The Scholarship GPS Podcast: Your Directions to a Debt-Free College Degree

A FREE Student Portfolio Platform + 6 Scholarship Opportunities + A Last-Minute Scholarship Help for the Class of 2025

Cirkled In is a free online student portfolio platform, much like a ‘LinkedIn’ for students. As a mom helping her children in the college admissions process, Reetu Gupta saw the critical need for a platform like this. So, she helped found Cirkled In, and today serves as the company’s CEO. In our conversation, Reetu and I discussed:
The importance of a student portfolio, especially in an age of ‘test-optional’ college admissions
How colleges, internships, and employers are using Cirkled In for admissions and recruiting
Finding scholarships on Cirkled In and their vetting process
Cirkled In’s quarterly $2500 no-essay scholarship
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Based on insights from over 250 episodes of The College Admissions Process Podcast, John Durante shares expert advice straight from the people who know the process best, college admissions professionals, in his book, Straight From The Admissions Office: Insider Strategies for College Applications.
John has kindly offered to give away five copies of his book, Straight From The Admissions Office: Insider Strategies for College Applications.
To enter the drawing, go to www.ScholarshipGPS.com/Durante
You will then be able to download your FREE copy of The College Planning Timeline for High School Students, presented by Scholarship GPS and Chariot Learning.
When you download the FREE College Planning Timeline, you will also be entered to win a FREE copy of John Durante's book, "Straight From The Admissions Office: Insider Strategies for College Applications."
Offer Ends February 14, 2025, at 11:59 pm EST. Five winners will be chosen at random.
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There IS still time for your Class of 2025 Grad to earn scholarships, but you don't want to delay any longer!That is why Scholarship GPS has opened The Class of 2025 Spring Scholarship Scramble. This exciting new program provides your high school senior with:
A custom list of scholarships for which your Class of 2025 grad is eligible. Your students' custom list will include a minimum of 20 scholarships, including national and local scholarships (if local scholarships are available) and a mix of small and large scholarships.
Personalized help with up to 10 scholarship applications & essays each month. These can be any scholarships of your choice, not just scholarships from your custom list.
Access to the Scholarship GPS Course, where students can learn best practices for scholarship success. Lessons in the course include: How/Where to find scholarships, application and essay best practices, sample scholarship-winning essays, and much more.
The program begins when you sign up and ends on June 5, 2025. You can join the Class of 2025 Spring Scholarship Scramble for just $97 per month. To get started, go to www.ScholarshipGPS.com/2025scramble or click the link in the show notes of this episode.This program will fill up fast, and when it does, it won’t be offered again. We are in the home stretch for the Class of 2025 to earn scholarships for the start of college, so don’t delay. 
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This week's featured scholarships:
$5000 Flavorful Futures - Go Green Scholarship
Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Scholarships
Goya Foods Culinary Arts Scholarship
Joe Gilroy "Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan" Scholarship
$1000 Debt.com Scholarship For Aggressive Scholarship Applicants
Weekender: $1000 No Essay Scholarship from Appily
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Insider Strategies for College Applications + 5 New Scholarship Opportunities

Dr. John Durante has dedicated over 30 years to education as a teacher and administrator. Since 2010, he has served as the principal of Syosset High School, playing a key role in its recognition as one of the top high schools in the country. Under his leadership, the school has earned numerous accolades for its academic achievements, and its alumni continue to reflect its commitment to excellence.
His passion for guiding students through the college admissions process, especially after helping his daughters navigate their own journeys, inspired him to launch The College Admissions Process Podcast in 2022. The podcast has since become a valuable resource for students, parents, and college counselors.
Based on insights from over 250 episodes of The College Admissions Process Podcast, John Durante shares expert advice straight from the people who know the process best, college admissions professionals, in his book, Straight From The Admissions Office: Insider Strategies for College Applications.
In our conversation, John and I discussed:
How his insights as a principal and his role as a father inspired him to help families gain inside knowledge for the college admissions process
What students and parents need to do as they prepare for the college admissions process
Understanding the importance of institutional priorities in the role of admissions
Guidelines for building a “balanced list” of colleges to apply to
The importance of discussing the financial aspect of college with your student
The power of talking to your college admissions rep
John has kindly offered to give away five copies of his book, Straight From The Admissions Office: Insider Strategies for College Applications.
To enter the drawing, go to www.ScholarshipGPS.com/Durante
You will then be able to download your FREE copy of The College Planning Timeline for High School Students, presented by Scholarship GPS and Chariot Learning.
When you download the FREE College Planning Timeline, you will also be entered to win a FREE copy of John Durante's book, "Straight From The Admissions Office: Insider Strategies for College Applications."
Offer Ends February 14, 2025, at 11:59 pm EST. Five winners will be chosen at random.
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This week's featured scholarships:
The Christopher's $1000 High School Poster Contest
The Christopher's $2000 College Video Contest
$40,000 KPMG Future Leaders Program
Simon Youth Foundation Scholarships
Weekender: $5000 Christian College Scholarship
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A $100,000 Scholarship + A Scholarship for All High School and Middle School Students + College List-Building Help

