Perhaps sometime during the school year, your school will offer a scholarship workshop or college planning fair. If so, you should take advantage of these opportunities to not only learn more about these critical steps toward college, but also network with individuals who are well-versed in their areas of expertise.

 

But to get more out of the workshop than a list of Do’s and Don’t's, it is important to understand what you should do before, during, and after the scholarship workshop. Research and prepare for scholarship workshops with these steps.

 

BEFORE THE WORKSHOP

 

Do Your Homework | Find some scholarships for which you are interested in applying. Write down any specific questions regarding the application, essay, or the scholarship in general that you might want to ask the speaker at the scholarship workshop.

 

Bring Writing Materials | Bring a notebook or notepad to take notes during the workshop.

 

DURING THE WORKSHOP

 

Introduce Yourself | Take a moment to greet the presenter and introduce yourself. Remember to give them a firm handshake. Give them a 15-30 second speech about who you are and what your goals are, but save your long questions for after the workshop.

 

Take Notes | You should take notes and write down any information that might be useful in your scholarship search.

 

Collect Information | Presenters may bring materials to distribute and provide handouts. Keep these handouts as a reference during your scholarship search.

 

Ask Questions in the Q&A Session | Presenters like to pass on information so ask any questions you prepared during the Q&A session. If you have specific or personal questions, save them for after the workshop.

 

Write Down Contact Information | Usually, towards the end of a presentation, the presenter will provide his contact information. Make sure you write down this information so you can contact them. If they don’t provide it in the presentation, ask them for a business card.

 

AFTER THE WORKSHOP

 

Follow Up | If you obtain their contact information/business card, send them a short email thanking them. If you still have questions, you should address them in the email.

 

Maintain Contact | Many times, from my experience, you can maintain contact with them if you pursue it. Know that they are willing to help you if you ask for it. If you’d like them to read over your essay, make sure you ask if they’d be willing to take the time.

 

These are just some tips to keep in mind as you attend different workshops. These workshops can serve as more than just an informational session. If you prepare well, you can turn these workshops into networking events that can potentially bring you scholarships, internships, and other opportunities. Only one person can give you these opportunities—and that is you.

 

If you take some time to research, prepare, and organize, you can develop skills that will be useful in your scholarship search as well as in your career. So the next time there is a scholarship workshop at your school, prepare well, go to the workshop feeling organized, and show the presenter that you’ve done your homework. The result of this may land more than just scholarships; it could potentially land you an internship or a job.