front and back-end developers, quality assurance, designers, finance experts, project managers and product managers.

5. SimplyHired

This job search engine functions by allowing job seekers to search by keyword, category, title or company. For example, use the search bar and type “freelance + [insert your skillset]” to find the best results on both contract and freelance gigs for your specific industry. What makes SimplyHired different from other freelance job sites is that it provides a salary calculator, in addition to local job opportunities. Freelancers can use this tool to see how their rates stack up to other freelancers in the area/industry.

Who it’s for: Jobs vary by availability and location, anyone can apply.

6. 99Designs

There are two ways to win business as a freelancer on 99Designs: through contests or per project work. Freelancers can browse existing contests and create a mockup to submit to the client. The client then chooses their favorites. The finalists will get feedback and have the opportunity to submit a final design. If your design is selected, you’ll receive a percentage of the contest fee.

Alternatively, you can work more traditionally with a client in a one-on-one capacity. Once you’ve negotiated a price, you’ll be paid per project.

Who it’s for: Graphic designers.

7. Skyword

Skyword is a platform for individual content creators and full-service production teams. As a freelancer, you create a profile and an editor will select you from a database based on keywords and skills listed. If the database doesn’t have a contributor with the skills needed for the project, Skyword editors will custom-recruit.

Each writer is vetted individually through the platform and the client has the final say on hiring. Payments are processed via PayPal instead of an invoice system.

Who it’s for: Freelancing needs are primarily for writers but the platform also hires graphic designers, videographers, photographers and other creatives.

8. DesignHill

This freelance job site gives design professionals the opportunity to score work in six different ways. Freelancers can enter design contests, take on one-to-one projects, sell designs in the ready-made logo store or print shop, be hired to create custom logos, or other graphic design services.

For contests, Designhill offers an onboarding process that clients can submit a brief to. From there, designers submit their work and the client assesses it using star ratings. Once a winner is selected, the designer has two weeks to submit all of the required file formats to receive the prize money.

Who it’s for: Graphic, web, and other types of design professionals.

9. SolidGigs

SolidGigs is a freelance job site that requires a monthly membership fee to outsource the task of getting clients. This platform includes different courses and tools members can access. The differentiator SolidGigs claims is the ability to handpick the top 1% of leads and send them to you in a neat little package a few times a week. It boasts that it saves you time searching for clients so you have more time for billable gigs.

Who it’s for: Any type of freelancer.

10. PeoplePerHour

The PeoplePerHour online platform consists of freelancer profiles and client projects. Once a project is created, the platform uses an AI program to analyze the details and match the client with relevant freelancers. As a freelancer, you can submit proposals to projects that fit your skillset. When a client accepts, the money is transferred to escrow until the project is complete.

Who it’s for: Experts in anything.

11. Aquent

Instead of creating proposals and finding clients yourself, Aquent recruits temporary creative talent for legitimate employers. This freelance recruitment service appeals to clients for its previously vetted candidates. As a freelancer, you’ll take proprietary tests and other assessments to connect you with relevant jobs.

Who it’s for: Freelancers and gig workers of all types.

12. Nexxt

Nexxt is a career network that connects freelancers and contingent workers to companies and recruitment agencies. Freelancing is free through the platform, while corporations pay a fee to list their positions. Submit your resume and apply to the available jobs directly on the site. The platform is not involved after you submit your resume, and the contract is the responsibility of the freelancer and employer beyond the application.

Who it’s for: All job seekers.

13. FreeUp

FreeUp is a mobile app and online platform that allows freelancers to offer their services at an hourly or fixed rate. The service costs a monthly fee to participate and freelancers must be approved through an application process that includes an interview to talk about past experiences and skills. Once a contract has been accepted, it’s up to the company and freelancer to decide the work specs. After the project is completed, payment is released by the platform which acts as an escrow account.

Who it’s for: Freelancers can offer any number of 85 skills listed on the platform.

14. The Creative Group

The Creative Group is part of the larger full-service recruiting agency, Robert Half. TCG recruiters offer guidance on resumes, cover letters and portfolios, along with training for interviews. Additionally, freelancers have access to online training and on-the-job support. Oftentimes, the short-term opportunities lead to longer-term opportunities.

Who it’s for: Creative pros seeking a job.

