By tamaraLast week, I was honored to be the guest ‘tweeter’ on #CampusChat hosted by Smart College Visit and scholarship expert Monica Matthews. Monica helped her son win more than $100,000 in scholarships when he went to college. She frequently gives tips for finding and winning scholarships on her website, How2WinScholarships.com, and social media channels, such as Twitter. She is also the author of “How to Win College Scholarships.” If you missed our fast and furious scholarship Twitter chat, don’t worry. I have compiled all the questions and some of the best responses right here. Enjoy! Q1. Tell us about ScholarshipExperts.com. What makes it different from other scholarship search sites? ScholarshipExperts.com has been helping students since 2001 and has been rated the most accurate by Forbes.com. We have a team of researchers who verify every scholarship and update our database of over 2.4 million awards. We also provide free resources to educators and counselors! Q2. Is this a free site? How do students sign-up for ScholarshipExperts? Yes. We are completely free to use. Students can go to ScholarshipExperts.com to register for a free account or browse our scholarship directory without registering. Q3. What personal information does ScholarshipExperts require from students? Some basic information and their year in school. There are other questions that are tied to scholarships, but students aren’t required to answer them. Of course, the more information they provide, the better the results! Q4. How do students find scholarships on ScholarshipExperts? Once the profile is completed, students are taken to their E-Organizer where all their available scholarships are listed, but students can also browse the directory and search by specific categories, such as sports, major, or year in school. Q5. Do you have tips on setting up a complete profile on ScholarshipExperts? Answer as many questions as possible, especially the weird ones. Every question is tied to a scholarship and only those who meet the criteria will see it. So, the more we know about their skills and interests, the better their results. Q6. What kinds of advice will students find in the ScholarshipExperts blog? Pretty much everything they would want to know about finding and winning scholarships. We have tips for high school, undergraduate and graduate students. And, our ‘Intro to Scholarships: A Beginner’s Guide’ is a must read! Q7. Should students ONLY use ScholarshipExperts to find scholarships? No. We recommend student use several resources. It’s that age-old theory of casting a wide net to catch more fish. Or in this case…more scholarships! Q8. Does ScholarshipExperts have scholarships unique to the site and not found on other sites? We do sponsor our own monthly scholarships valued between $1,500 and $5,000 each. Some of the more popular ones include our Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship and our Flavor of the Month Scholarship. Q9. When should students apply for college scholarships? Honestly, it’s never too early to start applying for scholarships, but we recommend students start by their freshman year of high school. And, they should keep applying until they complete college! Q10. Is community service important to win college scholarships? It definitely doesn’t hurt to have it on your resume. Many scholarship providers consider community service, as well as academics, when awarding money to students. And, it’s a great way to highlight leadership or team-building skills! Q11. What is your best advice when it comes to winning college scholarships? Treat scholarships like a part-time job, setting aside time every week to work on applications. Always put forth your best effort. If you don’t care, why should the scholarship committee? And above all else, believe in your ability to win! Other Great Advice You May Have Missed! @fujifulgueras You have a 100% chance of not earning a scholarship – if you don’t apply for it! @AidScholarship College Scholarship Tip: ALWAYS read the essays of previous winners, if available! Get a feel for what is wanted. @pocsmom READ all directions and eligibility requirements carefully and submit before deadlines. Don’t lose out by not following rules. @MESFoundation Don’t apply & forget about it. Follow up! Looking for more scholarship advice? Follow ScholarshipExperts.com on Twitter so you don’t miss out on available scholarship opportunties and more!