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| Scholarship Myths |  There are a lot of valid reasons why scholarship myths appear, but unfortunately, those myths often keep students from applying for awards they could receive. Do not believe if somebody will tell you that they're only for valedictorians or the very poor — academic institutions propose extremely different award programs with a great variety of eligibility requirements.
Marvin Carmichael is the past Chairman of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). Marvin is familiar with the myths people have about scholarships and financial aid.
Myth 1: Billions of scholarship dollars go unclaimed
This one has been around since the word scholarship has appeared. "I can't understand where it comes from," says Carmichael. "It certainly comes not from college financial aid offices." As for Clemson, Carmichael says they seldom have scholarships that aren't awarded, and if they do, it's normally because of timing or highly restrictive eligibility requirements.
There might actually be billions of aid dollars that go unused, but it's not due to a lack of unclaimed scholarships. This common myth fails to mention that employer-paid education benefits are included in that total, and out of all those supposedly unclaimed scholarships, employee benefits account for about 85 percent. In fact, the number of unused scholarships is tiny.
Myth 2: I can't possibly get a scholarship because of the competition
There are much of contests and potential awards around, but you have to seek them out. First of all you have to decide what you do well. Scholarship contests aren't just for valedictorians, but for people with special interests and talents. The chances are quite different.
As you search, you should make sure to look in your own community at churches, synagogues, or even the Daughters of the American Revolution. Your parents' employers might also sponsor scholarships, and many of them don't require much more than writing an essay or giving a speech.
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