15. WriterAccess

There are no fees to apply to jobs on WriterAccess. Initially, you’ll create a profile with your experience, writing samples and a test score. Writers are assigned a star rating between three and six, determined by their qualifications. Opportunities are either pay-per-word or pay-per-order. Freelancers are typically urged to complete at least one client revision and once accepted, payment is released.

Who it’s for: Freelance writers.

16. FlexJobs

FlexJobs is advertised as a job search service for freelancers and flexible job seekers via a subscription. All openings are screened and verified for quality prior to posting. Similar to a recruiting service, the platform offers career advice, resume reviews and skill tests. Unlike a recruiting service, the platform does not place job seekers into their positions.

Who it’s for: Freelancers, telecommuters, part-timers and remoters of any skill set.

17. TaskRabbit

The TaskRabbit platform is a task-based platform that pays “taskers” an hourly rate. Taskers set up a profile with skills, pay rates and level of experience. The application then connects local freelancers to everyday people who need help with odd jobs. When a hirer posts a gig, taskers can respond with a quick pitch prior to selection.

Who it’s for: Freelancers who prefer odd jobs like moving, cleaning and handiwork.

18. Guru

Guru is a free, membership-based freelancing site that pays workers hourly rates. The more jobs you successfully complete on the platform, the higher your chance to charge a higher rate. The platform charges a service fee on the lower end of its competitors, at 8.95%. Similar to other freelance job sites, Guru has an escrow model called SafePay where clients submit payment prior to the project start date that is not released to the freelancer until project completion.

Who it’s for: Freelancers with web-based talents like programming and development, writing, design, administration, marketing and finance.

19. Hireable

Hireable is an online job posting site that’s free for job seekers to use. Its platform functions with a keyword-driven search bar that freelancers can search for jobs with. The main differentiator is the ability for job seekers to set alerts for specific companies and positions they are interested in and get alerts when availability arises.

Who it’s for: Freelancers and full-time job seekers.

Date February 22, 2021
Author Jason Bullock

Scholarships Available to Your Students

Study.com is offering a series of scholarships for your students. The deadline for each scholarship is April 1st. Here are the details on each with links:

Scholarship for African Americans – $500

Scholarship for Hispanics – $500

CLEP Scholarship for Military Members – $500

Scholarship for Military Spouses – $500

Women in Engineering Scholarship – $500

Women in Science Scholarship – $500

Women in STEM Study – $500

Have your students apply for any that might be a good fit for them.

Date February 18, 2021
Author Jason Bullock

Using Zoom? These are the 3 biggest mistakes people are still making

The pandemic is hopefully in our rear view mirror some time in the near future, but zoom meetings are here to stay. So it is important that you are reasonably good at it and understand what you should and shouldn’t do.

Recently, Briar Goldberg, TED’s Director of Speaker Coaching outlined the 3 most common mistakes people are making when speaking over video.

Looking at the audience, not the camera:

This is pretty easy to fix. Your eyes tend to look at the other people on the call but should be focused directly on the video monitor camera as you are speaking.

2. You either read it or wing it:

Honor your audiences time by practicing in advance. Reading from a paper or your phone as you speak can easily become monitone and trying to wing it while stumbling with, “um” and “ah” doesn’t cut it either.

3. You let everyone turn their video off:

Can looking at everyone staring at your be distracting and stress inducing? Of course, it can. However, if you let everyone turn off their video monitor you will have no idea how your presentation is being received. It is perfectly fine to ask everyone in attendance to turn on their monitors.

Here is a link to her complete post with 4 other tips as well: https://ideas.ted.com/7-zoom-mistakes-you-might-still-be-making-and-how-to-raise-your-video-skills/

Date February 17, 2021
Author Jason Bullock

Where do you get advice on the college essay?

There’s a lot of advice out there when it comes to the college essay.

We know all about it. We read it. We hear it.

Some share templates for writing stand-out college essays. (Email templates are useful; essay templates don’t work!)

Others promise that if your students answer a bunch of specific questions, they’ll be guaranteed great essays. (Nope!)

AND there are countless books on the market filled with sample college essays that apparently got students admitted into the nation’s most selective schools. (This type of claim is out of context. Even the most amazing essay never got a student into college on its own!)

There’s more…. some people might even tell you that there are only a few types of college admission essays; if your students master those, they’ll be golden. (C’mon…. really?)

