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Where can I find scholarships for college?
I am currently in the process of writing my applications to colleges, and I want to also apply for some scholarships but I'm not sure where to start. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on foundations or companies where they offer scholarships. Any resources are helpful! Thanks so much! #college #scholarships
#high-school #resources #july20
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Doc’s Answer
Tara there are a lot of different scholarships out there. From scholarships for veterans to scholarships for military spouses, to scholarships on a variety of topics, some you might never have thought about before. Don’t be afraid to apply for as many scholarships as you can. There are many to choose from and the more you apply for, the better the chance you will earn money for school. If you only apply for a couple and don’t get them, you will wish you had done more. Thinking outside the box can also be a good idea. There are many different scholarships out there, on all different types of topics. Go beyond the usual ones and see what you can find.
APPLY FOR EVERYTHING – If you meet the basic eligibility requirements, go for it…Even if it’s for a small amount, say $500, and you spend three hours completing the application, you were just paid $166/hr for your efforts. Would you rather have a one in a thousand odds or one in a hundred? The fact that there are fewer students applying for these financial opportunities puts you in the unique position to try for scholarship that might not entirely match your interests or experience.
START EARLY – Make sure you stay super organized when it comes to due dates. Have a calendar just for this. Write down all the due dates and make sure you stay on track. You don’t want to miss out on a scholarship because you missed the date. Don’t wait until right before you start college to think about applying for scholarships. Look ahead and start applying early. You wouldn’t want to run out of time or not be able to apply for any scholarships for your first year of college because you waited too long to start. Don’t wait until the day before the scholarship application due date to get started. There could be parts of the application you need time to get together. You might need to write a long essay or get a letter of recommendation. This is why staying organized is a most important. You don’t want to miss dates or forget about when things need to be turned in. Waiting for the last minute also doesn’t give you any room if you make a mistake and need to redo an application.
TRY DIFFERENT APPROACH – Write down personal interests, clothing brands, foods, companies, hobbies, talents, or skills and then add the word scholarship to their search. In my 40+ years of higher education experience, I’ve seen some really unique scholarships appear. There are countless scholarships out there designed to reward athleticism, a high GPA, or community engagement, but what about all the students who do not fall into these categories?
WATCH FOR SCAMS – Just because these scholarships are quirky doesn’t mean some of them might be too good to be true, and it’s important to keep your eye out for red flags. If they request any money to start the application it's probably fraudulent. Beware of telephone numbers with a 900 area code. A dishonest operation might put pressure on you by saying that awards are on a first-come, first served basis. Fraudulent operations may also claim endorsements by groups with names similar to well-known private or government organizations. For instance, the Better Business Bureau and government agencies do not endorse businesses.
STAY IN CONTACT WITH YOUR SCHOOL – It’s important to stay in touch with your school’s financial aid office, outside scholarships can affect this funding. Your school cannot refuse outside resources, however, they have to account any scholarships you receive as part of your total financial aid package. So, if a you bring in several outside scholarships, and their aid exceeds their cost of attendance, you might see a reduction in non-need-based aid.
Tara check below for a few examples of strange scholarships that have been popular over the last few years.
Debt.com Scholarship for Aggressive Scholarship Applicants • https://www.debt.com/our-story/scholarships/
Make Me Laugh Scholarship • https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/make-me-laugh-scholarship
Shout It Out Scholarship • https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/shout-it-out-scholarship
National Potato Council Scholarship Program • https://nationalpotatocouncil.org/events-and-programs/scholarship-program/
APPLY FOR EVERYTHING – If you meet the basic eligibility requirements, go for it…Even if it’s for a small amount, say $500, and you spend three hours completing the application, you were just paid $166/hr for your efforts. Would you rather have a one in a thousand odds or one in a hundred? The fact that there are fewer students applying for these financial opportunities puts you in the unique position to try for scholarship that might not entirely match your interests or experience.
START EARLY – Make sure you stay super organized when it comes to due dates. Have a calendar just for this. Write down all the due dates and make sure you stay on track. You don’t want to miss out on a scholarship because you missed the date. Don’t wait until right before you start college to think about applying for scholarships. Look ahead and start applying early. You wouldn’t want to run out of time or not be able to apply for any scholarships for your first year of college because you waited too long to start. Don’t wait until the day before the scholarship application due date to get started. There could be parts of the application you need time to get together. You might need to write a long essay or get a letter of recommendation. This is why staying organized is a most important. You don’t want to miss dates or forget about when things need to be turned in. Waiting for the last minute also doesn’t give you any room if you make a mistake and need to redo an application.
