On top of applying for colleges, many students also apply for scholarships to help them financially. These scholarships assist students with paying for college tuition, housing, and additional costs, overall making it more affordable for the student.
Applying for scholarships is not always easy and can be a complicated process. Many college websites will have additional information for students who wish to submit an application for scholarships.
The first step for students to complete is to read through the criteria needed for the scholarship to ensure that they meet the criteria. Then they should follow those steps, often including an application and additional requirements.
“Most scholarships will have an application that has to be filled out. There may be additional requirements such as an essay, letters of recommendations, or a transcript,” School Counselor Shawn Wallace said.
However, making yourself stand out in a sea of applicants can be difficult. The best way to convince the admissions committee to grant a scholarship is to personalize the essays that the student writes and make the committee want that student to attend.
“If an essay is required, students should make sure they fully address the criteria of the scholarship in their essay. Students should emphasize what makes them different from other candidates or more deserving,” Wallace said.
While it may be tempting to apply for every scholarship for a college, it is wisest to only apply for scholarships that students are able to receive based on their life experiences. For example, scholarships that are designed for athletes should only be applied for by athletes who are eligible. This will help students focus their work and waste less time when applying to colleges.
“There are many scholarships based on majors, activities students participated in during high school, athletics, etc,” Wallace said.
In addition to scholarships that are specialized on a student’s interests and experiences, there are many that are automatically given when the student applies to that school. These can be based off of grades, or different experiences the student may have.
“When students apply to college, many schools have automatic scholarships. Students automatically receive these scholarships when they apply,” Wallace said.
With this being a critical time for both juniors and seniors, it’s crucial for students to get a jump start on their futures to ensure that they have the best chance to make an impression and set themselves up for success down the road.