Trust me, there’s only one type of college essay admissions officers want to read. And that’s your student’s story written in their own words and in their own voice.

Many of you have watched our student webinars, read our book, joined us at a conference session or attended our free monthly Pro Chats. If so, you know we understand a lot about the college essay and like to share our knowledge with friends and colleagues (like you!)

At Wow, we operate on three principles: process, plan and schedule – follow a process; plan ahead; and keep to a schedule. Is that sexy? Not really. But it works. Every time.

So, as you plan for the class of 2022, beware of the gimmicks and promises surrounding the college essay. We hope you’ll ignore them.

Because there really are no college essay shortcuts.

Kim Lifton is President and Co-founder of Wow Writing Workshop a premier college application essay coaching and professional training company, offering private, virtual writing coaching services to professionals and students throughout the world. Since 2009, Wow has been leading the college admissions industry with our unique approach to communicating messages effectively through application essays, including personal statements, activity and short answer essays and supplements. Kim leads a team of writers and teachers who understand the writing process inside and out. Kim blogs regularly about the college essay’s role in the admission process for multiple industry publications and websites.

We’ll be talking about gimmicks, willingness and ability and ways to streamline college essay coaching a lot this year. If you’re curious, join us for our next free webinar! MONTHLY FREE WEBINARS FOR STUDENTS AND PROS

Pro Chats: Every month we record a new College Essay Pro Chat. Check out the last recording, or sign up for next month’s webinar. Wow CEO Susan Knoppow will answer your questions live for 30 minutes.

Free Student Classes: If you’re a school counselor who wants to help students with the basics, encourage them to sign up for my next free student class, or listen to the recording. You are welcome to sign up, too.

Date February 12, 2021
Author Kim Lifton

Athletic Recruitment 101

Hey Hollywood, how about a new television show called “So You Think You Can Be A Professional Athlete?” The stats aren’t encouraging.

According to http://www.ncaa.org there are a few million high school athletes, more than 460,000 NCAA student-athletes, and fewer than two percent of them will go pro in their sports. The probability of competing beyond high school is daunting. A chart on the site demonstrates just how challenging it is for high school athletes to become members of the NCAA and the percentage who then move onto professional sports.

In the example below the first number represents the number of high school athletes by sport, followed by the percentage who are able to play at the college level, then the percentage that move to professional sports teams and finally a summary of the percentage who move from high school to professional sports:

Football: 1,086,627; 6.5 percent; 1.6 percent; .08 percent

Men’s basketball: 538,676; 3.3 percent, 1.2 percent; .03 percent

Women’s basketball: 433,120; 3.7 percent; .9 percent; .03 percent

Men’s soccer: 410,982; 5.7 percent, 1.9 percent; .09 percent

I’m not trying to burst everyone’s bubbles, but, if you’re still interested in pursuing playing a sport in college here’s what you need to know. Your first order of business is to spend some time doing your homework on the following websites:

www.ncaa.org – The official web site of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Read the NCAA guide for prospective collegiate athletes. www.ncaa.org/cbsa
www.naia.org – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, another governing body of college sports.
www.ncaaeligibilitycenter.org – the place where student athletes need to go to register and begin the recruitment process. The site helps students and families determine academic eligibility and amateur athlete eligibility status. Prospective student-athletes must register with the “Eligibility Center” to be considered for scholarships and financial aid.

Here are some things you’ll need to think about as you consider entering the athletic recruitment process:

Think about the concept of “fit” – make sure the school is solid academic fit for you as well as sports/social fit. You want to make sure you will be able to graduate in four years with a solid major and a strong transcript.
Talk with your coach to help determine at what level you are able to play (DI,DII,DIII).
Be responsible in the process and don’t forget to return questionnaires, send film if requested, take standardized test, send transcripts etc.
Visit as many schools as possible (unofficial). Spend some serious quality time with the coach(es) and other players and ask how they are treated, how well they’re doing in their classes and what their life is like.
Be honest throughout the process and follow the rules diligently. Be straight with the coaches recruiting you and look for those being honest with you.

Lee Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte. Send questions to: lee@collegeadmissionsstrategies.com; www.collegeadmissionsstrategies.com

Date February 11, 2021
Author Lee Bierer
Source College Admissions Strategies