Scholarships
Scholarships = Free Money!
Scholarships don’t need to be repaid and come mostly from organizations and colleges. Scholarship searches are a lot of work and very time consuming, yet can be well worth the effort and stress. By taking an early look and discovering all the possibilities, it can offset lots of extra work later on and give you and your family a head start on reducing the cost of college.
Look particularly into scholarships that are automatically renewable or ones for which you can reapply each year. There are two types of scholarships: need and non-need based. Need-based scholarships are primarily about financial need. Non-need can be anything else: academic performance, hard work, character, community service, sports, field of study, special talents, etc.
Click below to check out some scholarship applications!
Top 10 Scholarship Tips
Apply only if you are eligible
Follow all directions very carefully
Complete application fully and thoughtfully
Neatness counts!
Don't go off topic
Write a memorable essay
Proofread carefully
Meet all deadlines
Review your applications with your parents to assure you haven't left anything out
Keep a copy of your entire application package, and track your package if mailing to ensure it gets there on time.
Basic Application Needs
High school transcript
Standardized test scores
Financial aid forms
Parent's financial information including tax information
One or more essays
One or more letters of recommendation
Resume
Proof of scholarship eligibility (if needed)
You may also need to prepare for an interview
If you are competing for a talent-based scholarship, you may need to audition or submit a portfolio
Ask colleges if you will AUTOMATICALLY be considered for its scholarships
Where To Find Other Scholarships
Your Targeted Colleges
College website
College Financial Aid office
Financial Aid materials
College Admissions Office
College catalog
College departments
College coaches
High School Organizations
National Honor Society
Math Club
Language Club
Key Club
Educational associations
State Education Agency
Your Community
Your Counselor
Rotary Clubs
Lions, Elks, Eagles
Kiwanis
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts
4-H, FFA
Businesses and corporations
Libraries
Banks
Hospitals / other health facilities
Your neighborhood and town
Education associations
Realtor associations
Organizations related to your interests
Other local, regional, state, and national community groups and non-profits
National Scholarships
National Merit Scholarships
Gates Millennium Scholars
Intel Science Talent Search
Coca-Cola Scholars
Robert C. Byrd Honors Program
Lowes Scholarship
Burger King
GE Reagan
Best Buy Scholarship
Footlocker
Visine Vision Scholarship
Healthy Lifestyles
1800 Wheelchair
Launch Your Dreams
Elk’s Most Valuable Student
Principals’ Scholarship
Financial Service Centers of America, Inc
Affiliated Organizations
You and your parents' employers
Your Grandparents’ employers
Religious organizations
Banks
Insurance companies
Realtor associations
Political parties
Unions
Organizations related to your interests
Beware of Potential Scams!
Fee required
Scholarship guaranteed
No work involved
No contact information
Website is low quality with pop ups
Pressure Tactics
No recent winners
Winning an unsolicited scholarship
Do Outside Scholarships Affect Your School Aid?
Possibly. Does it reduce your grants, school scholarships, loans? Does it affect my amateur status? Make sure you ask your target colleges this, so you have no surprises!