Are you uncertain which colleges your teen should consider, visit, and eventually apply to?
Has your family had some friction over what the right colleges are?
⏰ For 11th and 10th-grade families, the pressure is mounting, and the countdown has begun—bringing stress to your teen and you! But take a deep breath because help is on the way.
With 26 years of experience guiding families like yours, Lisa Marker-Robbins created a College List Tutorial with LIVE Support to help your family gain clarity and alignment before building your teen’s college list.
She’s got resources for your family to focus on defining what matters most in these four areas:
✨ Academic Fit: Where can your teen get admitted and thrive academically?✨ Social Fit: What will help them feel they have found their home away from home?✨ Financial Fit: What’s your college budget, and how can you align it with realistic options?✨ College Major Fit: What programs will fuel your teen’s future aspirations?
When your family aligns on these priorities, building a college list becomes much clearer and stress-free.
And you don’t have to figure this out alone! You have the option to join Lisa LIVE every Tuesday, January 14 - February 4, for Zoom Q&A sessions, where she will answer your questions and guide you through the process.
💻 Click here to enroll and start gaining clarity and confidence today!
It is possible to create a plan that fits your teen and your family.
Here’s what one parent shared:​“The guidance was wonderful. Our family has now started to keep weekly college meetings. My son has become engaged and thinking about what is next and fits for him. He feels better, and we appreciate the helpful tips.” – Anne Chekal
Let Lisa guide you to a place where you feel confident and aligned as a family—so building a college list is no longer overwhelming. Don’t miss out on the chance to get LIVE support with your questions! Enroll now and start January with clarity and confidence.
👉 College List Building Tutorial Enrollment Page
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This week's featured scholarships:
$100,000 McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship
$5000 Carl C. Yount Charitable Scholarship
Rising to the Challenge Scholarship
$1000 Applegate-Jackson-Parks Future Teacher Scholarship
Stossel in the Classroom Essay & Video Contests
Weekender: $1000 ScholarshipOwl No-Essay Scholarship
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I have worked with multiple students who have earned prizes in the Stossel in the Classroom contest, including one of the national first place winners. If you would like my assistance reviewing and editing your student’s essay, consider my Scholarship Application & Essay Help program. I will review and provide feedback and suggestions for one scholarship application, including an essay of up to 2500 words. Up to five iterations of review and feedback for the SAME application/essay are included. Go to www.ScholarshipGPS.com/essay to sign up today.
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3 New Scholarships + 2 Passion Project Scholarships + The Digital SAT: What It Means For Your Student

Jackie Pollina founded J&J Test Prep with the intention of making test prep fun and manageable for students.
Throughout her years managing J&J Test Prep, Jackie has amassed a following of nearly 300,000 on @testpreptips, her TikTok account focused on test prep.
Jackie co-developed No B.S. SAT® Prep, an online digital SAT® prep program that is used by tutors, programs, and schools nationwide.
In our conversation, Jackie and I discussed:
The structural changes that come with the SAT moving to a digital format
The adaptive nature of the new digital SAT and how that can impact your student’s SAT score
The importance of your student becoming familiar ‘Desmos’ (and what this is)
When students should start SAT prep
Her opinion on how many times a student should take the SAT
Jackie has kindly offered my listeners $50 off the Digital SAT® Intensive Course. Use code SCHOLARSHIPGPS50 at checkout at this link: https://www.jjtestprep.com/satintensive-scholarshipgps
Or, for asynchronous test prep, visit https://scholarshipgps.nobsprep.com/
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This week's featured scholarships:
$1000 Return2College Scholarship
$1000 Leifert & Leifert Right to Privacy Scholarship
$2000 Greene & Phillips Gives Back Scholarship
The Vermont Pitch Challenge
MyImpact Challenge
Weekender: $1000 Appily No Essay Scholarship
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A passion project is a fantastic way for a student to stand out, both for college admissions, as well as for scholarships. That’s because passion projects deepen a student’s Personal Narrative.
An entire module of lessons in the Scholarship GPS Course explains the Personal Narrative. Plus, you’ll also find an essay from a student who won a $20,000 scholarship. This essay is not only a great example of a Personal Narrative essay, but also demonstrates how a passion project can be an impactful part of the student’s story.
The Scholarship GPS Course features concise video lessons designed to seamlessly fit into your busy schedule, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Throughout the course, you'll acquire essential scholarship skills, including:
- How to identify the best scholarships based on your student's profile
- Tips and best practices for scholarship applications, essays, and projects
- The importance of crafting your student's Personal Narrative, a key element in winning scholarships
Additionally, you will have access to helpful tools such as:
- A scholarship tracking tool preloaded with quick and easy no-essay scholarships for immediate application
- A scholarship checklist template to ensure completion of applications
- An activity log to track your student's volunteer experiences
So, don’t delay. Begin your scholarship journey today at https://www.scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-gps
 