TRY DIFFERENT APPROACH – Write down personal interests, clothing brands, foods, companies, hobbies, talents, or skills and then add the word scholarship to their search. In my 40+ years of higher education experience, I’ve seen some really unique scholarships appear. There are countless scholarships out there designed to reward athleticism, a high GPA, or community engagement, but what about all the students who do not fall into these categories?
WATCH FOR SCAMS – Just because these scholarships are quirky doesn’t mean some of them might be too good to be true, and it’s important to keep your eye out for red flags. If they request any money to start the application it's probably fraudulent. Beware of telephone numbers with a 900 area code. A dishonest operation might put pressure on you by saying that awards are on a first-come, first served basis. Fraudulent operations may also claim endorsements by groups with names similar to well-known private or government organizations. For instance, the Better Business Bureau and government agencies do not endorse businesses.
STAY IN CONTACT WITH YOUR SCHOOL – It’s important to stay in touch with your school’s financial aid office, outside scholarships can affect this funding. Your school cannot refuse outside resources, however, they have to account any scholarships you receive as part of your total financial aid package. So, if a you bring in several outside scholarships, and their aid exceeds their cost of attendance, you might see a reduction in non-need-based aid.
Tara check below for a few examples of strange scholarships that have been popular over the last few years.
Doc recommends the following next steps:
Wow, your answers never fail to amaze me! Thank you so much for this advice, I don't know how much searching I would have to do if you weren't on the platform!
Aun
Thank You Aun. I’ve learned that people may forget what we've said, people will forget what we did, but people will never forget how we empowered them.
Doc Frick
Updated
Carina’s Answer
Hey there!
I would look at your local foundations or non-profits first to see what they have to offer. I know my local Rotary Club branch had a scholarship for high schoolers. Local ones are often best, as there are less applicants and thus higher chances of receiving them. Ask your parents or family friends to see what foundations they know of in the area. Your school's guidance counselor is also a great resource for scholarships!
I would look at your local foundations or non-profits first to see what they have to offer. I know my local Rotary Club branch had a scholarship for high schoolers. Local ones are often best, as there are less applicants and thus higher chances of receiving them. Ask your parents or family friends to see what foundations they know of in the area. Your school's guidance counselor is also a great resource for scholarships!
Updated
Ileana’s Answer
Would recommend you look into whether you qualify for the QuestBridge National College Match. It is a a generous financial aid package for low-income, high-achieving high school seniors to some of the nation's best universities.
Updated
Taylor’s Answer
Hi Tara,
I have had luck searching for scholarships using Google and typing in "___*your City/State*___scholarships" to find the scholarships that are being given out more privately in your area than on websites like FastWeb.com. Local businesses offer scholarships too and through a little digging.
Scholarship Search Sites:
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search#
https://public.dollarsforscholars.org/index.php?action=userLogin
Best of luck!
I have had luck searching for scholarships using Google and typing in "___*your City/State*___scholarships" to find the scholarships that are being given out more privately in your area than on websites like FastWeb.com. Local businesses offer scholarships too and through a little digging.
Scholarship Search Sites:
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search#
https://public.dollarsforscholars.org/index.php?action=userLogin
Best of luck!
Updated
Mula’s Answer
Hello Tara,
There are plenty of different scholarships that you can apply for. A couple I can think of from the top of my head that anyone in the US can apply for is the Coca-Cola scholars program scholarship and Gates Millennium Scholarship. There are specific scholarships out there that are geared towards interests such as fencing, golfing and other activities. There are countless numbers of scholarships out there, all you really need is to put in some time to research and find scholarships that you can apply for.
One tip I would suggest in looking for scholarships is looking for scholarships that has something to do with your interests or things you have achieved throughout your high school career.
Hopefully that helps.
There are plenty of different scholarships that you can apply for. A couple I can think of from the top of my head that anyone in the US can apply for is the Coca-Cola scholars program scholarship and Gates Millennium Scholarship. There are specific scholarships out there that are geared towards interests such as fencing, golfing and other activities. There are countless numbers of scholarships out there, all you really need is to put in some time to research and find scholarships that you can apply for.
One tip I would suggest in looking for scholarships is looking for scholarships that has something to do with your interests or things you have achieved throughout your high school career.
Hopefully that helps.
Updated
Megan’s Answer
The internet is your friend! :) Also feel free to reach out to school counselors!
https://www.niche.com/colleges/scholarships/
https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/
Megan recommends the following next steps: