It’s a competitive world out there and let’s face it, you can’t get a decent job without a college degree. But how do you pay for that expensive investment? Well, one option you should consider is a scholarship. Scholarships are financial aid provided for a student, differing from student loans because scholarships do not have to be paid back. The belief once was that you had to be a straight A student in order to qualify for scholarships; however, that’s not true. Scholarships are given for many reasons, including personal background, sports and other organizational affiliations, talents, ethnicity and academic performance. Now anyone can find scholarships they individually qualify for and many students qualify for multiple scholarships with different organizations, helping to fund their college education.
But where can you find scholarships? Lots of organizations and companies offer free financial aid and many are looking for local applicants. Look within your local community first. Check your own or your parents’ employers. Many times companies offer easy-to-apply-for scholarships for children of company employees. Also check any church or community organizations you are affiliated with for opportunities.
You can never apply for too many scholarships, so the best idea is to apply for several at the same time. Search all club, academic, ethnic and other scholarships you might possibly qualify for and apply for all of them.
Here are a few important tips to remember when applying for scholarships:
Deadlines are a great way for organizations and colleges to weed out applicants. Most companies and universities will throw away or delete any applications received after the deadline without even glancing at the qualifications of the student. One good idea is to turn in scholarship applications early so if there is a problem or missing information, you can correct and return the application before the original deadline.
Don’t procrastinate. Many students start filling out scholarship applications the day before they are due, only to realize they require a lot more work than the student planned on. Because so many scholarships are specific and restricted, the applications often require personal essays with written professional objectives, individual backgrounds and talents or skills. Essays for scholarships should be well written, so make sure you give yourself enough time to fill out these essays to present your best self to scholarship committees.
When applying for scholarships, it’s good to let your voice show through with your essays and personal information. Scholarship selecting committees sometimes are choosing between hundreds or even thousands of applicants. It’s good to stand out a little from the rest of the group. However, do not try to be overly creative, you don’t want them rejecting you based on the fact that your essays show you are too bizarre of a person. Keep in mind the qualifications for the scholarships and focus on those. For example, if you are applying for leadership scholarships, emphasize your leadership qualities with unique programs or groups you have worked with.
Searching for scholarships may be a discouraging pursuit, full of rejections and disappointments. Just remember that there are scholarships out there for everyone. So many organizations and groups are giving away free money for students to receive an education — you just have to find them. Continue searching and applying for scholarships, even if you have been rejected for some.
By Janelle Walker