 

Reducing the Cost of College with ACT Scores + 6 No-Essay Scholarships For Your Holiday Break

Jen Henson ( a.k.a “The GOAL DIGGER”) is a nationally sought after test prep expert specializing in the ACT test. Jen, who was an Ohio Teacher of the Year in 2014, holds a Master of Education degree with a Bachelor’s in English from Xavier University where she competed as a division 1 varsity tennis player.  For more than 2 decades, she has been a decorated teacher and ACT prep coach. Today, she speaks to educators, parents, and students and has an army of teachers trained to assist her requests for tutorials. Her former ACT students now attend notable higher learning institutions, including Notre Dame, The Ohio State University, Texas A&M, The Naval Academy, Dartmouth, Columbia, Miami University, and the University of Kentucky — among others.
In our conversation, Jen and I discussed:
Why a student would want to take the ACT
Important changes in the format of the ACT
Whether the science section of the ACT is truly “optional”
The scholarship opportunities that come from ACT scores
Some of the students who earned scholarships, including sports scholarships and a full-ride scholarship, thanks to her ACT Prep assistance
To learn more about the services that Jen offers, please go to jenhensonactprep.com
Jen mentioned this fantastic resource to learn more about merit scholarships and their possible ACT requirements: meritaidgrids.com
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This week's featured no-essay scholarships:
$2000 Sallie Mae Scholarship
Edvisors $1000 Scholarship
$5000 Christian College Scholarship
$2500 SoFi Scholarship Giveaway 
Use this link to open an account with SoFi to get an extra $25!
Niche $2500 No-Essay Scholarship
$2500 No Sweat Scholarship
 
 

