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

Most families know scholarships can help pay for college.

What most families do not know is how to actually win them.

They are overwhelmed by where to start. They are unsure which scholarships are worth pursuing. They do not know what scholarship judges are really looking for. And many students wait too long to begin.

That is exactly why the Scholarship Bootcamp was created.

The Scholarshi...

Scholarship success is usually not about one perfect application.

It is about having a system and staying consistent long enough for the opportunities to add up.

Inside the Scholarship Navigator programs, I help families create that strategy.

That includes helping students and parents:

• organize scholarships and deadlines

• prioritize the best opportunities

• review essays and applications

• stay accountable throughout the pro...

Uduak is the mom of a middle school student. She happened upon the Scholarship GPS Podcast and, by listening on her daily commute, learned that her daughter could start applying for scholarships even before starting high school.

But her interest in scholarships went beyond just the potential financial rewards. Uduak understood that scholarships could be used to supplement her daughter’s education, particularly her writing abi...

Jackie Pollina founded J&J Test Prep with the intention of making test prep fun and manageable for students. Jackie also 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 explains:

• Why students should take the SAT/ACT.

• The timeline goal that students should have to achieve their best score.

• How students can reverse-...

Jennifer Gershberg is a campus and keynote speaker and a former University of Maryland professor. Through her campus programs, keynotes, trainings, and online courses, she helps prospective and current college students build confidence and competence by teaching them the fundamental skills they need for academic and professional success. While on the faculty at the University of Maryland, Jennifer won numerous teaching awards, incl...

When Cheryl’s daughter’s junior year became overwhelming, her family was faced with a difficult situation. What started as a challenging semester soon became too much to manage, making it difficult for her daughter to continue attending classes and complete the term. Having purchased GradGuard Tuition Insurance before the semester, Cheryl’s family was able to navigate the process with support, compassion, and clea...

Kami Wanous, The Freedom Scholar, works with homeschool families to help their students become lifelong learners.

Kenyon is Kami’s son, and he has been studying AI for many years. Keyon is working on a book on how young people can use AI safely.

In our conversation, we discussed:

• How Kenyon got into AI

• How students can use AI safely

• Ways to use AI properly as part of a student’s education

• The role parents pl...

Ingrid Moats of The Math Gift recently offered a scholarship, and in our conversation, she explained what it is like on the other side of the scholarship process, as a scholarship provider. From our conversation, you’ll gain a better understanding of why organizations offer scholarships and why they choose to host them on scholarship websites. She also provides insight into just how much (or how little) competition there real...

Abbie Metzler is a PhD student in psychology, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and someone who believes the college admissions process should not take away your sense of confidence and calm.

Abbie started Confident College Admissions because she’s seen how overwhelming and confusing this process can be. But with the right guidance and support, it can actually feel manageable, meaningful, and even exciting. Her ap...

A conversation with one of Alex’s friends completely altered his college search process. His friend just started his first year at Duke University and was raving about the campus, the culture, and the opportunities. At that time, Duke wasn’t super high on Alex’s list, but that conversation set him on the path of becoming a life-long Blue Devil.

As Alex’s college experience played out, he came to realize the ...

When families begin the scholarship journey, many parents assume there are only two options:

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Either parents take over the process completely, or they step back and let students handle everything on their own.

Neither approach works very well.

The most successful scholarship families usually find a healthier balance...

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Last Monday, one of Scholarship GPS’s partner ...

• $1000 Swift Justice Scholarship
• Soloff & Zervanos Personal Injury Attorneys $1000 Forward-Thinking Future Scholarship
• $1000 Marcus W. Viles Community Growth Scholarship
• $1500 Do-Over Scholarship
• $5000 MyOTC Scholarship for Health Access
• $2026 No Essay Scholarship from ScholarshipOwl

• $10,000 Scholarships360 No Essay Scholarship

I've put together a free Scholarship Website Guide that explains t...

Success on the road to college depends as much on what you do during summers as during the school year. If you’re looking to make this summer count, find out everything you need to know about when and how to prep for the important SAT & ACT and submit successful scholarship applications. With over 30 years of intensive experience in every aspect of standardized test preparation, Mike Bergin, Founder of Chariot Learning, ...

Alicia is the founder of College Redefined. She grew up as a homeschooled student. During middle school, she became motivated to find ways to complete her college degree faster while making it cost-efficient at the same time. Through hard work and dedication, she graduated from high school with almost 2 years of college already completed. Upon graduation, she worked full-time as a school teacher for two years while still working on...

This wasn’t an accident. Teagan was focused on her end goal and took purposeful action throughout high school to set herself up for success.

In our interview, we discussed:

• What motivated Teagan to start her scholarship journey

• How extracurriculars led Teagan to her full-tuition scholarship as well as her future college major and career ...

If your child is turning 18, whether they are going away to college or remaining at home, please consider getting a Power of Attorney in place. You can use my discount code, ScholarshipCoach20, to take 20% off the total price when you use this link: https://www.mamabearlegalforms.com/youngadult?oid=1&affid=44

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The Scholarship Summer Camp is for high school students in the Classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.

Your st...

In late February, I woke up in the middle of the night and checked my email.

There was a message from Carter telling me that she had been awarded a full-tuition scholarship!

That incredible accomplishment was not luck. It was the result of many months, even years, of focused effort to achieve this goal.

Carter and her mom, Tiffany, were kind enough to talk about their scholarship journey, offering insig...

Multiple surveys indicate that people with student loan debt regret taking out the loans.

A 2026 ScholarshipOwl survey of over 12,000 students found that 71% of those who already hold debt regret the decision, with concerns centered on unaffordable monthly payments and economic uncertainty.

A 2022 Givling survey reported that 63% of borrowers regret taking out student loans.

A 2024 Ramsey Solutions study found that 53% of student l...

Applying to college isn't just about submitting applications in senior year.

It starts with months or even years of preparation, which many families are caught off guard by once their teen becomes a rising senior.

But don't worry. We are here to give you some tips and tricks to reduce the stress and confusion that can come from having all the information thrown at parents at once.

Knowing how to write college admissions essays and ...