Last year Jess wrote about a blogging scholarship that she had entered and became a finalist in.
"Gee," I thought, "A blogging scholarship. Well, I'm not a woman, a minority, I don't have a parent in a particular industry, I'm not the smartest in my class or major, and I haven't done anything Nobel Prize worthy, so I don't really qualify for other scholarships, but I could definitely go for a blogging scholarship."
Unfortunately, I heard about it just a bit late last year and couldn't apply, which is probably for the better because Jess won $1,000 and probably would have bumped me out of the running. This year, however, I applied and after about a week of waiting the finalists were announced. With five times as many applicants as last year, I'm extremely excited to announce that I am one of the top twenty finalists!
Before I make my pitch I'd like to share my short essay that I submitted to apply.
My blogging began during my junior year of high school. Like the majority of angsty high schoolers, I started a blog because I was angry at life and felt like spilling my deepest, darkest secrets onto the Internet for everybody to read. Unlike the majority of angsty high schoolers, after I signed up for my blog I decided *not* to be angsty. Instead, I wanted to compile all of my most awesome stories, the coolest stuff I found on the Internet, and other random Internet fodder that I find entertaining. No drama, no gossip, no deep emotional musings. Entertainment, funny pictures, and stories. That's it.My personal blog was around for about two years before I started writing my blog for the MIT Admissions website. A lot of the blogs for MIT were very informative and very factual but not very fun to read. My goal? Write entries for MIT that not only were informative and factual, but also toed that line between appropriate and ridiculously off topic and random. I wanted people to *want* to read my blogs, to start and not be able to stop, to be entertained, but at the end feel like they know a little more about MIT. Maybe not directly, but sometimes the best information is absorbed indirectly and unknowingly.
My blog entries tell stories about eating contests, danger signs, snowball fights, LEGOs, toys, and all sorts of MIT's lesser known tidbits. Sometimes I get yelled at for being off topic. I don't care. I still strive to fill the Internet with awesome and will continue to do so on into the future.
So, that being said, if you can find it within you to do so, please vote for me. A $10,000 scholarship would be huge (MIT is kind of expensive). Here's a link to the site where you can vote:
If you'd like to post the link yourself on your blog, or just spread it around to help me out, it's http://www.collegescholarships.org/blog/2008/11/06/vote-for-the-winner-of-the-2008-blogging-scholarship/.
Voting ends at 11:59pm PST on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 so go out and vote! Thanks a ton you guys, I don't mean to essentially blog a commercial but, well, I kind of am. I'll make up for it, I promise : )
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
Posted by: 0 on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Chris on November 7, 2008
So far you're in the lead (26 votes), but do you know how many votes you need to win?
Posted by: Stacy on November 7, 2008
I think I just need to be in the lead.
Posted by: Snively on November 7, 2008
Posted by: current '11 on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Coleen on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Oasis '11 on November 7, 2008
i love you
Posted by: ilovesnively on November 7, 2008
Posted by: 0 on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Yan on November 7, 2008
I was going to recommend sending emails to all of MIT and trying to do something like you all did with the VS Pink, but that would probably backfire.
What are some common Scholarships MIT students receive after admission to MIT?
Is there anything at MIT to help current students receive scholarships? (I'm not sure if this exists at any university)
Posted by: Ivan on November 7, 2008
nice.niw to read the entry
Posted by: wesh m on November 7, 2008
Posted by: wesh m on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Colton on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Cam on November 7, 2008
(it took me awhile to find your name....I thought Snively was your first name )
48% of all of the votes!
Posted by: June on November 7, 2008
Snively: 45&
Come on everybody vote for the BEST blogger ever!
Posted by: Ehsan on November 7, 2008
The only way one would be more likely to win is if they were some popular media figure that used the website with all of their personal material on it to blog (like LittleKuriboh).
And based on the current votes, they're not XD
Posted by: Narce on November 7, 2008
Posted by: nobody on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Narce on November 7, 2008
Posted by: 0 on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Ehsan on November 7, 2008
Ok, so the way to make this work is to get this link out to as many people as you can. This includes e-mail lists, friends, Facebook, blogs, etc. When it comes right down to it, it's a popularity contest. NO POLL BOMBING! I want to do this legit and by the books. If it comes down to poll bombing (meaning other contestants start it up and the website doesn't stop it) then I've got something worked out and we'll be fine.