8 Scholarships + The 12 Days of Christmas Scholarship Gifts Continues!

The 12 Days of Christmas Scholarship Gifts: I’m gifting my loyal readers something to help them on their scholarship and/or college-bound journey. So, the best way to learn about these gifts is by subscribing to the Your Daily Scholarship Newsletter. To subscribe for free, go to NoDebtCollege.Substack.com
By subscribing, you will get the rest of the 12 Days of Christmas Scholarship Gift offers delivered to your inbox every day. 
Day 1 Gift: A FREE College Planning Timeline! Click here to get your free copy: https://www.scholarshipgps.com//timeline
Day 2 Gift: A FREE SAT Reading and Writing Diagnostic! To get this valuable tool that provides instant feedback on the question types and concepts your student needs to focus on, go to WalkerTestPrep.com/ScholarshipGPS
Day 3 Gift: The Personal Narrative Mini-Course for just $17! A strong Personal Narrative is critical for scholarship success. In this mini-course, you will learn about the Five Pillars used to build a student's Personal Narrative, as well as a lesson on responding to one of the most common scholarship essay topics in which a strong Personal Narrative is critical. This program normally sells for $77, but use coupon code DAY3 to get the Personal Narrative Mini-Course for just $17! This offer expires Christmas Day, so click here to sign up today: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/personal-narrative-mini-course
The Day 4 Gift: FREE Scholarship Consultation. I’ll spend up to 45 minutes on a Zoom meeting to answer any of your scholarship-related questions. This is Q&A meeting, so I won’t be able to review your student’s scholarship essays or applications. However, just about any other scholarship-related questions you have are fair game.
This offer is limited to the first 12 people to sign up here: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/free-scholarship-consultation
The Day 5 Gift: FREE College Major and Career Quiz! While it's never too late to get started, starting the process on time ensures future college major & career options aren't limited. Starting too early can also overwhelm your teen which you want to avoid. Let's figure out what stage of planning your child is ready for now. Click here to take the quiz for free.
The Day 6 Gift: Save 50%+ on a Custom Scholarship List!
I will build a scholarship list based on your student's profile, including:
Their age/year in school
Their location
Their interests, strengths, college major, and career plans
Your personalized scholarship list will include a mix of large and small scholarships and national and local scholarships (if local scholarships are available).
Your list will include at least 20 unique scholarships, with a minimum total potential scholarship value of $100,000.
The regular price of this offering is $77. However, the first 12 people to purchase the program using coupon code GIFTLIST will save $40. Purchase your custom scholarship list here: https://www.scholarshipgps.com//list
The Day 7 Gift: Save 50%+ on a Scholarship Application & Essay Review!
I will review and provide feedback and suggestions for one scholarship application, including an essay of up to 2500 words. Up to five iterations of review and feedback for the SAME application/essay are included.
The regular price of this offering is $77. However, the first 12 people to purchase the program using coupon code GIFTESSAY will save $40. Purchase your custom scholarship list here: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/essay
The Day 8 Gift: Save 25% on One-on-One Scholarship Coaching for High School Freshmen & Sophomores (Classes of 2027 & 2028).
Don’t wait until senior year to start your scholarship journey. By beginning in your freshman or sophomore year, you're giving yourself a unique advantage over your peers. This early start, combined with practice and making scholarships part of your routine, can significantly boost your scholarship success.
Save 25% off the regular price of this program when you use coupon code COACHINGGIFT25. Hurry, space in this program is very limited. Learn more here: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-coaching-for-high-school-freshmen-sophomores
The Day 9 Gift: A FREE copy of the gift book “Go to Class: How to Succeed at College.” by Karen Dentler, when you purchase the Scholarship GPS Course. Plus, save $50 off the regular price of the course when you use coupon code GIFTBOOK at checkout. To get this offer, you must sign up before December 26, 2024 and you MUST use the discount code GIFTBOOK at checkout. Click here to sign up today: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-gps
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This week's featured scholarships:
3 Personal Narrative Scholarships
WellBefore $3,000 Scholarship
$5000 William A. March Education Trust Scholarship
$1000 Glotzer & Leib Scholarship
$1000 Against All Odds Scholarship
$2000 Winter Wonderland No-Essay Scholarship
 

12 Days of Christmas Scholarship Gifts & Why Everything You Know About the SAT is Wrong & 6 Scholarship Opportunities

The 12 Days of Christmas Scholarship Gifts: I’m gifting my loyal readers something to help them on their scholarship and/or college-bound journey. So, the best way to learn about these gifts is by subscribing to the Your Daily Scholarship Newsletter. To subscribe for free, go to NoDebtCollege.Substack.com
By subscribing, you will get the rest of the 12 Days of Christmas Scholarship Gift offers delivered to your inbox every day. 
Day 1 Gift: A FREE College Planning Timeline! Click here to get your free copy: https://www.scholarshipgps.com//timeline
Day 2 Gift: A FREE SAT Reading and Writing Diagnostic! To get this valuable tool that provides instant feedback on the question types and concepts your student needs to focus on, go to WalkerTestPrep.com/ScholarshipGPS
Day 3 Gift: The Personal Narrative Mini-Course for just $17! A strong Personal Narrative is critical for scholarship success. In this mini-course, you will learn about the Five Pillars used to build a student's Personal Narrative, as well as a lesson on responding to one of the most common scholarship essay topics in which a strong Personal Narrative is critical. This program normally sells for $77, but use coupon code DAY3 to get the Personal Narrative Mini-Course for just $17! This offer expires Christmas Day, so click here to sign up today: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/personal-narrative-mini-course
Learn about the rest of the 12 Scholarship Christmas Gifts by subscribing for free to the Your Daily Scholarship newsletter: NoDebtCollege.Substack.com
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This week's featured scholarships:
$5000 Law Offices of Daniel Kim Scholarship
Power of Resilience Scholarship
Zack Zolin Scholarship Foundation
$2,500 Construction Careers Scholarship
Love Your Career Scholarship
$1000 ScholarshipOwl No-Essay Scholarship
 

Scholarships for High School Students of All Ages, and a Major Announcement from Scholarship GPS!

