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Scholarships are a large part of the college search; students often choose colleges that offer them large amounts of scholarship money. Sometimes, scholarships amounts are large enough to fund a student’s entire tuition.
You are sure to have come across many tips and tricks for winning scholarships, but students tend to overlook one of the most important factors. This tip is getting to know the scholarship sponsor. The scholarship sponsor is the person whose money goes into your scholarship. This is a person who wants to fund a student through college with no request of repayment; it is a great act of kindness that is often overlooked during the college journey. It’s not surprising that sponsors will favor students who have taken the time and trouble to get to know everything about their organization and what it stands for.
Listed below are 3 things you can do to get to know the sponsor:
Do Your Research
One of the best ways to find out more about a scholarship sponsor, especially at the local level, is to go through their website. It can be very interesting to learn of a sponsor’s background; sometimes students can find the reason they started the scholarship in question. Many sponsors possess social media accounts, Make sure to go through those too. This is one instance where light social media stalking does more good than harm. Get an idea as to what they value, how they work, and what type of scholarship candidates they are looking for.
Understand the Sponsor’s Values
What values does this sponsor uphold? Read through the sponsor’s mission and vision and take time to understand the organization’s core values and what kind of person they are offering the scholarship to. It is also important to note whether the values of the sponsor and scholarship align with your own virtues; there is no point in putting in tons of effort to apply if the scholarship isn’t applicable to who you are. If you do feel that you have found the right scholarship, make sure your essay or application upholds these values.
Know Who Or What The Scholarship Commemorates
If the scholarship is established in memory of a person, read all about that person and what they accomplished to deserve this great honor. Often times, the people who scholarships are inspired by played monumental roles in history. Additionally, basic courtesy includes looking into the person who made the scholarship possible. Furthermore, this knowledge can often be the tipping point when it comes to winning a scholarship.
The first step to researching sponsors is to find scholarships. Scholarships, while not hard to find, can be challenging to narrow down into the ones that fit you.
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.34%-15.96%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
4.92% - 15.08% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
|
|
4.50% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.50% - 14.56% Variable
3.69% - 14.41% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
4.99% - 16.85% Variable
3.47% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
