Introduction
Scholarships are the best way to pay for college, and they’re easier to find than you think. Dr Francene Gayle will walk you through the steps of identifying potential scholarships, writing an effective application and managing your time so you can apply for as many scholarships as possible.
STEP 1: Research Scholarships
To find scholarships for college and grad school, begin by doing some research. There are several ways to do this:
- Use scholarship search engines like ScholarshipMonkey or FastWeb (which also has an app). These sites allow you to enter your interests, GPA, ethnicity and other information about yourself in order to generate a list of scholarships that might be relevant for you. You can also browse through the options they provide based on your preferences.
- Look at scholarship databases such as those offered by the College Board or Princeton Review’s website where students can find information about thousands of awards available nationwide that cover everything from sportsmanship to academic performance and community involvement. You may want to check out individual school’s financial aid offices as well – many post lists of local scholarships available through organizations such as Rotary Clubs or chambers of commerce.[
STEP 2: Ask Your Parents & Friends
You’ll want to ask your parents, friends and family if they know of any scholarships that you could apply for. You may be surprised at how many people don’t know about the opportunities available to them or their children.
STEP 3. Talk to Your Teachers
- Talk to your teachers.
- Ask for recommendations. Teachers have many connections, and they’re usually happy to help their students out by writing letters of recommendation when asked.
- Ask teachers for advice on applying for scholarships. If you’re looking for specific tips on how best to craft your application essays or fill out the FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid), don’t hesitate to ask!
STEP 4. Create an Effective Application
The next step is to create an effective application. The first thing to understand about scholarship applications is that, unlike many other types of applications (such as those for jobs or college), they’re not written with just one person in mind. Scholarship committees often receive hundreds of applications and have limited time to read them all before making final decisions on who gets funded. This means that your goal isn’t just to get accepted–it’s also important that your application stands out from the crowd so that it can be easily recognized by committee members as one worth reading carefully!
To achieve this goal, it’s important not only that you write well but also that you use language specific enough so that readers know exactly what kind of applicant they’re looking at without having to guess based on vague descriptions like “I’m interested in…” or “My major is…” Instead, try writing something like: “As someone who has volunteered extensively with children at our local library after school program since high school graduation until now (as well as tutored younger siblings), I would like funding so I can attend summer camp this year.” That way there won’t be any question as far as what kind of person applies–they’ll know right away!
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many ways to find and apply for scholarships. The most important thing is to get started! You can use the steps outlined above as a starting point, but don’t be afraid to branch out into other areas if they seem like they might have information on scholarships that could help you with your financial needs.
