Searching for College Scholarships
Scholarships are a form of “gift-aid”, meaning they don’t have to be repaid, so applying for scholarships is an excellent opportunity to reduce your out-of-pocket education costs. As a 21st Century Scholar, you qualified for this tuition scholarship offered by the state when you were enrolled in the program during seventh or eighth grade.
There are many types of scholarships available based on a range of qualities. The most common forms of scholarships are academic, athletic, and local community. There are also many additional scholarships focused on specific industries or careers, specific talents, and underrepresented groups.
Searching for scholarships can come from a range of sources including your high school guidance counselors, college financial aid offices, and local community organizations such as non-profits, local businesses, religious organizations, and civic groups.
There are also many scholarships search sites available free of charge which provide a broad range of information about scholarships. The following are great resources to help you find potential scholarships: CareerOneStop.org, FastWeb.com, Scholarships.com.
When it comes to applying for scholarships the recommendation is to start the process early, apply to many scholarships and follow all instructions.
- File the FAFSA (some scholarships require this to be considered)
- Check your eligibility
- Review and follow all application requirements
- Meet the posted deadlines
College costs can be significant, in the last decade they have increased 21%. Applying for and receiving scholarships is your opportunity to reduce your cost to attend college with funding that does not have to be repaid.
