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With numerous scholarships available offering a wide range of awards, the search for scholarships can quickly get overwhelming and daunting. Ideally, you want to apply to as many scholarships as you qualify for. The more awards you win, the lower the loan amount you need to take.
These few tips will help make the scholarship search process easier for you.
Start Your Search Early
It takes time to find and look through the many scholarships out there. Starting during your sophomore or junior year itself will give you plenty of time to explore different opportunities.
Bookmark those that look interesting and that you qualify for so you can look into them further.
Stay Organized So It’s Less Daunting
It’s impossible to keep track of all scholarships without being organized. The best way to stay on top of things is by creating a chart sheet of possible scholarships to apply for along with their requirements.
If you don’t meet all the requirements for a particular opportunity but there is a possibility that you could work towards it, make a note of that for later. Make a detailed plan of how you intend meeting those requirements. However, don’t bother applying to a scholarship if you don’t meet all the requirements at the time you’re applying to it.
Don’t Discount Those Smaller Award Scholarships
Many students overlook the smaller awards for a big scholarship, mostly because they feel it is not worth the trouble involved. The good news for you is that fewer applications means there is less competition for these scholarships, increasing your chances of winning.
And yes, despite what many students may think, these are definitely worth applying for. Every dollar you win as a scholarship award will add up to that much less money you will need to borrow towards your college tuition.
Set Aside Enough Time To Work On Your Scholarship Applications
Putting together scholarship applications can be a time-consuming task. Not only will every application ask for different details but you will also need to write personalized essays to be submitted along with each application.
This is definitely not something you want to rush. It would be a shame to lose out on scholarship money only because you submitted an application that had one too many typos or did not meet the brief. One way to keep yourself on top of your applications is to create a scholarship calendar.
Keep An Eye On Those Deadlines
Application deadlines may seem like light-years away but time can fly while you are busy with school work and other activities. Before you know it, the deadline will be just days away.
Don’t miss a deadline because you were too busy with other things. All late applications end up in the rejected pile. Make a non-negotiable schedule and make sure that no matter what, your scholarship application is completed and sent out well before the deadline.
Something to keep in mind – applying earlier can give your chances of winning a huge boost so get that application out as early as you can but without compromising on the quality.
Explore Local Sponsorship Opportunities
Start with your parents’ companies. Many employers have attractive scholarship programs in place for employees and their dependents and these are worth looking into. It does not take much to find out about these opportunities and there’s not likely to be any competition either.
Also, check local bulletins and newspapers for scholarship opportunities. Many local businesses and philanthropists often offer awards to encourage younger members of the community to get a college education.
Use College Raptor to discover personalized college matches, cost estimates, acceptance odds, and potential financial aid for schools around the US—for FREE!
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.82%-13.97%* Variable
4.43%-12.57%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
6.37% - 16.70% Variable
4.50% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
 |
5.38% - 16.99% Variable
4.43% - 16.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
|
|
5.84% - 11.11% Variable
4.39% - 11.11% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
6.15% - 16.08% Variable
4.83% - 16.16% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
6.10% - 10.64% Variable
3.95% - 8.01% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
5.62% - 16.20% Variable
4.42% - 15.90% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
4.98% - 12.79% Variable
4.48% - 12.29% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
