Noelle
What is the best way to find scholarships?
The price of college scares me, and at most of the schools I've been looking at the scholarships are very competitive, and I was wondering if there are other better ways to get money for school. #school #scholarships #paying-for-school #college #financial-aid #student-loans #student-debt
2 answers
Sheila Jordan
Sheila’s Answer
Hello Noelle: A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further their education. Scholarships are awarded based upon various criteria, which usually reflect the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award. Scholarship money is not required to be repaid. Keep in mind that there are several types of scholarships to name a few such as:
a) Academic
b) Athletic
c) Need-based (you must demonstrate financial need, which you will be required to complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
d) Minorities
Here's a link to Go College where you could find very useful information on the entire college process:
http://www.gocollege.com/financial-aid/scholarships/
Make sure you reach out to your Guidance Counselor for listings of scholarships that they may be aware of.
Here are some links to scholarship sites to help you get you started on your search:
1) Fast Web: http://www.fastweb.com/
2) College Scholarships.org: http://www.gocollege.com/financial-aid/scholarships/CollegeScholarships.org
3) Peterson's College Search: http://www.petersons.com/college-search/scholarship-search.aspx
4) Comparative Review of Scholarships Sites: comparative review of scholarship sites
Good Luck to You!
Doris Sutton
Doris’s Answer
There several ways to apply for scholarships as well a school grants- Both are free money for school that doe Not need to be paid back
Grants are usually awarded on financial basis need, such as the federal Pell Grant for low-income students.
Scholarships are usually awarded on the basis of merit, for either academics, athletic ability or a specific talent. Below are several examples of scholarships opportunities.
Academic scholarships: These are based on GPA or high PSAT scores
First generation: These can be awarded for student who are first in the family to attend collage
Sports scholarships: If a student plays any type of sport such as basketball, baseball, football, etc.
Specific talent: If a student plays a specific instrument such a as trombone, violin, etc.
Underrepresented groups: such a minority group
There is a lot of money out there and it just requires some work on your part, a lot of patience and you will need to stay very organized.
I would recommend creating a folder, and keeping all of your scholarship and grant applications in this folder.
You can start by applying for local scholarships- which usually tend to be less competitive; however you should also sign up for several of the national scholarships, try to keep the number you apply for to a manageable number so that you don't become overwhelmed.
Some of the national scholarships can be found is websites such as:
Fastweb.com
Cappex.com
Unigo.com
I would recommend that you start having conversations with your school counselor to express your interest in college and see what options are available to you!
Best wishes!