More Than a Test Score

With the end of the school year, we are getting a lot of matching winners! Congratulations to the most recent winner, Neil Shah, a graduating senior who has plans to attend North Carolina State University in the fall.

He is a Coca-Cola Scholar and because he found the scholarship on Zinch, applied and won, we’re doubling his money! Here’s a little more about this talented Zincher.

Why do you deserve the Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship?

The scholarship is focused on students who strive for excellence in every way possible: character, academics, service, and the whole works.  I feel that in this sense I’m a fairly well-rounded person, and I’m honored to be a Coca-Cola Scholar.

What was your reaction when you heard we were matching your scholarship?

I was pretty excited!  I was already glad enough to be winning a scholarship in the first place, but this just added to the happiness.

What are your plans for the future?

Doctorate in Computational Science, work at a research lab, and eventually be a professor of computer science or mathematics.

If you could have dinner with 3 people (dead or alive), who would it be and why?

Richard Feynman – Incredible scientist, with an incredible potential to see through problems right to their solutions.

Alan Turing – Could be considered as a founding father of computer science.

Pierre de Fermat – I wonder if he actually did have a simple proof of his Last Theorem.  If so, I’d want to see it.

If you had a million dollars and you had to spend it on yourself, what would you do?

Establish a hefty retirement account and invest a good portion of it.

How are you more than a test score?

Well, I am an amalgam of interests, especially in science and mathematics.  A test score could do nowhere close to serving the purpose of identifying me.  Plenty of people can have the same test score, but in the end they are all different people!

Have you won a scholarship you applied for on Zinch? Well, let us know and we just might be able to double your money!

Meet Arpan Prabhu. He can’t live without cereal, is attending University of Pittsburgh this fall, and not only won a scholarship from Zinch, but is also getting two scholarships matched by us as well. Why? Because he found and won two scholarships on our site! Talk about using your resources. Congratulations multiple times, Arpan!

Why do you deserve these scholarships (Coca-Cola Scholars and the Principal’s Leadership Award)?

I work hard, I play hard.

What was your reaction when you heard we were matching your scholarship?

I was pretty excited to know that some of the weight of college expenses was lifted from my shoulders.

What do you do on rainy days?

Normally, I’ll end up just loafing around the house, watching television, engorging myself with snacks–all the things that make childhood a blast. If I can, though, I’ll try to get some friends together to play video games, chess, spoons, and whatnot.

What’s the first thing you would grab on your way out the door if your house caught fire?

This would probably depend on what room I was in, but it would probably be something small that could fit in my pocket so it wouldn’t impede my escaping from the house. So maybe some dental floss.

If you could have dinner with 3 people (dead or alive), who would it be and why?

I would be thrilled to have Russell Peters, Kim Jong-il, and a stranger. I enjoy laughter and diversity, and I think Russell (a comedian) could easily cut the tension at the table. Kim Jong-il would provide some interesting views for discussion, and the stranger could turn out to become a new friend or, at the very least, cover the tip.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

The power to grant any power and take away any power at will.

If you had a million dollars and you had to spend it on yourself, what would you do?

I’d probably buy a Kit-Kat and head over to the Hilton Hawaiian Village, flying first-class, and get a massage. Of course, I’d donate money to some local charities I support, too. Finally, I’d probably invest some of the money.

If you could change one thing in history, what would it be and why?

I wouldn’t change anything in history, for I wouldn’t know the future consequences or the chain of events I would trigger.

How are you more than a test score?

I have a personality that can’t be conveyed through boring numbers.

We like matching scholarships at Zinch, so why not give it a try for yourself?

Everyone is focused on March Madnezz it seems, but know that Zinch provides other ways to find money for college, like our Scholarship Matching Program. Find and win a scholarship on Zinch and we’ll match it dollar for dollar. Tania De Los Santos is the most recent winner of a Matching award after finding the Walter R. Hoag Scholarship on Zinch, applying and winning. Really, it’s that easy. She’s a college student, mom, and possibly a future UNC-Chapel Hill ram. Let’s hear what advice she has on the scholarship search.

