how to attend college for free
DESCRIPTION
This talk was presented at Grapevine High School on 2013 11-04 to an academic booster group. The speaker is a recent college graduate that was awarded $2.3 million in scholarship money from 36 universities, and wants to teach you how he did it. Speaker's notes can be found at http://christiangenco.com/2013/11/06/how-to-attend-college-for-free.htmlTRANSCRIPT
![Page 2: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Outline
1. Why listen to me?
2. Why go to college?
3. What colleges look for, and how to make them want you
4. Hack the system
![Page 3: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
1. Why listen to me?
• CHS 2009 101.0000 GPA
• 2280 SAT, 33 ACT
• AP 5s: Bio, Chem, Physics, English Comp.
• AP 4s: English Lit, Psychology, APUSH, Econ, Calc
![Page 4: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
1. Why listen to me?
• Green Jacket student ambassador
• Best Actor of 2008 Thespian Society award
• ACM Coding Competitions
• Produced and directed “Game Over” film
![Page 5: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
1. Why listen to me?
Offered $2,334,856 in scholarships from 36 universitiesAlbright College: Founders Scholarship and NHS Award ($84,000) Augsburg College: Freshmen Regents’ Scholarship ($44,000) Augustana College: Presidential Scholarship ($44,000) Butler University: Presidential Scholarship ($60,000) Coe College: Trustee Scholarship ($72,000) Culver-Stockton College: Vision of Success Scholarship ($86,600) Dominican University: Trustee Scholarship ($68,000) Drexel University: A. J. Drexel Scholar ($67,000) Emmanuel College: Presidential Scholarship ($113,400) Erskine College: Trustee Scholarship/Out of State Grant ($60,000) Furman University: Achiever Scholarship ($72,000) Green Mountain College: (admitted with no scholarship) Hamilton University: (admitted with no scholarship) Hamline University: Hamline Honors & Heritage Scholarships ($60,000) Hanover College: Dr. Albert G. & Katharine Parker Scholarship ($60,000) Hobart and William Smith Colleges: Faculty Scholar ($40,000) Hood College: Hodson Trust Scholarship ($60,000) John Carroll University: Presidential Honors Award ($40,000) Lasell College: Lasell College Presidential Scholar ($54,000) LeMoyne: Presidential Scholarship ($78,000) Loyola University: Ignation Scholar ($112,176) Lycoming College: Lycoming Scholarship ($74,000) Marietta College: Pioneer Scholar and Dean’s Scholarship ($44,000) Mount Saint Vincent: Erasmus Scholarship ($60,000) Ohio Wesleyan University: Ohio Wesleyan University Presidential Scholarship ($138,280) Randolph-Macon College: President’s Award ($66,000) Regis University: Board of Trustees Scholarship ($56,000) Saint Joseph’s College of Maine: (admitted with no scholarship)
Saint Louis University: Provost Scholarship ($60,000) Southern Methodist University: !! President’s Scholarship ($180,000)!Trinity University: Trustees’ Scholarship ($64,000) Tulane University: Presidential Scholarship ($96,000) University of Dayton: Trustees’ Merit Scholarship ($54,000) University of Findlay: Trustees’ Scholarship ($56,000) University of Texas at Dallas: Academic Honors Scholarship ($55,400) Westminster College: Westminster Presidential Scholarship ($56,000)
![Page 6: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
1. Why listen to me?SMU President’s Scholarship
• $180K -> $210K
• Full tuition, student fees, room & board, study abroad tuition and travel, Taos weekend vacation every year
• Spent $10K total in 4 years at college
• Major: Computer Science with a Premedical Specialization
![Page 7: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
![Page 8: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
![Page 9: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
![Page 10: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
![Page 11: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
![Page 12: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
![Page 13: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
![Page 14: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
![Page 15: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
![Page 16: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
![Page 17: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
![Page 18: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
![Page 19: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
![Page 20: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
![Page 21: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
![Page 22: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
![Page 23: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
![Page 24: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
![Page 25: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
![Page 26: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
![Page 27: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
![Page 28: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
1. Why listen to me?Post-grad plans
• Graduated debt-free (investing college fund)
• Deferred admission to Texas medical schools
• Working in Software Engineering
![Page 29: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
2. Why go to college?• “How to Get Rich” is about
why you shouldn’t get rich
• Understand what you want before trying to get it
• You don’t have to go to college to be successful or happy
![Page 30: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
![Page 31: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
middle school -> high school -> college -> internship -> job -> get married -> have kids -> pay off student loans -> pay off mortgage -> save money for kids’ college -> save money for retirement -> retire/die in Florida