Here's a new link that you should share WITH EVERYBODY!
http://tinyurl.com/VoteForSnively
Thanks so much for the help everybody, it's very much appreciated!
Posted by: Snively on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Ehsan on November 7, 2008
I've already sent a note to the scholarship team asking if they've got a plan in place to prevent a "poll bomb". I'd hate to see it come down to someone cheating, and I assure you, I won't be part of anything like that.
Good luck, man. I know MIT isn't cheap.
Posted by: David Cameron on November 7, 2008
A happy second place wished to you as well!
Turns out that I sent an e-mail to them as well asking what they were doing to prevent it. I'm glad to know that we're on the same page. Trust me, there will be no poll bombing on this end.
Good luck, see you in 13 days!
Posted by: Snively on November 7, 2008
Someone's on the way to being a winnar.
Posted by: Anon on November 7, 2008
Posted by: ay on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Steph on November 7, 2008
Posted by: snivelyislosing on November 7, 2008
Posted stuff everywhere! Cameron goes down! :D
Posted by: Cody Dean on November 7, 2008
Posted by: Colton on November 7, 2008
Posted by: 0 on November 8, 2008
I've been a supporter of Cameron for years now, and have posted on my personal site asking people to check out his blog and vote.......and if you head over to his site, there is not one post mention ing cheating, like there is here.
I wish you well Mr Snively, but I have to say if you win I'm sure I wont be the only one questioning the vaildity of your win.
Posted by: Capo on November 8, 2008
go win snively..!!
Posted by: Udit on November 8, 2008
Snively is NOT asking anyone to cheat on his behalf. In fact, he is telling everybody not to. If he wins, it will be legit.
@Snively
I'll try to spread the word to all my friends. As of right now you're ~500 votes behind Cameron :/
Posted by: Elizabeth on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Capo on November 8, 2008
Yeah, so most of this is because of a recent Victoria's Secret adventure we all had. All of the tech schools in an online competition for a custom clothing line all started running scripts and it turned into a little battle between tech schools and the Victoria's Secret SysAdmins to see who could beat who. All friendly spirits and none of it against any rules expressed on the site. I'm just making sure people understand the differences between the two competitions.
That, and we also have a history of doing these kinds of things, see?
Posted by: Snively on November 8, 2008
I would just hate to see a great guy like Dave, who gives so much to our community, lose because of something shady.
Plus, the boy just got married, and we all know expensive that can be.
Posted by: Capo on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Ahana on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Dimitris(hopefully class of 2015) on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Abdel-karim Moharram on November 8, 2008
you have to win snively, you deserve that scholarship so much
Posted by: mynameiscabbage on November 8, 2008
I managed to vote for u dude
ull make it
Posted by: Haris on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Dhvanit on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Fiona on November 8, 2008
A contest won via popularity through people and not popularity through best blog content - script or script-less - is hardly "legit."
Posted by: Efolse '11 on November 8, 2008
Rock on Snively! nice blogs...
Posted by: Apoorv on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Dad out West on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Cam on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Monorina on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Ehsan on November 8, 2008
1. Write about it on your own blog (if you have one)
2. Tell your friends
3. Facebook (Set it as your status & send messages)
Posted by: Ehsan on November 8, 2008
Posted by: VOTEFORSNIVELY on November 8, 2008
Posted by: ming on November 8, 2008
Posted by: Ehsan on November 8, 2008
We're not voting for Snively just because we like him, we're voting for him because he's been an awesome blogger for years and we really enjoy his blogs. He's the main reason that makes us check out the admissions site the first thing in the morning. I agree that we should see the other blogs, too but I just looked at "that cameron guy's" blog and I still think Snively deserves winning the most...
@Snively
Good luck!!
Posted by: Hafsa on November 8, 2008
Keep it civil please! Nobody is cheating. Dave has a huge and dedicated fan base. Please, instead of slinging around accusations, do something more productive. Accusatory and inflammatory comments have no place here and will be deleted.
I'm going to dinner now and there had better not be any fighting going on when I get back.
Posted by: Snively on November 8, 2008
Posted by: ming on November 8, 2008
we still have two more week , good luck!
I will send to my friend.
