We’re matching scholarships left and right here at Zinch! This is our newest Moocher: Arthurine Zakama. She’s got big plans, big dreams, and good advice for anyone applying for scholarships.

I got to ask her a few questions about school and life. She’s pretty motivated, so watch out. This girl is unstoppable!

Had you applied for any other scholarships?
Yes, I applied for several other scholarships. Unfortunately, I did not get any of them.

How much time did it take you to apply for the William C. and Corrine J. Dietrich Award?
It took me about three hours to get application together because I already had the essays ready.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I relax with my family and friends.

What are your hobbies?
I love to read, research on what I do not know, and volunteer.

Are you involved in any extra-curricular activities?
Yes, in high school I was involved in track and field, knowledge bowl, national honor society, and several other clubs. I also did and continue to volunteer for the American Cancer Society- Hope Lodge.

What are you planning on studying in school?
I plan on studying either biology or neuroscience.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?
I see myself in medical school!!

What are some of your life goals?
My goals are to become an oncologist and to work with the American Cancer Society in gaining donations for cancer patients and cancer research.

Are you excited to go to college?
Yes! I am definitely excited for college. Also, I am a little nervous because I am going to a school out-of-state; however, I believe that everything will go well!

How has life after high school graduation been?
Life after high school is great. I am currently trying to find a summer job so I can get a laptop and other much needed things for college. Besides the job search, life is great, especially after winning this scholarship.

Do you have any advice for future scholarship hopefuls?
My advice is this, apply to as many scholarships as you can. Also, know that many of your college application essays and information can be reused, so scholarship applications will go quicker. Also, be honest in your essays because who you are will be better understood.

What excites you most about your future?
I am most excited that I am going to college. This means that I will get an education and will be able to give back to my community one day, which is very exciting.

Zinch is matching scholarships. Are you next?

After reviewing many excellent profiles we are pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 and 2011 Scholarships.

The winner of the 2010 Scholarship is Emily Flower.  Emily’s Zinch bio reads: “I have a passion for the middle east and medicine. These work in tandem to drive me toward my goal of Osteopathic Orthopedic Surgeon, ready to adventure to war torn countries to heal victims of violence. I love to read; it is my window into a life I haven’t lived. It allows me to be a swashbuckling pirate one day, and a boy on the side of a mountain the next. I’m in love with culture, of all kinds and regions. Immersion and Exposure are the best medicine, and studying abroad is a priority of mine.”

The winner of the 2011 Scholarship is Jelena Borak. Jelena’s description of herself: “I’m a refugee from Yugoslavia. My parents, 2 older sisters, and I came to the U.S. when I was 6 years old. Though my stature is small, 5′2″, my dreams are certainly not! I have decided to get a head start on my quest for much-needed scholarships. I love art, reading, and playing sports. Above all, I’m dedicated to my family and education!”

We wish our scholarship winners all the best in finishing out high school strong and seeing their college dreams come true.

There are currently a lot of scholarship opportunities on Zinch, so be sure to check out what scholarships you are elgible for here.

Paolo Singer is pretty smart. He registered on Zinch. He also applied for a scholarship listed on Zinch, and won it. Now he’s got twice the money because Zinch is matching scholarships. Pretty smart, right? He knows that Zinch is the best place to look for colleges and scholarships. That’s probably why he’s going to Harvard. I got to ask him some questions. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, and all I hope is that he can find some good Italian food in Massachusets.

What made you register for Zinch?

I saw the scholarships that Zinch was offering, so I created a profile and applied to a bunch. Looking back, it was a good idea :).

What made you want to go to Harvard? What was the application process like?

Harvard is a place where I’ll be both challenged and inspired by other students around me, and where I’ll have so many resources to pursue my studies and extracurriculars as far as I want — I’m very excited for the four years ahead. The application process was slightly hectic because I left the bulk of the work for the last couple weeks before the deadline, but the effort definitely paid off.

What are you going to study?

I’m planning to study government, economics, computer science, and evolutionary biology.

Are you excited to move from the Bronx?

Yes — I’ll finally be liberated from having to take the subway every day.

What kind of outside hobbies do you have?

I love music, sports, and the outdoors. Some of my favorite hobbies are piano, theater, skating, soccer, and traveling. And, of course, eating good Italian food.

What is your main goal in life?

To make the best of what I have, and to make the world around me just a little better.

