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Winning scholarships for college may be easier than you think. These tips will show you how.
1) Know your strengths. The first step to landing a college scholarship is to believe you deserve one.
Are you an ace student? A gifted athlete or musician? Do you love to volunteer?
Have you been president of your class for three years running? Are you passionate about science or math or art or writing?
Take some time and really think about all your strengths and skills. Think about all that you’ve done and all that you’d like to do as you move forward in your education.
Make a list of your accomplishments and your goals. Don’t hold back.
2) Work every connection. Once you’ve got a clear picture of all your achievements and goals, it’s time to track down scholarships that honor students just like you.
Local sources of scholarships such as community service organizations, civic groups and local businesses are great places to start. And don’t overlook scholarships available from cultural groups and from churches, synagogues and mosques.
Got a summer or afterschool job? Check to see if your employer offers college scholarships. Where do your parents work? Their companies may offer scholarships as well.
Be sure to spread the word about your scholarship search. Tell teachers and friends and relatives and co-workers about your scholarship quest. They may know about some other great local sources for scholarships.
Local awards tend to be for smaller amounts, often $1,000 or less, but they’re also easier to win than bigger and more competitive national awards. So apply for all the local awards that you can.
3) Visit your guidance counselor. Enlist the help of your school guidance counselor.
A counselor will be able to recommend a variety of local, state and national grants and scholarships that match your needs and provide important tips and advice on filling out those all-important applications.
Don’t wait until your senior year of high school to start thinking about your college hopes and dreams. Speak with your counselor during your freshmen and sophomore years and get a jumpstart on your college plans.
You don’t have to be a high school senior to apply for college scholarships. So apply early and often for scholarships. The number of awards that you qualify for may surprise you.
4) Be bold and broad in your scholarship search. When it comes to grants and scholarships don’t be afraid to dream big. Seek out and apply for national awards that match your goals, achievements and passions.
The Internet makes it easy. You can search for scholarships for free by visiting sites such as fastweb.com, fastaid.com and collegeboard.com. Try to avoid sites that charge you to search for scholarships.
And don’t forget to visit your local public library where you’ll find tons of books detailing national scholarship competitions and awards.
5) Check with college financial aid departments. Already know the college or university that you’d like to attend? That’s super. Now contact the financial aid department of the college or university and ask about scholarships and grants available to incoming freshmen.
You may be eligible for a fantastic scholarship offered by your dream college. You won’t know unless you reach out and apply.
Know of an unusual source for college scholarships? Share your tips and advice in the comments section.
By Lucy Lazarony
