When To Look For Scholarships
Spring of junior year is an ideal time for school counselors to educate students and their families about options for scholarships and give them tools to start their research.
Before you start, it is essential to know that merit-based aid offered by the college is the best way to receive free money. These institutional scholarships are often larger than private outside scholarships.
Many sites are scams. Don’t pay for research scholarships! You can help your junior in high school figure out how much time they have to apply for scholarships and set priorities. Make sure they avoid potential scams by NEVER paying a fee to apply for a scholarship.
Check School-Specific Scholarships First
Ideally, by late spring or early summer, students have fine-tuned the list of colleges and universities they plan to apply to and can start their research there.
You can help your student get started by providing links to scholarship information (if available) for some in-state public and private colleges. Remind them that they can contact the school’s admissions office if they can’t find the information they’re looking for on the website.
Juniors in high school should look for whether they are automatically considered for scholarships when they apply to the school or whether they need to fill out any additional applications. They should also check if the schools have set guidelines on what GPA and test score a student needs to receive merit aid. They might be surprised to see that simply bumping up an ACT or SAT score can result in thousands of dollars more in grant money. They should make plans to retake a test if they are only a point or two away from a scholarship threshold.
Outside Scholarships For College
Finally, they should look at national scholarships, focusing on professional associations within a specific field of study or scholarship opportunities that support specific ethnicities or unique background situations, such as students with an incarcerated parent or in the foster care system.
To get them started, have your junior in high school look at online platforms such as JLV College Counseling, College Greenlight (focused on scholarships for first-generation and underrepresented students), FASTaid, Cappex, Peterson’s, and Going Merry.
Writing a Compelling Essay
Some essays ask why you want to attend this college and what obstacles you have overcome? Do you have a leadership role? Have you done something outside of school that shows your interest in your proposed major? It is essential to write for your audience!
Get Organized
Don’t miss the deadline! Create a spreadsheet to keep scholarships and their deadlines organized.
Last but not least. Be realistic. Few students receive scholarships to cover the entire cost of attending college.
Here are some legitimate sites to seek private scholarships.
Fastweb.com
Scholarships.com
Scholarshipmonkey.com
Cappex.com
Navience.com
Petersons.com