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Provided
by: collegeboard.com
Develop Your Scholarship Strategy
Although most student aid comes in the form of federal education
loans and grants from colleges, scholarships -- with their
lure of "free money" -- get a huge amount of attention
from students and their parents. If you decide to invest your
time in a search for scholarships, it's important to have
an organized system to find, apply for, and win scholarship
money.
Start With a Personal Inventory
Most of the information you will be asked for on a scholarship
search questionnaire will be easy to come up with -- year
in school, citizenship, state of residence, religion, ethnic
background, disability, military status, employer, membership
organizations, and so forth.
Beyond those questions, you will have to give some thought
to your academic, extracurricular, and career plans. You should
ask yourself:
- Do I want to participate in a competition? If so, what
are my talents and interests?
- What subject do I plan to major in?
- What career do I plan to pursue?
- Do I want to apply for all types of aid or only scholarships?
Your answers to these questions will help determine your
scholarship eligibility. Take your time brainstorming and
don't overlook anything -- the more personal characteristics
you discover, the more scholarships you could potentially
apply for.
Research Local Scholarships First
In general, the smaller the geographical area a scholarship
covers, the better your chances of winning. Begin with your
high school guidance office. Counselors will know about scholarships
for students graduating from your high school. They may also
be aware of scholarships for residents of your town, county,
and state.
Your next stop should be the college aid section of your
public library. Most libraries will have a number of books
about financial aid, including scholarship guides such as
the College Board's Scholarship Handbook. They also may have
information on local scholarships.
Then it's time to start looking at large national scholarships
such as Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), National Merit,
Gates Millennium, Intel Science, Coca-Cola, and Robert Byrd.
Check Membership Organizations and Employers
Organizations of all types and sizes sponsor scholarships
-- leave no stone unturned. Explore categories you might not
have considered, such as religious, community service, fraternal,
military, union, and professional.
And don't forget your parents. Many large companies offer
scholarships or tuition programs for children of employees.
If you are uncertain, ask your parent to check with his or
her human resources department.
Don't overlook student jobs. Employers like fast food chains,
department stores, and supermarkets often give scholarships.
Awards related to student employment can come from unexpected
sources. For example, there are a number of scholarships for
golf caddies.
Use a Free Scholarship Search Service
A scholarship search company collects information on hundreds
of awards and compares your student characteristics with scholarship
restrictions. Based on your answers to a questionnaire, you
will receive a list of possible scholarships. It is up to
you to decide which ones you will try for.
You should never have to pay for scholarship information.
If you're asked to pay a fee for "exclusive" scholarship
leads, there's a good chance your scholarship service is really
a scholarship scam.
Contact Your State Department of Higher Education
Almost every state has a scholarship program for residents
-- keep in mind, however, that awards are usually limited
to students who attend college in-state. For example, the
State of Florida offers Bright
Futures scholarships to academically-qualified Floridians
who decide to attend in-state colleges and universities.
Research Institutional Scholarships
Since the vast majority of all scholarship money is disbursed
by colleges, it makes sense to research what kinds of scholarships
are available at the schools that interest you. Check out
college Web sites, catalogs, and financial aid offices for
this information. Institutional awards can be offered on a
university-wide basis, or within a particular college or major.
Eligibility for such awards can be based on merit, financial
need, intended major, ethnicity, or a variety of other factors.
Here are some questions you might want to ask about these
awards:
- Are scholarships awarded automatically if a student matches
certain criteria (such as GPA or SAT® score)?
- What is the application procedure? What materials are required?
- Is the award renewable? What are the requirements to maintain
the award?
Scholarship Application Tips
Once you've created a list of scholarships that interest you,
check out How to Apply for
a Scholarship for advice on creating a winning application.
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