Why are you more than a test score?

We are a work in progress, and test scores cannot measure the love, tears, laughter, joy and memories we gain from living.

What a kid. We’re so excited for Paolo. Register for Zinch and see if you can be a moocher, too!

If you are a 2009 high school graduate and are yet to let us know your thoughts on what really mattered to you the most in your college decision process, take the survey and let your voice be heard!

Like community colleges throughout California, City College of San Francisco is also facing such deep budget cuts, but they are trying some unconventional methods to prevent eliminating hundreds of courses and sections.  The college is offering donors the ability to save a course — and have the course named for them — for $6,000, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Currently, about 800 classes are slated to be canceled. There are so many classes being killed that the newspaper reported that potential donors have lots of options, including traditional introductory courses in fields such as biology and French, practical courses in fields such as accounting, and electives such as Psychology of Shyness and Self-Esteem and Advanced Kung Fu.  Yes, it may seem strange to sign up for the “Bill and Melinda Gates Advanced Kung Fu class”, but better that then the alternative.

The University of California San Diego now has it’s own iPhone application to help students get around campus, contact faculty, staff, and students, follow sport scores, watch campus-related videos, or check their class schedule.  The University of Missouri, the United States oldest journalism school, is now requiring journalism students to have an iPhone or similar technology as a tool for class.  Twitter and Facebook are becoming more and more integrated in high schools and colleges not just as a social tool, but as a tool in the learning process.

Detractors to this wave of new technology being integrated into the lives of teachers and students across the country seem to feel like it takes too much of the personal side of education out of the process, but my question to you the reader is, how do you feel about technology in education?  After all, you are the true participants.  In the college admissions process, how much do you rely on technology as opposed to campus visits, college fairs, and face-to-face interactions with you guidance counselor?  How much is too much when it comes to technology in education?

But fall semester is just a few months out! Do you know exactly how you’re paying for school? I hate to rain on your summertime parade, but if you don’t have a plan for that tuition bill already there’s a pretty good chance you’ll end up relying on student loans in the fall.

To avoid the fall financial aid rush, take advantage of Zinch’s scholarship finder now!  Summer scholarships have less competition with fewer students applying for the awards.  Scholarships run by your college or university may not have deadlines over summer, but many other organizational awards and contests aren’t tied to the school year and with Zinch’s scholarship matching, you can have that tuition bill paid in no time.

Summer is the perfect time to get into something new, and if you find a good fit now you’ll have something relaxing and fulfilling to do with your free time when the school year starts.  Jamie from survivingcollegelife.com recently wrote about a few great ideas:

1) Want the same thrill of Halo with a little more action? Try paintballing or airsoft. (Just remember to follow the safety rules. My brother literally got shot in the eye and almost went blind!)
2) Good old Oprah shares How to Start a Book Club
3) Or, if you’re hungry for something more substantial than literature, Start a Cooking Club instead
4) Want to make movies with your friends? Get inspired by these amateur film-makers who got their start in college
5) Learn How to Crochet or Knit from Knitting Help
6) Want to learn Yoga? I like this Yoga Cardio DVD from Gaiam (the 30 minute workout is the perfect length)
7) Okay this is back in a box, but what about Teaching Yourself HTML and CSS (at the very least it will teach you how to make your blog more appealing…)
8) Learn how to Start a Skateboarding Club (or any other sport you’re interested in) when you get back to school
9) Start keeping a journal with these Journal Prompts
10) Start a “Meetup” group for something you are interested in, from running to painting, anything goes
11) Find your local YMCA or library and see what kind of classes they offer–I’ve seen everything from martial arts to music programs and practically everything in between!

If you find something you really click with this summer, don’t let it slide during school! It will be easy and tempting to slip back into your old afternoon TV rituals, but don’t let your electronics rule your life!

And what is the other great reason for you to take up a new hobby? That’s right–you can put most of these on your resume or scholarship applications. And who doesn’t like a healthier college application?

As always we’d love to hear what ideas you have, feel free to share your own ideas in the comments.

1.) Find the right job for you. This is terribly important. Some people prefer campus jobs - usually, you can do your homework while at a campus job, and the hours are very flexible. However, you usually make minimum wage. Others prefer an off-campus job, such as serving at a restaurant. These jobs pay more than minimum wage, but also require you to focus on the job itself when there. You honestly will just have to consider whether you want to work 10 hours a week for $200 at an off-campus job, or work 15 hours a week for $100, but have all your homework done in those fifteen hours, and then have the rest of your time to yourself.