Posted by: ming on November 8, 2008
we still have two more week , good luck!
I will send to my friend.
Posted by: ming on November 8, 2008
Posted by: ming on November 8, 2008
Well, I did my part and voted for you, Snively. Good luck, man.
@Efolse '11: Strategic voting. It's not really about letting the one deserving the win winning, it's about making the winner the one you believe would profit yourself and others. The others don't really stand much of a chance anyway, sorry to say, so make the best use of your vote
Posted by: Muz on November 8, 2008
Still got a huge gradient....11% to 45%....
Posted by: Apoorv on November 8, 2008
Posted by: wisdom on November 8, 2008
Posted by: stuart on November 8, 2008
Were catching up?
Posted by: Ehsan on November 8, 2008
You bet. It's very addictive. Not something my parents really like though.
Oh and I voted.
Best of luck Snively!
Posted by: Tree on November 9, 2008
Posted by: Hiral Patel on November 9, 2008
Posted by: Judy on November 9, 2008
(Oh! You're welcome)
Posted by: Shiv on November 9, 2008
Posted by: dani on November 9, 2008
Posted by: dani on November 9, 2008
The Thomas Peters guy is catching up!
Posted by: Ehsan on November 9, 2008
Snively:753
OH NO!!
Posted by: 0 on November 9, 2008
Posted by: WHAT on November 9, 2008
EMAIL EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, GUYS!!!
Posted by: Ehsan on November 9, 2008
Here's how this works. David is a sports writer. That means he's friends with other sports writers. That means they have readers, meaning they're going to get A TON of votes.
I blog in academia, meaning any votes we get are going to be high school students and college students. As such, we need to tap the academia pool for all its worth. Middle schools, high schools, Facebook, Digg, Twitter, local newspapers, parents, anything and everything. Any little bit (or a lot bit) that you do to help is amazing. Please, just get this link out to everybody you know!
http://tinyurl.com/voteforsnively
Posted by: Snively on November 9, 2008
Posted by: Dimitris(hopefully class of 2015) on November 9, 2008
I have also messaged the admins of groups such as "MIT class of '11" and "Only at MIT". Try messageing everyone you know too.
But that's not the important part. the important part is to make sure that they spread the word farther and farther. Just like a pyramid scheme.
Posted by: Ehsan on November 9, 2008
Can you also write up a little blurb so that we can message anyone that might not know you!
Posted by: Ehsan on November 9, 2008
Posted by: Dimitris on November 9, 2008
My name is Michael Snively and I'm currently a sophomore at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Here at MIT I write for the MIT admissions website as a blogger. http://www.mitadmissions.org/Snively.shtml My job is to tell about my experiences and day to day life here so that prospective students can learn what MIT is really like. I recently submitted my blog into a scholarship competition and out of several hundred entrants I was selected as one of the top twenty finalists. First prize is $10,000 while 2nd and 3rd are each $1,000. Winners are decided by a popular vote and I'm currently in 3rd place, trailing first by a large margin but not out of the running.
Please visit http://tinyurl.com/voteforsnively and vote for me and forward it to everybody that you know. Thank you so much for your help!
Posted by: Snively on November 9, 2008
Posted by: Dimitris on November 9, 2008
Posted by: Dimitris on November 9, 2008
REMEMBER THAT VOTING IS ONLY HALF OF IT, SPREADING IT ON IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT!
Posted by: Ehsan on November 9, 2008
Posted by: Dimitris on November 9, 2008
Posted by: Muz on November 9, 2008
JOIN!
Remember to invite ALL of your friends!
Posted by: Ehsan on November 9, 2008
Gee I have a really nasty cough, hope it doesn't spread...
Posted by: Charlie on November 9, 2008
Posted by: Efolse '11 on November 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on November 10, 2008
That being said, i'm posting the link on facebook, if i can figure out how to do it...
GOOD LUCK SNIVELY!!
Posted by: 0 on November 10, 2008
Posted by: nsoh fongwan severin on November 11, 2008
Posted by: nsoh fongwan severin on November 11, 2008
Posted by: Anon on November 11, 2008
Sometimes it's hard to find that "passion" that you guys keep talking about.
How about you give us some tips on which doors to open and stuff?
Posted by: hopeful on November 12, 2008
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