For high school and college students, scholarships provide much needed financial assistance to help pay for tuition, books, and other associated costs. But with the increasing cost of a higher education, many students are finding it difficult to cover all of their expenses without some form of financial aid. This is where scholarships come in.
Finding scholarships that you qualify for can seem like a daunting task, but there are a number of resources available to help you in your search, according to the physician Dr. Samuel Bride.
Here are a few tips on how to find good scholarship opportunities:
- Check with your school’s financial aid office. They will have a list of scholarships that you may be eligible for based on your location, major, or other factors.
- Talk to your parents, relatives, or family friends. They may know of organizations or groups that offer scholarships to students in your situation.
- Use a scholarship search engine. There are a number of online databases that can help match you with potential scholarship opportunities. These include websites like Scholarships.com, Fastweb.com, and CollegeBoard.org.
- Get involved in extracurricular activities and civic organizations. Many times these groups offer scholarships to outstanding students who are actively involved in their activities.
- Be creative! There are lots of unique and quirky scholarships out there that you may be eligible for. A quick search on the internet will reveal a number of these unusual opportunities.
Tips to get the most out of scholarship opportunities
- Adhering to deadlines is key when apply not just for scholarships but for college in general! Plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to gather all required materials and information so that you can submit each application on time without having to rush through anything or cut any corners.
- There are all sorts of places where you can find potential scholarship opportunities—your guidance counselor’s office, local organizations and businesses, online databases—the list goes on! If you want to ensure that you are seeing all available opportunities, make sure to cast a wide net in your search so that no stone is left unturned.
Errors that students make while finding a good scholarship program includes:
- Not knowing what they want: You should know what you want i.e. the course you want to study, the college you want to go to and or the country you want to study in. This will help you focus your search on scholarships that are a good fit for you and save you time in the long run.
- Applying for too many scholarships: Applying for too many scholarships can actually work against you. While it’s important to explore all of your options, trying to manage too many applications can be overwhelming and cause you to miss deadlines or submit subpar materials.
Endnote:
Finding good scholarship opportunities takes some time and effort but is well worth it in the end. By taking advantage of the resources available to you, you can find the financial assistance you need to help pay for your education expenses. And who knows—you might even end up with a scholarship for doing something you love!
