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What can I do to increase the change of a full ride scholarship?

Or bigger scholarships in general. I know they're very hard to come by, but academics are a strength of mine so I figured I'd might as well see how I could continue to increase my potential of one.
#college #scholarship #college-advice #college-admissions

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Subject: Career question for you
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Jerel’s Answer

Hi Olivia,

Some scholarships for college are merit-based. You earn them by meeting or exceeding certain standards set by the scholarship-giver. Merit scholarships might be awarded based on academic achievement or on a combination of academics and a special talent, trait, or interest. Other scholarships are based on financial need. You can learn about scholarships in several ways, including contacting the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend and checking information in a public library or online.
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Marvin’s Answer

As you mentioned academics are definitely key for scholarships but universities are also looking for well-rounded individuals. Outside of academics you should consider some volunteer activities, maybe some school based organizations like student government, or sports. All of these activities can help you stand out in a crowd of candidates.
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Kara’s Answer

Great question! Thinking about how to finance a college education is a huge piece of the application process.

As you think about this, there's a neat app that you might want to check out: https://www.raise.me/
The raise.me app is designed to help high school students track their achievements throughout high school and see what those would mean in terms of scholarships from colleges and universities they're interested in. It's a great tool to have more transparency into the process and to see how specific high school achievements translate into scholarships. Even better -- the scholarships are guaranteed if you decide to attend that school, after using the Raise.Me app!

Best of luck with the rest of your college search!
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Nicholas’s Answer

In theory, it is very easy. The core idea is to stand out and be different than everybody else.

Start with having a solid academics background. Then top it off with a variety of extracurricular activities. Most effective if the activities show case your talents, interests, or passion.

Private schools are more expensive, but they also have more money to dole out than state schools. Look into all criteria for certain scholarships for your schools of interest. Some school will give out full rides from general funds (in my case) or they will give out full rides from a named scholarship program (like Heinz scholars program, in my friend's case). You need to be aware of all criteria and apply to each program if necessary.

Lastly, the trick is to go where you stand out. Schools value diversity, and being a minority, I looked at schools with high academic standards but less diversity. My diversity becomes something I can offer to the school in return for the scholarship.
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Niambi N.’s Answer

Thanks for your question! To increase your chances of earning a full-ride scholarship, you must ensure that you have a strong overall applicant profile. Having a strong overall applicant profile means having solid academics (your strength), community and school involvement, a strong letter of recommendation, and a personable, well-written essay. You want to show the scholarship committee why you are a deserving candidate for the scholarship.
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Richard’s Answer

To increase the chances of attaining a scholarship, you should try to maintain the highest GPA possible. It is also important to study for and perform as well as possible on all standardized tests (SAT, ACT, AP exams, SAT subject tests, etc.). Once you have great academic metrics, you will be in a great spot. At this point, you need to make sure you have good application essays you have proofread.

You should spend a substantial portion of your time looking for scholarships because they offer a huge potential return for your time investment. The scholarships you have the best chance of winning are those offered by your university, so look into those. Talk to counselors about how to find these if needed.
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Paula’s Answer

Hi Olivia - It's so great that you're thinking about this question. In hindsight, if I could go back to my younger self, I wish I had given myself more time to RESEARCH MORE and to apply to MORE scholarships that fit my qualifications. In addition to having the right fit for the specific scholarships, it's also a probability game. The more you apply for (that you're a fit for) the higher your chance of landing a scholarship. I learned this years later when I found out my husband, who had the same grades as me etc., had gotten more scholarships than me simply because he had applied for more than me! My fear of rejection had prevented me from increasing my odds of actually getting selected. Do your research (talking to schools, college guidance counselors, experts and reading) to find out what scholarships you qualify for and then apply for as many as possible. It doesn't matter how many you don't get, as long as you get ONE!
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Yasmeen’s Answer

Participate in extracurricular activities and take leadership roles when possible.
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Sharhonda’s Answer

If you know what you would like to study there are plenty of companies, social and professional organizations that offer scholarships. For example, if you want to study agriculture there are organizations that offer scholarships to students at different levels of education. If you know which university you want to attend they also have scholarships for specific majors.
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Tom’s Answer

What is your story? How are you different from the 1000's that apply? Good grades are the baseline but what have you done in HS School that is different from what you are required to do? Look at schools that mirror who you are or what you want to be. And Full Ride at a community school is different than a full ride a Harvard. Talk to you counselors and talk to the schools you want to attend before your senior and what do they want in their students. You need to tell your story to those that make decisions.
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