How to Successfully Search for Scholarships
It’s a fact that college is expensive. You aren’t expected to pay for tuition out of pocket so there are student loans available to you.
However, there is nothing better than free money! Scholarships are a great way to pay for college without worrying about paying it back and with interest.
Now, when people hear the word “scholarship” they may imagine hundreds of thousands of college students sitting at their computers applying for them and may see themselves as a needle in a haystack. Don’t let this discourage you from applying! I’ve come up with ways to find scholarships specific to you and how to give you a better chance of receiving them.
Ask your high school or community
Some high schools have scholarships available for the graduating seniors to apply to. This can be based on the major you are going into or your overall GPA. It could also depend on the extracurricular activities you participated in while attending high school. It never hurts to set up a meeting with your school counselor and ask if your high school does offer scholarships to graduating students.
If you have held a part-time job while attending high school for a large business or corporation, they may have scholarships available as well. Just ask your manager or supervisor! These are great scholarships to apply to because they are specific to the people who have either graduated from the school or worked at that company.
Target college
If you are one of the lucky students who has decided on which college to attend early, you can ask them if they offer any scholarships for incoming freshmen. Colleges are always looking to help their students by either giving them grants or scholarships. It never hurts to ask! If you have decided to attend that college early, then there may be a greater chance of getting a scholarship.
Organizations you belong to
If you are active in your community and belong to some organizations, see if they have scholarships available. This can include Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, volunteering with different organizations, or through religious organizations. The community is a great place to search for scholarships, especially if you are involved in it!
Sports
There are many sports scholarships available, especially if you are a varsity athlete with your school. Search for scholarships through professional sports teams or companies affiliated with sports. If you are an outstanding athlete, you may have already received a scholarship from the school you have decided to attend.
If you aren’t sure where to start your search for sports scholarships, ask your coach. They have had many graduating seniors over the years and may be experienced in the scholarship search.
Your parent’s employers
Depending on the companies that your parents work for, there may be scholarships available to their children. This may be limited to you depending on what school you are going to or what you are planning to study. It never hurts to look into the scholarships that can be available to a small amount of people based on certain requirements.
Talents and skills
As an individual, you are special and have certain talents that not everyone has. Maybe you are an artist, a musician, a computer programmer, an actor, or anything else. Search for scholarships in your field of interest and you will be amazed by what you find. Scholarships are available in almost any field imaginable. Use your talents and what you love to get yourself a scholarship.
Anything as simple as submitting an art piece, a photo collection, a short story, a song, or a movie can land you the scholarship you need to pay that expensive tuition bill. There has never been a greater time to put your passion to use. Get creative with it!
Automatic searches
Use websites such as FastWeb.com and CollegeBoard and set up automatic searches using a criterion that pertains to you. You will receive emails with updates from new scholarships available almost every day, which means you have a plethora of free money to apply for! This is a great and efficient way to search for scholarships and will save you time from looking for scholarships right for you.
Take time to apply
Take some time out of your day or week to consistently apply to scholarships. It can be very time-consuming, depending on the application requirements, but it is completely worth it! If you can receive just $1,000 towards your college tuition, that is $1,000 you don’t have to pay back plus interest. So, take time and apply!