UTC student pens scholarship advice book for students

Zachary Freeman, an 18-year-old UTC student majoring in Business Finance, has published a book on how he won numerous grants and scholarships to help pay for his entire college education.

During his senior year of high school, Freeman desperately applied for hundreds of scholarships before enrolling at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He ended up winning $70,000 in grants and scholarships, which was more than enough to pay for all of his tuition, housing, textbooks, and food expenses for the next four years.

Even as a high school student Freeman had a knack for success: He owned his own clothing and sports memorabilia company before pursuing a university education, and by the time he enrolled at UTC he had won ten of the scholarships he applied for which were offered by companies, corporations, and local civic organizations. (Freeman has stated on his blog that approximately 52 percent of his education was funded from local organizations).

“People have this misconception that they have to be a perfect student to get scholarship money, when often it’s based more on community service than anything else,” explained Freeman, who is originally from Franklin, TN. “You’ll never get the money if you don’t at least apply, and most people don’t apply.”

The book and the blog – “Free Money Please!: The Ten-Step Guide to College Financial Aid”

Freeman’s 65-page book is packed full of worksheets, timelines, checklists, as well as advice for students who are looking to finance their entire education through grants and scholarships.

“I have never claimed to possess a secret, but simply the method and timeline that I highlight, along with worksheets, in my first published work,” he stated. “It’s not that there’s a secret, it’s just that there’s a method.”

Since the book was released in September it has launched to #4 on Amazon.com’s “Hot New Releases in Education” list, and has even received “public notoriety” from best selling authors like Dan Miller, as well as syndicated radio hosts.

“More than book sales, I have a desire to see my peers get through college without spending an arm and a leg,” he explained. “I will be completely debt-free through four years of college, and I know that with a bit of effort, other students around the United States, and specifically in the Chattanooga area can and will benefit from what I have to say.”

If you can’t afford to shell out the $15 for his book, Freeman also offers some great tips and advice for students applying for scholarships on his blog. For further reading, check out the following posts:

• “Where Should I Look for the Free Money?“
• “Building Wealth in College: Part 1“
• “The Top-Ten List“