How did you first hear about Zinch?
I was in my senior year of high school and frantically looking for scholarships to help pay for my education because I didn’t want to have to borrow loans. Like virtually every teenager out there, Google.com was my starting point and I just luckily happened to come across Zinch.com.

What do you like most about Zinch?
My favorite part about Zinch is their teen-friendly interface. The website uses colorful vocabulary, eye-pleasing colors and fonts, and even a chat box to talk to your friends. What more could a high school student want from a scholarship search engine?

What was your reaction when you found out you won the Walter R. Hoag Scholarship?
I was completely shocked; I had applied to over twenty scholarships and had only won two so far. The Walter R. Hoag Scholarship made for three and I was proud of myself (and very thankful too).

What do you wish you had known when you first started high school?
That my grades actually counted for something and, at their highest, would open more doors for me in the future. I made a lot of progress, but I started off weak and that was because I wasn’t aware that high school GPA’s determined a lot when it came to colleges.

If you had one piece for advice for students starting their scholarship search, what would it be?
Unless you are some sort of protégé, don’t expect to win every single one you apply for. Applications take time and effort and judges appreciate it when you take your time and sound like you care about your future and not just the money (from both the scholarship and your future paycheck).

What do you do on a rainy day?
I stay inside and “talk” with my one year old. He’s getting the hang of saying “thank you,” so from the both of us: Thank you Zinch!!

How are you more than a test score?
Well, the easiest way to answer this is to tell you the only way that I am like a test score. In my calculus 3 class, my highest test grade has been a 96; this shows my love for math and that I refuse to score any lower than an 80 on any assignment. Otherwise, I’m a striving student, a loving mommy, and a proud scholarship winner!

Congrats to Tania! If you have found a scholarship on Zinch and won, you could be eligible for Scholarship Matching too. Find out more here!

Learn from an expert. Remember Jeff Zhao? He’s kind of a celebrity here at Zinch, and for the right reasons. What is he up to this time? He’s here to help you win some free money. Seems like there are a lot of people out there who want to help you out, so go ahead and let us.

Wanna know the secret to winning free money? Watch this video and find out how Jeff scored some coins from Zinch.

And for your special viewing pleasure, Jeff has made another one of his famous raps, this time, double your money style.

So, go out there and put your knowledge to action! Who doesn’t love free $$$?

We are matching so many scholarships over here at Zinch that we can barely keep up! Welcome Nadia Ahlborg to the list of winners. She’s going to be a freshmen at Ohio State University studying Materials Science and Engineering.

Where did you hear about Zinch and what made you start using it?
I heard about Zinch from a friend who used it and liked it better than other scholarship search engines. So, I decided to sign up and try it out.

What was your reaction when you found out you won the Alfred B. Glossbrenner and John Klusch Scholarship?
I was so thrilled! I called my mom in the middle of her meeting to tell her the news, then called my dad at work and ran around the house telling my brothers that I’d just won a ton of money.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
I’m hoping to attend grad school and perform research. Right now, I am especially interested in biomaterials, which are special materials used in medical devices that can mimic human tissue.

What’s your favorite summertime activity?
I love hanging out with all my friends and staying up late!

What’s playing on your iPod right now?
“Violet Hill” by Coldplay

What advice do you have for those seeking scholarships?
Apply to as many scholarships as you can, even if you don’t think you quite qualify. Try to focus on scholarships given by local organizations or your parents’ work, because they will have fewer applicants. For some, you may only be competing with five or ten people, and that definitely improves your chances of winning.

How are you more than a test score?
While my test scores have gotten me far, they won’t help me make new friends or pass classes in college. What will help are all the experiences I’ve had in choir and on the cross-country team, my fun and open personality, and my passion for what I do.

Show us how you’re passionate by filling out your Zinch profile right now!