It’s the beginning of September. Backpacks are finally breaking in, fall sports are revving up, and the FAFSA opens in less than a month. Your student is juggling practices, AP homework, and draft-after-draft of the activities section. You’re juggling calendars, carpool, and a growing to-do list labeled “college.” If this sounds like your house right now – welcome!  you’re in the right place and you should keep reading.

This fall, College Aid Pro is giving one parent a quick, practical win: $1,000 to help cover college planning costs. Maybe it covers some application fees, costs to send test scores, another campus visit, or whatever would make this season feel a little lighter. We’re talking about CAP’s $1,000 Back-to-School College Kickstart Parent Scholarship Giveaway.

And here’s what you need to know:

  • Prize: $1,000 (no essay required)
  • Who it’s for: Parents/guardians of college-bound students with a MyCAP account (free or premium account)
  • Deadline: November 1, 2025

Back to School Scholarship

How to Apply in 3 Easy Steps

  1. Submit the official entry form
     It’s quick (no, really, it won’t take more than 2 minutes.) → Enter the $1,000 Parent Scholarship Giveaway
  2. Do one of the following
  3. Have a MyCAP account (free or premium)
     Create one in right now. → Get MyCAP (Free)

Bonus: Premium MyCAP members get a double entry. Not a premium member yet? Now’s a great time to try out our membership. Upgrade your free account to premium for just $4.99/month. Just log in to your free account and click on the green “Upgrade” button in the upper right hand corner of screen.

No essays. No uploads. Just a parent-friendly entry you can finish while you’re relaxing this evening. 

What the $1,000 Can Cover This Fall (Real-Life Line Items)

When applications start flying, the little costs add up fast. Use the scholarship however it helps most. Here are the usual suspects:

  • College application fees (often $50–$90 per school)
  • Sending test scores (ACT/SAT report fees)
  • Another campus visit (gas, hotel, parking, a snack-heavy student union stop)
  • Transcript requests from the high school (and sometimes mid-year updates)
  • CSS Profile fees (for schools that require it)
  • Audition/portfolio costs (arts programs, theater, music)
  • AP/IB score sends if a college asks for official reports
  • Interview travel or virtual setup (headset/webcam upgrade)
  • “Senior year extras” tied to graduation, yearbooks, or celebrating this season.

Why We’re Doing This

The early fall stretch can feel like controlled chaos. The calendar fills, emotions run high, and the small charges stack up before the FAFSA even opens. That’s exactly why we’re offering this scholarship now. To put $1,000 of breathing room into a time that routinely asks parents to pay first and understand later.

And because a quick cash boost isn’t the whole solution, this giveaway also connects you to three things that make the money side clearer while you’re in motion: MyCAP, the College! Podcast, and our Instagram account. They’re part of entry not as hoops, but as on-ramps. They’re fast ways to get real numbers, practical context, and timely nudges and help without adding to your to-do list.

MyCAP: Clear Numbers, Fewer Surprises (Free to Start)

Lead magnet redirect MyCAP image temporary

Most families don’t need more noise; they need a clean read on cost. MyCAP helps you:

  • See your likely net price for each college (not just the sticker).

  • Compare schools side-by-side on cost, typical aid, and overall “financial fit.”

  • Spot merit potential so you focus energy (and fees) where it pays off.

  • Save your list & key dates to keep requirements in one place.

  • Prep for financial aid offers so you can compare them apples-to-apples when they arrive.

Start free in under two minutes → Create a MyCAP account
Want full search features, more benefits and a double entry in the giveaway? → Upgrade to Premium

College! Podcast: Real Talk, Short Episodes

Screenshot 2025 09 05 at 12.02.19 PM

No jargon, no fluff, just what matters this week: timeline checkpoints, fee-smart application strategies, CSS Profile basics, when to pay to send scores, and how to read merit and offers. Episodes are 20ish minutes for commutes, carpools, and sidelines.
Listen here

Instagram: Timely Nudges in Your Feed

If you live in your feed, meet us there. We post deadline reminders, one-minute explainers (cost, aid, merit), quick checklists, and answer common questions so you stay on track without digging. Following @collegeaidpro also counts as an entry option for the giveaway—use the channel that fits your day.
Follow: @collegeaidpro

Before You Close This Tab: 3 Things to Do Right Now

  1. Set a spending guardrail. Decide how many paid applications and score sends you’ll fund this month. Note fee waivers and include CSS Profile fees if any colleges require it.

  2. Right-size the list in MyCAP. Add your colleges, check likely net price and merit potential, and label true financial safeties vs. reaches. If a school blows the budget, pause it. → No account yet? Create a free MyCAP account

  3. Protect one small routine that has nothing to do with college. A no-college dinner, a post-practice drive with music, a Saturday morning walk, and keep it every week. It buys perspective and patience when everything else speeds up. What’s that one thing for you (and your teen)?

Bonus: Toss your name in the hat for CAP’s $1,000 Back-to-School College Kickstart Parent Scholarship Giveaway it’s quick and free

Worst case, you’re out a minute; best case, $1,000 toward the pile. → Enter the giveaway