How To Network For Scholarship Opportunities: 3 Easy Ideas

Here's how to network so you can find more scholarship opportunities.

While the internet is a great resource for researching scholarship opportunities, it is certainly not the only one. There are several scholarships that are not listed online for several reasons. It could be that they are open only to an organization’s employees and their dependents or to members of a local community. The only way to find out about these opportunities is to network.

Parents and Family

Start with your parents and older siblings. Find out if their employers offer scholarship awards to worker’s family members. If they do, then ask about their other requirements and submit your application.

School Counselor

Your school counselor is another excellent source of information regarding scholarships. School counselors are continuously interacting with other students from all grades. During these interactions, they get to know about little-known opportunities that you may be eligible to apply for. You’d be surprised at what you may find just by asking, so much sure you network with them.

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Employers

If you have taken up a part-time job over the summer, don’t hesitate to ask your employer even if you know that they have never offered an award before. It could be that they just did not think about it and they may be open to the idea. It definitely does not hurt to ask.

And if scholarships aren’t enough to cover your full college cost, you’re going to need to find the best student loan for you. Use College Raptor’s free Student Loan Finder to compare lenders and interest rates side by side.

Rates (APR)	Eligibility
5.99%-16.61%* Variable 4.24%-15.61%* Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT CITIZENS
5.37% - 15.70% Variable 3.99% - 15.49% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT SALLIE MAE
5.37% - 17.99% Variable 3.79% - 17.99% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT CREDIBLE
5.98% - 13.74% Variable 3.99% - 12.61% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT LENDKEY
5.99% - 15.85% Variable 3.79% - 15.41% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT ASCENT
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT ISL
5.62% - 16.85% Variable 4.17% - 16.49% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT EARNEST
6.00% - 14.22% Variable 4.50% - 14.22% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT ELFI

College Raptor is not a loan lender and does not assume responsibility for suggesting a loan to a user who may not be eligible for it. Rates, terms, conditions, eligibility, approval, and other considerations are the decisions of the lenders and may vary depending on which lender or marketplace the user selects. We urge users to carefully consider and review all loan options and terms before committing to taking out a loan.