Scholarships - Introduction Scholarship criteria and tasks Winning scholarship applications Scholarship essays Scholarship scams Searching for scholarships with automatic notifications Don't apply to every scholarship Focus on "matching" scholarships Scholarship and Grant Summary Chart

Scholarships – An Introduction

Begin researching scholarships (if you haven’t already).  If you haven’t registered for free national scholarship search services, do it now.  Learn what scholarships and grants are offered by foundations, clubs, businesses, and organizations and receive e-mail reminders of when to apply.  See your high school counselor for information regarding local scholarships.

When you have compiled all the information for scholarships to which you want to apply, you will need to request applications.  Over the next months, assemble the required document packets (application forms, letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.) for these scholarships (see WARNING below). Some scholarship organizations require you contact them through the mail to request applications, while others will provide telephone numbers and e-mail addresses.  Note the application deadline for each scholarship.  Be sure to file scholarship materials appropriately.

Typically, scholarship organizations require the completion of a scholarship application, an essay, letter(s) of recommendation, grade transcripts, and an optional student résumé.  Many local and regional scholarship organizations also require an interview in front of selection committee. Plan to give yourself weeks of time to request, assemble, complete and mail applications materials.

WARNING!  Beware that national scholarships offered by foundations, corporations, clubs, and organizations are extremely difficult to win.  With each scholarship, your application and essay must be absolutely great to have any chance of winning.  Remember, even though there are billions of dollars worth of available scholarships, there are thousands (sometimes tens of thousands) of student applicants for each major scholarship . . . so the competition is incredibly tough.  The best source of scholarship and grant money continues to be financial aid from the colleges themselves and from local scholarships (local scholarships are from local businesses, your local Elks Club and Rotary Club, and other organizations).

NOTE: Because the single best source of scholarships and grants are the colleges themselves, private colleges and universities are a real option for high school students who have very little money for college tuition.  Numerous high school students receive so much scholarship and grant money from private colleges that it is less expensive to attend a private college than to attend a State school that gives very little financial aid.   

NOTE: Local scholarships are less competitive and you can receive several of them.  Receiving multiple local scholarships can be worth several thousands of dollars.