2.) Budget your time. Make a list of all the tasks you need to complete within the next two weeks, and also put them on a calendar. Also, you do not want to write an 8-page paper in one day, no matter whether you can or not. Make sure you begin outlining and planning your paper early, and write a rough draft at least four days before it’s due. For tests, begin studying early by looking over your notes and determining what you already know. Highlight, underline, or star the concepts you’re having problems with, and go over them for a little time each day, making sure to cover all of them by two days before the test. This way, all you have to do on the day before your paper or test is either edit, or run over all your notes (including the ones you originally knew) one more time.

3.) Figure out when you’re going to having fun. If you know there’s a hockey game on Friday, and that you work all day Saturday and Sunday, do your homework on Thursday. It kind of sucks, but you need to budget in your social time. Also, make sure you’re somewhat ahead of your work, so that if one of your friends invites you out to a spontaneous get-together, you’ll still be able to go.

4.) Know when to say no. Your boss will try to call you in on nights before a test, or your coworker will beg you to work for them so that she can go to a concert. If you can’t do it, you can’t do it. Never jeopardize your education for your job. However, you also need to know when to say no to your friends. Some of them will really not understand either that you have a job, or that you go to school, and so will just not get why you can’t go out on a Saturday night.

5.) Take time off. Don’t work during finals week, if you can help it, and request off for days before you have a big test. Also, if you’re starting to feel crazy from working so much, take an evening off and do something fun.

6.) Go the extra mile. Just because you’re really busy doesn’t mean you can be lazy at work. Make sure that, if you actually can pick up that shift, you do, and that you do all of your work adequately instead of trying to rush out the second your shift is over. For your classes, make sure you’re not skipping lectures to sleep, and are still putting all of your effort into your assignments.

7.) Don’t let yourself get behind. It is hard enough to keep up when you work and have classes, more likely to catch up if you slack or don’t complete an assignment. If you are getting behind, cut back your hours at work, or consider how you can better budget your time.

8.) Make things quick. You will realize that time is just about the most precious thing you have. Get food you can grab on the go (drinkable yogurt, muffins or bagels, granola bars), or that is quick to make (leftovers, soup, Stoufers Mac & Cheese, Caesar salads), and try to clean up after yourself so that you don’t have to worry about sanitizing your room when classes are finally over. Just make sure you’re still eating in a remotely healthy manner–eating exclusively granola bars is not going to give you much energy. This is where a restaurant job really comes in handy–get food after your shift, even if you ate dinner before you came. You’ll want something healthy but fast for lunch or dinner the next day.

9.) Budget in sleep. If you know you take a long time to fall asleep, or that you take a long time to get ready for bed, make sure you consider what time you have to stop doing work and start getting ready for bed. Although it can be hard when you have a job that might not start until noon but have classes that start at 8:30 AM, try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. This routine will keep you from getting too tired.

10.) Figure out your schedule. If you can open your availability without sacrificing taking a class you really wanted to, do it. I was able to make it so that I had Thursdays off from classes for my entire sophomore year, and also managed to get Tuesdays off for the second semester. This allowed me to make some extra money by working all day on Thursdays and Tuesdays.

What are your thoughts? Do you plan on working while enrolled in school?

If you are considering a career in the entertainment industry? Here’s your chance to experience one week inside Canada’s leading entertainment arts institution. The contest is exclusively open to members of Zinch, so sign up here.

The VFS Summer Intensive Program gives you a chance to try one of their one-year programs and discover if VFS and that program of choice are right for you.

• Experience VFS The Art, Design & Business of Entertainment | JULY 20-24
• Acting for Film & Television Intensive AUGUST 10-14
• Animation & Visual Effects Intensive JULY 27-31
• Digital Design Intensive JULY 6-10
• Film Production Intensive JULY 13-17
• Game Design Intensive JULY 13-17
• Makeup Design for Film & Television Intensive JULY 13-17
• Sound Design for Visual Media Intensive AUGUST 24-28
• Writing for Film & Television Intensive JULY 13-17

Contest closes Midnight Eastern Standard Time (9:00pm Pacific Standard Time) on Sunday, June 21, 2009.