Blog: Financial Aid, FAFSA, College Scholarships, And More

A guide to writing the best personal statement for your college application (with template and examples!)

LAST UPDATED Aug 31, 2023

Kelly Lamano

Categories: Applying for Scholarships, Scholarship Essays

Why is boasting about a best friend SO much easier than writing about yourself? Unfortunately, writing about yourself is exactly what a personal statement essay requires you to do–whether it’s for your college admissions application, or for a scholarship application to pay for college. Here’s our guide, to…

How to ask for a letter of recommendation for your college app

LAST UPDATED Jul 1, 2022

Kelly Lamano

Categories: Applying for Scholarships

Would you purchase anything on Amazon before reading the reviews? We rely heavily on other people’s opinions to form our opinions or to back up our existing thoughts. In the same way, colleges want to know what other people think about you, so a letter of recommendation (LOR) boosts…

How to use Going Merry to find scholarships and apply for them, all on one platform

LAST UPDATED Aug 31, 2023

Kelly Lamano

Categories: Applying for Scholarships, Going Merry Features

Applying for college is exhausting enough. You don’t need to add “sifting through countless scholarship forms to apply for scholarships” to your long to-do-list. We’re here to show you just how easy it is to use Going Merry to get scholarships for college. Jump to:What is Going Merry?…

Why We Started the Going Merry Scholarships App: The Origin Story

LAST UPDATED Jul 1, 2022

Charlie Maynard

Categories: Applying for Scholarships, Going Merry Features

If there’s a Common App to apply to multiple schools at once, why isn’t there a way to apply for multiple scholarships at once? That was my question as I started to search for scholarships for a second time, this time for graduate school. A quick look on the leading…

Scholarship Bundles: Apply for multiple scholarships simultaneously, using just one scholarship app

LAST UPDATED Jun 30, 2022

Charlotte Lau

Categories: Applying for Scholarships, Going Merry Features

Back when I was a student applying for scholarships using those dreaded scholarship search engines, I noticed that scholarship applications often asked for the same information (name, email, class year, SAT score, etc.)–and sometimes even had the same essay prompt! So I’d dutifully, and monotonously, type in my personal information…

A counselor’s guide to making the most of Going Merry: 4 tips for student scholarship success

LAST UPDATED Jun 27, 2022

Charlotte Lau

Categories: Counselor

More than 5,000 high school counselors across the U.S. use Going Merry. Recently, we reached out to some of the most successful counselors–ones who’ve helped many scholarship student winners. We asked them for their top tips in this counselor’s guide to Going Merry. Jump to:1. Early bird gets the…

What’s a winning scholarship essay look like? Actually, it’s a winning scholarship video.

LAST UPDATED Jun 23, 2022

Charlotte Lau

Categories: Applying for Scholarships, Scholarship Essays, Success Story

More and more scholarships (like this Motorola Milestone one) allow you to submit short videos instead of personal essays. Check out the winning scholarship essay video entry from Violetta Spinazzola, about her best friend Jess:…

Impressive Scholarships for Students in Illinois for 2021

LAST UPDATED Aug 17, 2023

Kelly Lamano

Categories: State-Specific Scholarships

Do scholarship applications make you look like a white-tailed deer in the headlights? Don’t worry – we’ve got your back on this one! We like to make searching and applying for scholarships in Illinois easy. Jump to:Check out the list of Illinois scholarships you could apply for!1. CHS…

Arcadia High School Case Study: How Counselors Can Use Going Merry Effectively For Their Students

LAST UPDATED Jun 27, 2022

Kelly Lamano

Categories: Applying for Scholarships

With about 3,500 students, counselors at Arcadia High School in Arcadia, California were overwhelmed by their scholarship program. On top of their usual responsibilities, counselors at AHS were attempting to manage over 25 scholarships, totaling more than $25,000,…

Arizona Scholarships for 2021

LAST UPDATED Jun 24, 2022

Kelly Lamano

Categories: State-Specific Scholarships

Thinking about how to afford college? Many small local scholarships go unclaimed each year, which is why we’re introducing you to some of the best scholarships in Arizona. At Going Merry, we bring local and statewide scholarships to you! Jump to:1. James A. Fortmann Scholarship Fund2. Arizona Friends…

25 Florida Scholarships for Higher Education in 2022

LAST UPDATED Aug 2, 2022

Brittany Mailhot

Categories: State-Specific Scholarships

The end of summer brings a welcome break from the Florida heat — and the beginning of a new chapter for college students across the state. For many, the start of the school year is a time of pure excitement. For others, though, it heralds a new season of worry…

What should I write in my Scholarship Thank You Letter?

LAST UPDATED Mar 28, 2022

Shalon B

Categories: Applying for Scholarships

Congratulations! You won that scholarship you applied for! You receive the notice that you’re the scholarship recipient, and notice you’re required to write a scholarship thank you letter. Trust us, a scholarship thank you letter is not difficult at all. The letter describes your gratitude (exactly what it sounds like).

9 Peachy-Keen Scholarships for Students in Georgia for 2021

LAST UPDATED Aug 17, 2023

Brittany Mailhot

Categories: State-Specific Scholarships

Wondering how in the world you’re going to afford college? We’ve got plenty of scholarship resources for you when it comes to financing college tuition. The State of Georgia is known for more than just its peaches – its universities are pretty impressive too! With top…

Wonderful Wisconsin Scholarships for 2021

LAST UPDATED Jul 28, 2022

Brittany Mailhot

Categories: State-Specific Scholarships

Wisconsin is home to several respected universities, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Marquette University, but the rising cost of tuition presents the same obstacle to education as it does in most other states. To study in Wisconsin, in-state tuition costs an…

Superb Scholarships for Students in South Carolina for 2021

LAST UPDATED Aug 16, 2023

Charlotte Lau

Categories: State-Specific Scholarships

We know you’re probably relaxing by the beach, not wanting to think about financing college tuition. We get it! Applying for scholarships is no walk in the park, but we’re making this easy for you with our scholarship search and application tool. Jump to:South Carolina Scholarships1. Cindy Mellen…

How Do Scholarships Work? The Complete Guide

LAST UPDATED Jan 30, 2023

goingmerry

Categories: Applying for Scholarships

Given the high cost of college, it’s no wonder that few students can afford higher education without some kind of financial aid. In fact, according to statistics agency Think Impact, about one-third of students borrow money to pay for college — and around 58% rely on scholarships. While scholarships…

EFC for FAFSA: What it is and how to calculate it

LAST UPDATED Jul 1, 2022

Shalon B

Categories: Financial Aid

Numerous calculations determine the cost of college for a student. Luckily, you don’t need to crunch any numbers, but you should understand where the numbers are coming from. Perhaps the most important number to understand is your Expected Family Contribution. Jump to:What is the EFC?…

How to Write an Awesome Essay About Your Career Goals

LAST UPDATED Aug 31, 2023

Brittany Mailhot

Categories: Scholarship Essays

Before you begin, ask yourself a few key questions like: What are my short-term and long-term career goals? Where do I see myself in ten years? What events in my life have led me to have these goals? What major will help…

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