How to Find Scholarships

Hit the books

Doing research can help you find scholarships you may not have otherwise known about. Most public and campus libraries carry scholarship guides. Ask your librarian or guidance counselor for help. Also look under "financial aid," "student aid," and "scholarships."

Check with the colleges you're applying to

Most college-sponsored scholarships don't require additional applications beyond their standard admission and financial aid applications. Just be sure to complete and file the applications on time!

Some colleges offer special scholarships (for certain major fields or for certain talents) that you can apply for in addition to any that are open to all applicants.

Ask employers

Your parents might already be aware if scholarships are provided for children of employees. If not, the human resource department is usually the place to check to find out what is available. The staff there should be able to provide applications, deadlines, and any other information you'll need.

If you are employed, check with your employer to see if scholarships are available. Be sure to get any application forms and information about deadlines and complete the process on time.

Check local scholarships

Many community organizations, churches, and clubs offer scholarships. Your high school guidance counselor should be able to provide information about most of them, and can refer you to sponsors who can provide applications and information.

Search the Net

Using keywords like those mentioned earlier, you can find a wealth of free scholarship information on the World Wide Web. Some sites even allow you to apply online for scholarships. But, be careful . . .

General Scholarship Information

The term "scholarship" can have many meanings. At its most basic, a scholarship is money for college that you will not be expected to repay. Scholarships are worth seeking!

Scholarships sponsored by colleges are often designated for students who fit a particular profile (from the college's home state, holding a specified grade average, enrolling in a particular major, or bringing special talent in athletics, music, and the like).

Other outside scholarships may be available to students whose parents work for a particular company or to students who are eligible for scholarships sponsored by church or civic organizations.

You will need to check with each college to see what scholarships are available. You should also become familiar with any scholarships available through your company or community.

What Does It Take to Get a Scholarship?

Many students assume that they have to be brilliant, or athletically talented, or gifted musically, to earn a scholarship for college. What they don't realize is that sometimes they just need to be persistent!

Be persistent in getting good grades. Many colleges award scholarships to students with significant financial need in the accepted applicant group - a grant that you don't need to repay, just for making the cut and getting admitted!

Good grades won't hurt if you hope to get a scholarship even if your family doesn't demonstrate financial need. When scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit, without regard for need, students who have worked hard and achieved results in high school will be the winners.

You should also be persistent in seeking out other scholarship sources. Sometimes all it takes to get a scholarship is to find out who in your area is offering them: your church, your employer, your parents' employers, local civic organizations. You'll just need to fill out any required applications or interviews on time in order to be considered.

How Do You Apply for a Scholarship?

The most important thing to do to apply for scholarships is to get accurate information up front:

1. What are the qualifications for applicants?

2. Where do you get forms and how do you apply (online, by mail, etc.)?

3. Are additional interviews or references required?

4. What are the deadlines?

Once you have the information in hand, you can make a chart of what's due and when to follow through. Taking small steps throughout the process will help ensure you will meet all the requirements on time. Then, you get to sit back while the sponsors make their decisions.

Remember, most scholarship funding comes directly from the colleges themselves, so focus on making your college applications as strong as possible.