The Scholarship Bootcamp provides personalized help with three scholarship applications and essays of your choice (up to 2500 words each). We will go through up to five rounds of review, feedback, and editing for each scholarship to help you submit your best scholarship application.
The Scholarship Bootcamp also includes lifetime access to the Scholarship GPS Course, where you will learn how and where to find scholarships, how to pick the best scholarships based on your student’s unique profile, and tips and suggestions for scholarship essays.
So that we provide the highest quality, personalized scholarship essay help possible, the number of spots available for the Scholarship Bootcamp is limited. So, click here to sign up for the Scholarship Bootcamp today.
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This week's featured scholarships:
$25,000 Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship
$5000 Flavorful Futures Scholarship
Unigo $10K Scholarship
Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship
Appily Easy Money Scholarship
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Sign up for my free newsletter, Your Daily Scholarship, to be the first to learn about the Twelve Days of Christmas Scholarship Gifts!  Every day, starting December 14 until Christmas, I’ll gift my loyal readers something to help them on their scholarship and/or college-bound journey. These incldue significant discounts as well as FREE giveaways! Go to https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/ to subscribe for free, so that you don't miss these offers.
 

$100,000+ in Scholarship Opportunities + A Resource For Matching Students With Christian Colleges

This week's featured scholarships:
$1,000 Campus Dream Scholarship Giveaway
$40,000 Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Wellroot Family Services Scholarship Program
$60,000 Burger King Foundation Scholarship
$2500 Cirkled In No Sweat Scholarship
$5000 Christian College Scholarship Drawing
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Holiday Shopping for College-Bound Teens and Students:
Custom diploma and other frames from Church Hill Classics: Use discount code Dave2024 to get $15 off orders of $100 when shopping at https://diplomaframe.com/DaveFrames.
“Go To Class: How to Succeed at College” by Karen Dentler - the perfect gift book for your college-bound teen. Available on Amazon.
I recommend waiting until your student has committed to a college before buying most of their dorm needs so you know exactly what the school allows and recommends. However, a few items are universally needed, no matter which college, dorm, or apartment your student ends up in. Here are a few of those items:
Dorms are notoriously dusty, moldy, and full of germs. A good air purifier is a great investment to help your student stay healthy at college.
Speaking of dirty, keep your kid’s feet clean with a pair of shower shoes.
It seems that no college student can survive these days without carrying their Stanley filled with their favorite beverage.
And, to keep their devices charged on the go, don’t forget a portable charger.
By the way, you support Scholarship GPS at no extra cost to you when you shop on Amazon using my affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3CPcoyO
 
This “gift” is for the parents and guardians…
When our kids turn 18, we lose the ability to legally help them in emergency situations unless the proper paperwork is in place. That is why I recommend Mama Bear Legal Forms Young Adult Power of Attorney. Be sure to read my recent article on why I’m so thankful that we have a Young Adult POA in place.
With the Power of Attorney documents, you can:
+ Make health care decisions if your student is incapacitated
+ Avoid court-appointed guardians
+ Gain access to medical records in case of an emergency
+ Interact with landlords and insurance companies
You can use my discount code, ScholarshipCoach,  to take 20% off the total price at Mama Bear Legal Forms.
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Why Admissions is the Least Important Part of Your Student's College Experience According to 20+ Year College Expert + 5 Scholarship Opportunities

I recently spoke with Karen Dentler, author of the gift book, “Go to Class: How to Succeed at College.” Karen has over 20 years of experience in higher education. She has held positions in student life and academic administration at Rutgers University, Princeton University, and Carnegie Mellon University. Dentler has her MA in higher education from the University of Michigan and a BA in philosophy from Colgate University.
In our conversation, Karen shared:
Her number one tip for success for inbound college students!
The role of parents in the life of their college student
Why admissions is the least important part of your student’s college experience (and what IS the most important part)
And much more…
Karen's gift book, “Go to Class: How to Succeed at College” makes the perfect gift for your college-bound student. Order your copy on Amazon or on Karen’s website, CollegeGiftBook.com.
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Announcing the Scholarship Bootcamp!
You asked for it, and now it’s here!
The Scholarship Bootcamp offers students lifetime access to the Scholarship GPS Course to learn how to find, prioritize, and apply for scholarships.
This unique program also includes personalized reviews, feedback, and editing help for three different scholarship applications of your choice, including essays of up to 2500 words.
You could even have me help you with your entry for the Dominguez Law Firm Collegiate Scholarship! Plus, with access to the Scholarship GPS Course, you’ll learn how to craft a strong Personal Narrative, which is critical for this scholarship.
If purchased separately, this program would cost $428. However, the Scholarship Bootcamp is offered at a special price of just $247! Click here to sign up today: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/bootcamp
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This week's featured scholarships:
$3,000 Intoxalock Drunk Driving Prevention Scholarship
$1500 Comedy Defensive Driving Scholarship
$2500 Kitchen Cabinet Kings Entrepreneur Scholarship
$5000 Dominguez Law Firm Collegiate Scholarship
$1500 Future Leaders Scholarship (No Essay)