Scholarships
Scholarships are essentially free money provided by various organizations or individual benefactors to assist worthy students in pursuing higher education. They can be quite large (although these are harder to find or qualify for) and they can be small, just a few hundred dollars. Small scholarships should not be overlooked, because it’s possible to qualify for several and they can add up.
|
Types of scholarships:
There are more scholarships out there than you can imagine. While fewer kids can qualify for the full tuition scholarships (although you can’t rule it out if your kid is an exceptional student), there are lots of smaller scholarships to be had. The most common misconception about scholarships is that only the smartest, most talented, or most athletic students need apply. That is far from the truth. There are literally thousands of scholarships available through local community organizations, national associations, churches, ethnic organizations, private companies, and individual benefactors. Some scholarships are awarded based on achievement, while others are awarded just for applying. There could be a dozen with your name on it. You just need to know where to look and how to apply for them.
While many are merit-based awarded for academic or athletic achievement, others are more interested in the quality of your character and vision for the future. In searching for potential scholarships, you will find a seemingly unlimited number of options – some very unique. Here are some examples of what you will find:
Community service scholarships: Available to any student who actively participates in community services activities. Check with your local community organizations.
First in family scholarships: Many organizations seek to encourage students who are the first in their family to aspire to college.
Special scholarships: Students with special or creative talents or interests can find a plethora of scholarships available. There are even scholarships available for students interested in duck calling, or those who can speak “Klingon”.
Military scholarships: Dozens of organizations award scholarships to students with family members, including fathers, mothers, siblings, grandparents, who have served in the military.
Writing Scholarships: If your student has average grades but a knack for writing, there are hundreds of scholarships awarded based almost entirely on a written essay.
There are more scholarships out there than you can imagine. While fewer kids can qualify for the full tuition scholarships (although you can’t rule it out if your kid is an exceptional student), there are lots of smaller scholarships to be had. The most common misconception about scholarships is that only the smartest, most talented, or most athletic students need apply. That is far from the truth. There are literally thousands of scholarships available through local community organizations, national associations, churches, ethnic organizations, private companies, and individual benefactors. Some scholarships are awarded based on achievement, while others are awarded just for applying. There could be a dozen with your name on it. You just need to know where to look and how to apply for them.
While many are merit-based awarded for academic or athletic achievement, others are more interested in the quality of your character and vision for the future. In searching for potential scholarships, you will find a seemingly unlimited number of options – some very unique. Here are some examples of what you will find:
Community service scholarships: Available to any student who actively participates in community services activities. Check with your local community organizations.
First in family scholarships: Many organizations seek to encourage students who are the first in their family to aspire to college.
Special scholarships: Students with special or creative talents or interests can find a plethora of scholarships available. There are even scholarships available for students interested in duck calling, or those who can speak “Klingon”.
Military scholarships: Dozens of organizations award scholarships to students with family members, including fathers, mothers, siblings, grandparents, who have served in the military.
Writing Scholarships: If your student has average grades but a knack for writing, there are hundreds of scholarships awarded based almost entirely on a written essay.
|
One of the best places to start your scholarship search is the Sallie Mae website. Sallie Mae is a student loan company with over 40 years of providing student loans for college, supporting graduate and undergraduate study, and more. Visit Sallie Mae's website and set up a profile to begin your scholarship search. |
Safe websites with scholarship search/information:
Fastweb.com Federal Student Aid US Department of Labor Michigan Gateway Community Foundation Sallie Mae Sallie CollegeGreenlight.com |
BEWARE OF SCHOLARSHIP SCAMS
Every year, several hundred thousand students and parents are defrauded by scholarship scams. The victims of these scams lose thousands, if not millions, of dollars collectively on an annual basis according to multiple sources. Scam operations often imitate legitimate government agencies, grant-giving foundations, education lenders and scholarship matching services, using official-sounding names containing words like "National," "Federal," "Foundation," or "Administration."
Check out this website for more information on how to recognize a scholarship scam.
Check out this website for more information on how to recognize a scholarship scam.