![Page 32: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
2. Why go to college?
Reasons why people go to college:
• Make money/be successful
• Prepare for a career
• To learn/motivate learning
• To meet people/“the college experience”
• Research
![Page 33: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
2. Why go to college?Make money/be successful
• 50 careers over $50k without a college degree
• Real estate agent, plumber, software designer, Food Truck owner, professional blogger/youtuber, carpenter, mechanic…
• Average salary for college grads is $45k
• More competitive to be good at what you do than to have a degree
![Page 34: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
2. Why go to college?Prepare for a career
![Page 35: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
![Page 36: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
2. Why go to college?To learn/motivate learning
• Colleges don’t have a monopoly on knowledge
• Khan Academy, Coursera, Wikipedia
• learn by doing -> more competitive
• Expensive motivation
![Page 37: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
2. Why go to college?To meet people/“the college experience”
• Expensive way to socialize
• More effective to spend $20K throwing parties and traveling
![Page 38: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
2. Why go to college?Research
• Universities are an excellent place to do research if you take advantage of it
![Page 39: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
![Page 40: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
![Page 41: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
![Page 42: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
![Page 43: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
![Page 44: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)
![Page 45: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/45.jpg)
![Page 46: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/46.jpg)
![Page 47: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/47.jpg)
![Page 48: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/48.jpg)
![Page 49: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/49.jpg)
![Page 50: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/50.jpg)
2. Why go to college?A waste of money
• Average cost of tuition:
• public: $22K/year
• private: $43K/year
• [+ room & board ($9K) + textbooks ($1.2K)] x 4 years = $128.8K ($212.9K private)
![Page 51: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/51.jpg)
$130,000
![Page 52: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/52.jpg)
![Page 53: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/53.jpg)
$10,400/year
for the rest of your life
$866/month
…retire?
![Page 54: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/54.jpg)
$130,000
![Page 55: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/55.jpg)
![Page 56: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/56.jpg)
![Page 57: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/57.jpg)
![Page 58: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/58.jpg)
![Page 59: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/59.jpg)
![Page 60: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/60.jpg)
![Page 61: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/61.jpg)
3. What colleges look for and how to make them want you
• curriculum/gpa
• test scores
• SAT, ACT, AP
• subjective
• leadership, activities (debate, band, cheer, sports, etc.), essay
![Page 62: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/62.jpg)
3. What colleges look for, and how to make them want you
curriculum/gpa
• no-brainer
• take challenging classes and do well in them
• learn because you love learning
• don’t sweat class rank
![Page 63: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/63.jpg)
3. What colleges look for, and how to make them want you
test scores
• the most important part of your application
• National Merit = automatic scholarships ($5K/year at SMU)
• You making money studying for standardized tests
![Page 64: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/64.jpg)
3. What colleges look for, and how to make them want you
test scores -> studying for the SAT
• a great PSAT/SAT score is easy
![Page 65: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/65.jpg)
![Page 66: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/66.jpg)
3. What colleges look for, and how to make them want you
test scores -> studying for the SAT
• take a practice test
• review the questions you got wrong
• repeat
![Page 67: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/67.jpg)
![Page 68: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/68.jpg)
![Page 69: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/69.jpg)
![Page 70: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/70.jpg)
Texas Class!! Cut-off
2010 216
2011 215
2012 219
2013 216
2014 219
![Page 71: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/71.jpg)
3. What colleges look for, and how to make them want you
subjective stuff
![Page 72: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/72.jpg)
![Page 73: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/73.jpg)
3. What colleges look for, and how to make them want you
subjective stuff -> the essay
• different
• interesting and entertaining
• show me, don’t tell me
• memorable
![Page 74: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/74.jpg)
“Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk
you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and
its impact on you.”
![Page 75: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/75.jpg)
3. What colleges look for, and how to make them want you
general tips
• application is a set of talking points
• show that you’re well rounded, good time management
• apply early
![Page 76: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/76.jpg)
Academic achievement, intellectual promise, quality of writing, creative, original thought, productive class discussion, respect accorded by faculty, disciplined work habits, maturity, motivation, leadership, integrity, reaction to setbacks, concern for others, self-confidence, initiative and independence
![Page 77: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/77.jpg)
3. Hack the system
• the “scholarship drawer”
• how to get $2.3 million in scholarships
• google: “[school] merit scholarships”
![Page 78: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/78.jpg)
![Page 79: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/79.jpg)
![Page 80: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/80.jpg)
![Page 81: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/81.jpg)
![Page 82: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/82.jpg)
![Page 83: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/83.jpg)
![Page 84: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/84.jpg)
3. Hack the system
• textbooks
![Page 85: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/85.jpg)
![Page 86: How to Attend College for Free](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022020217/549e6996b47959a0608b45a1/html5/thumbnails/86.jpg)
Recap• life isn’t LIFE
• if you’re going to college, it’s your full time job to get scholarships for it
• maximize gpa/curriculum, test scores, and how interesting you are
• hack the system