I was paid to go to college. Yep, at the beginning of each semester I received a check from the university as a reimbursement for scholarships I had received in excess of the cost of tuition. Between undergraduate and grad school I received over $500,000 in scholarships, grants, or assistantship awards or offers, and responding to questions about how I received so many scholarships is how I got started as a college prep consultant back in 2007.

It first helps to understand where the primary sources of scholarships are, so that you can create an intentional plan. Here are the four big sources of scholarships, and where to look for them.

Government Scholarships

While the Federal government does not offer any scholarships, your state government may offer some opportunities you should look into. These vary dramatically by state, but can comprise a substantial portion of the total scholarships available. In most cases, your application for the scholarships will include...

UPDATED: 2024 TENNESSEE PROMISE APPLICATION DEADLINE - NOVEMBER 1

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Okay, so I'm just going to say, if you don't live in Tennessee, this post isn't for you.

Talk to you later!

But...if you do (like myself) live in the great state of Tennessee, keep reading...

I received a question last week asking "what is the difference between the Tennessee Hope Scholarship and the Tennessee Promise?"

Fair question. 

While the TN websites for each are fairly straightforward, there really isn't that much that concisely deals with what the difference is between the two, so I wanted to address that here.

SHORT ANSWER: The Tennessee Hope Scholarship is a 4-year scholarship funded by the state lottery that can be applied to any college/university in Tennessee.

The Tennessee Promise Scholarship covers the full tuition for an associate's degree at...