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Protect Your Privacy When Applying for Scholarships

By U.S. News & World Report

Digital privacy concerns are growing. According to a 2016 Pew study, Americans consistently stated they lack confidence in everyday communication channels and the companies in charge of those channels.

Searching and applying for college scholarships online requires applicants to surrender some of their digital privacy. And not all scholarships are legitimate.

[Discover five ways scholarship searches benefit from technology.]

In fact, some organizations are clever in the way they gather — and sell — personal information about you to marketers. This can be true even if there really is a scholarship at the end of the process. As such, scholarship applicants need to be careful to apply only for legitimate scholarships.

Here are some key tips to look for before applying to a scholarship.

— Phony organizations: The scholarship site should have an About Us page, giving the name of the business or nonprofit offering the award. Do a quick web search to make sure the business or nonprofit exists and has made recent updates to the website.

— No clear criteria for how entries will be judged: If the scholarship website doesn’t outline the factors that evaluators will consider, the scholarship could be phony.

— Requests financial information: Most legitimate scholarship organizations have access to information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known more widely to college applicants as FAFSA. That means you shouldn’t have to provide Social Security numbers, salaries and other personal information for yourself or your parents.

— Absence of clear privacy policies: Before applying for a scholarship, read the organization’s privacy policy on the website. Make sure it states definitively that it won’t sell information you provide.

[Avoid these four common scams aimed at students.]

Sometimes scammers try to enrich themselves while promising to enrich you. Here are ways to recognize potential scams that can cost you money.

— Consider how you’re contacted: If someone claiming to represent a scholarship organization calls to tell you that you’ve won an award that you don’t remember applying for, this could be an attempt to fool you, especially depending on how the scholarship is paid.

— Note the award payout method: Most legit scholarships will pay the award directly to the university or college, not to the recipient. If the organization wants to write a direct check to you, it’s probably OK. However, a red flag is if the scholarship organization asks for your bank account number, since this could be an attempt to access your money.

— You must pay an application fee: Never pay to apply for a scholarship.

While it is critical to be aware of who you are giving your information to, some students have a passion for privacy that leads them to pursue a career in the digital privacy field. For those students, some legitimate companies offer scholarships to help lighten the financial burden of paying for college.

For example, Digital Responsibility, a company started by a group of Silicon Valley tech workers that is dedicated to helping people use the internet wisely, offers a $1,000 Digital Privacy Scholarship to teach students about taking responsibility for their social media posts.

High schoolers, home-schooled students, undergraduates, graduate students and nontraditional students are eligible to apply and must be U.S. citizens or legal residents. Applicants must first write a 140-character Twitter-type message that finishes this prompt: “I’m taking responsibility for my digital profile by ….”

[Explore resources and tips on finding college scholarships.]

Applicants with the top 10 responses become finalists and must compose a 500- 1,000-word essay about digital privacy.

ExpressVPN, a leading VPN provider, offers the ExpressVPN Future of Privacy Scholarship, valued at up to $5,000, to raise awareness of internet privacy and security. A winner is chosen based on an essay.

Applicants must be high school seniors, undergraduates or graduate students in U.S. or United Kingdom schools and must write a 300- to 400-word essay on the following topic: “It’s 2027 and government surveillance on citizens’ internet activities is legal, in force, and widespread. Governments worldwide are watching everything you’re doing. What happens to art, culture, innovation, scientific research, freedom of expression, etc.? ” The submission deadline is Aug. 31, with winners notified in October.

While many scholarship awards are legit, others aren’t, but that doesn’t mean you should refrain from applying for scholarships. College scholarships give students a chance to pursue their education while avoiding at least some of staggering student loan debt they may acquire. However, it’s critical to understand the signs of potential scam scholarships and know how to protect your personal information.

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Protect Your Privacy When Applying for Scholarships originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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