For DonorsFor Applicants

Bold Financial Literacy Scholarship

Funded by
$500
1 winner$500
Awarded
Application Deadline
Jul 14, 2022
Winners Announced
Aug 14, 2022
Education Level
Any

An increasing number of students are facing financial difficulties when paying for college. 

The student debt crisis has been expanding, with 1 in 8 Americans now holding student loan debt totaling $1.6 trillion. Financial literacy is an important skill for students to have so they can make informed decisions about their college funding.

This scholarship aims to support students who are passionate about taking charge of their personal finances.

Any student may apply for this scholarship. To apply, tell us about a personal finance lesson that has benefited you.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Need, Boldest Bold.org Profile
Published April 14, 2022
Essay Topic

What’s one personal finance lesson that you find important?

150–300 words

Winning Application

Dominic Franco
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaFontana, CA
One of the most helpful pieces of financial advice I have ever received is to invest a portion of my income when possible. Thanks to the education that I have received through my business administration courses from Chaffey College and expert testimony from real life business professionals who have discussed this topic on outlets such as YouTube, I feel extremely hopeful about my future. Unfortunately, in High School nobody told me about the power of investments. I worked several jobs in the food industry, and although I got by, I felt that I never really was getting ahead financially, despite my hard work. I made sure to spend only what I knew I had and tried to make frugal choices when possible. I tried budgeting, but between health care costs, the costs of maintaining transportation, rent, and college tuition, I was living nearly pay check to pay check with little saved for emergencies. As a 23 year old, I have many years of work and income generation ahead of me. After learning that, for example, over the long term, investing in a simple market index fund on a regular basis can result in exponential wealth building. This is because, historically, a market index fund, encapsulating the entire stock market, can on average yield anywhere between a 7-12% return per year, with dividends reinvested. Fortunately, there are many brokerages to choose from, and now it is easier than ever to invest. This is because I can access my personal financial portfolio all through my smart phone. I can move funds from my checking account through my bank into my investment account with ease. As such, I have made it a habit of mine to invest a small portion of every check that I earn through work into my investment account.
Daniel Hall
Home Life AcademyCookeville, TN
Albert Einstein said, "Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe." In the realm of finances, the most important I have learned is investing. Investing is complicated; it is logical and it takes patience. In investing, I learned the importance of diversifying, buying stocks, and long-term investments. The first piece of investment advice I learned was my portfolio; I couldn't have all my eggs in one basket. Today influencers are pushing many to purchase only bitcoin or real estate. While these may be good investments, they are not 100% safe. I have witnessed the wisdom of diversifying my portfolio across an range of stocks versus investing into only one. No matter how high-yield an investment is, if it drops you lose all of the money you invested, so you must diversify. "But low, sell high," Warrren Buffet once said. As simple-sounding as it is, many people jump onto the bandwagon with stocks and join the countless victims when it crashes. I learned to hold off on buying a good stock until the price dropped, then buy and sell for a higher value later. While this involves years before seeing any profit, it is a safe way to earn steady income. Yes, there have been great leaps to wealth done by the lucky few, but the majority of the wealthy have earned their income long-term. Long-term investments, like mutual funds, employ the power of compound interest. Like a logarithmic chart, the returns are not great at first, but they gain traction over time. There is no consistent get-rich-quick scheme, there are only reliable long-term investments. Financial freedom means a lot to me, and investing has been a priceless lesson. From diversification to buying stocks to long-term investments, investing will always be the greatest finance lesson I have ever learned.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Jul 14, 2022. Winners will be announced on Aug 14, 2022.