Scholarships

Naviance: See directions above

Internet: (NEVER PAY TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP) Use a search engine to view scholarship opportunities. Think about your individual situation; major, interests, hobbies, ethnic background, religious background, volunteer, college choice, disabilities, various medical conditions of yourself or of a member in your immediate family. Type your specific criteria into the search field and remember to include the current graduation year to limit out of date information from being displayed.

Parent/ Guardian/Grandparents etc.: Talk to your parents, guardians, grandparents, family members and friends about any scholarship opportunities offered through their job. If your parent/guardian or grandparents belong to a union, research any opportunities open from the union. Ask if your contacts belong to any clubs or organizations that offer high school scholarships. 

College: Contact the financial aid department of the colleges you would like to attend. 

National vs. Local Scholarships vs. Contest: National scholarships are offered to seniors across the entire country and at times internationally. Always apply to scholarships if you meet the donor’s criteria, but understand they are very competitive. Local scholarships are available to a smaller pool of candidates. You may be competing with students from a few local counties, cities or just other seniors at your school. Scholarship contests are just as it states, a contest. There are usually no specific criteria for a contest but be wary of providing too much personal information. 

Need Based Scholarships: Need based scholarships are centered on financial need. Complete the FAFSA application. Applying is FREE, if the site is requesting payment, you are not on the official website. There is a FREE FAFSA workshop offered at school. Check the daily bulletin for the date. FAFSA opens on October 1 of each year. (Remember, that each year you must reapply!!). ALL STUDENTS: Ensure that you file the FAFSA, even if you don’t think you will qualify for any type of financial aid. Not only does it open you up to the college’s scholarships and grants, a lot of outside scholarship donors ask about your FAFSA report, even if the scholarship is merit based. 

Merit Based Scholarships: Merit based scholarships focus on criteria not related to financial need (although some merit-based scholarships may take need into consideration) Merit based scholarships take into account the students GPA, SAT and/or ACT scores, community service, interests, clubs, major and other attributes. 

Community Service: Whether you qualify for Need Based, Merit Based or both types of scholarships, frequently the one common standard is community service. Make sure you report all hours of community service that you complete. Not only can your community service benefit you in scholarship applications, it is a great advantage on a resume, creating a network for potential employment and makes you a better person. 

Do Deadlines Really Matter: YES!!!! We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to get a completed application done by the deadline. Always plan ahead! Try to have a fully completed application done 3 days before it is due, especially if it has to be mailed. 

Letters of Recommendation: Always allow plenty of time to request your letters of recommendation. Do not expect to receive the letter immediately. Provide a short brag sheet of your accomplishments. (ie: a teacher or counselor may know about your achievements in the classroom but is unfamiliar with your activities outside of school). 

Give at least two weeks’ notice to receive any letters you request. Each scholarship has specific criteria on what types of letters of recommendation they accept. (teacher, counselor, neighbor, boss, clergy etc.) Be sure you follow the instructions and provide as many letters as the donor requests. Start requesting any letters of recommendation now, so you have it ready for when it is needed. It is always a nice gesture to send a thank you note to anyone you ask to provide a letter for you.

Should I Only Apply to Scholarships that have a High Dollar Amount:  If you meet the criteria of the scholarship, apply regardless of the amount. In the past students have applied to numerous scholarships and received almost $10,000 in awards by the end of the school year. This was accomplished by applying to every $200, $300 or $500 award they qualified for. If the scholarship is open and you meet the criteria, apply regardless of the amount of the award. 

Essay: When writing an essay for your scholarship application, be sure to answer any questions the donor requires. Copying and pasting an essay used for all scholarships may not answer specific questions the donor has asked and will result in your application being disqualified.