 If you’re seeking for financing for college, start looking for scholarships first. A scholarship is money that doesn’t need to be repaid; it is also called “gift aid”.
You don’t need to be a star athlete or talented artist to qualify for free money, though some scholarships are assigned for students with special skills and qualifications. Awards also can be based on your organizational affiliations, hobbies, geographic area, career goals, ethnicity and financial need, just to name a few. There are also many “unusual” scholarships, such as one for left-handed students or for designing your prom attire using duct tape! At last, don’t think you’re ineligible for scholarships. If you begin your search early enough and search often enough, you have a perfect chance of finding suitable scholarship.
Beginning your scholarship search
Begin your search with a visit to high school counselor, your local public library and respectable college’s financial-aid office Web site. Also look for scholarship online. You can also contact local businesses about potential scholarship opportunities, including your workplace and community, civic organizations and religious.
Search and application tips
The scholarship search and application process can be difficult. There are thousands of scholarships, and you’re not going to be eligible for each one. But if you begin looking as early as possible (now is excellent), do not give it up, stay organized and keep on seeking even when you feel like you’ve exhausted all your leads, you have a better chance of scoring a scholarship. There are other important tips you should keep in mind during your search:
– Prioritize scholarships by how closely you meet the applicant requirements. Put the deadline and priority of each award on a calendar so you know which applications to complete first.
– Request scholarship information as early as possible, and be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
– Write down the materials you will need for each scholarship application so you’ll know how many copies and letters of recommendation you will need.
– Try to make your application stand out. Scholarship committees (and college admissions officers) look graciously on candidates who participate in extracurricular activities or do volunteer work. Get involved in your school if you aren’t already.
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