Some issues about faculty scholarships are apparent – particularly, that free cash to assist pay for faculty is an efficient factor. However for one thing everybody is aware of about, there are literally loads of misconceptions and myths on the market about how scholarships work and the way college students can qualify for them.
Try these six widespread myths about scholarships and learn the way to make these great instruments allow you to pay in your faculty schooling.
Fantasy 1: It’s important to be a star pupil (or a jock, creative virtuoso, and many others.) to win scholarships
We’re not going to lie: should you’re the college valedictorian, already gained a Pulitzer, and certified for the Olympics, it’s true you’ll have a neater time getting faculty scholarships. However you don’t need to be any of these issues to earn important quantities of scholarship cash.
All it’s important to be is resourceful.
Seems, there are loads of scholarships on the market based mostly on all types of standards. Whereas government- and school-issued scholarships often have a minimum of modest tutorial standards for candidates, non-public scholarships will be based mostly on no matter standards the donor chooses.
There are scholarships based mostly on demographics comparable to your faith, gender, or ethnicity, hobbies, creative pursuits, your meant profession path, and lots of extra. There are even scholarships on the market for super-tall folks, or these with a sure uncommon surname. Should you look, chances are high you’ll discover a minimum of just a few which might be an ideal match for you.
To make that course of simpler, examine our scholarship database that allows you to search by numerous standards so you’ll be able to house in on the choices which might be the most effective match for you.
Fantasy 2: School scholarships are good for all for 4 years of college
Some scholarships are granted as four-year awards, however many usually are not. If you apply for a scholarship — and particularly should you win it — be sure to perceive should you’ll must reapply yearly to proceed to obtain the scholarship.
You must also examine to see what standards it is advisable to meet every year to remain eligible for the scholarship — it will not essentially keep the identical. Frequent methods you could possibly turn into ineligible for a scholarship you’ve already gained is that if your grades drop, you progress, or should you change majors.
Fantasy 3: It’s important to apply in highschool
When you definitely ought to begin in search of faculty scholarships when you’re nonetheless in highschool, you’ll be able to proceed to use for scholarships for so long as you’re at school. Some scholarships are particularly geared toward college students who’re already enrolled in faculty or pursuing graduate schooling.
And keep in mind: Simply since you didn’t qualify for a particular scholarship in highschool doesn’t essentially imply you don’t have an opportunity to win it later after you’ve confirmed your skill in faculty. Should you see a scholarship that you simply nonetheless assume is an efficient match, go for it!
Fantasy 4: It takes a ton of effort to win a scholarship
It’s true, some scholarships do take a good quantity of effort to earn, together with writing an essay and gathering reference letters and different documentation. However that’s not the case for all scholarships. Tons of scholarships don’t require an essay; some take little greater than a filling out a quick type. (Our scholarship is straightforward to use for and your mother and father can apply as properly.)
The place you do need to spend some effort is ensuring you’ve met all the necessities for a given scholarship. The very last thing you need is to overlook out on free cash since you despatched in a type a day late or forgot to incorporate a replica of your tutorial transcript.
Fantasy 5: Solely large scholarships are price making use of for
Successful a big-name and/or big-dollar scholarship is clearly a feather in your cap in addition to a option to deliver down your whole faculty prices. However right here’s the draw back: Any pupil with half a prayer of successful them is making use of for them, so that you face steep competitors.
Smaller scholarships and people from lesser-known establishments don’t get as a lot fanfare, however additionally they are likely to get far fewer candidates, so the probabilities of you being the chosen grantee are significantly better.
Give it some thought: Let’s say a rural county’s chamber of commerce gives three $500 scholarships to native grads. And just a few thousand youngsters every year graduate from highschool in that county — lots of whom gained’t hassle to use. You may have a greater than 1-in-1000 probability of snagging a kind of grants, in comparison with some big-name scholarships the place you’d be competing towards tens of hundreds of different college students.
Now, $500 isn’t more likely to imply you graduate faculty debt-free. However should you can win 5, 10, or 20 of these smaller scholarships over the course of your faculty profession, it might add as much as hundreds of {dollars} of free cash — and a a lot lighter pupil mortgage burden when you graduate.
It is price spending a while in search of all of the smaller, under-the-radar scholarships which may go well with you. It doesn’t need to be a full-time job — an hour or two every week to analysis and fill out functions may very well be sufficient to internet you a major quantity of free cash.
Fantasy 6: Scholarships are solely good for tuition
A shocking variety of folks assume scholarships solely can be utilized for tuition or direct schooling bills and that’s not essentially the case.
Every scholarship has its personal guidelines for a way you need to use scholarship funds. Some are only for tuition; some can be utilized broadly for dwelling bills and extra. Some are even earmarked for sure sorts of bills, comparable to a stipend to purchase know-how wanted to pursue your schooling.
If and once you win a scholarship, be sure to double-check its tips to make sure you’re staying inside the established guidelines.
You’re juggling rather a lot making an attempt to wrap up highschool and prepare for faculty. In search of scholarships can really feel like yet another activity on an already-overfilled plate. However should you can handle to squeeze in a little bit time to search for (and apply to) the scholarships which might be the most effective match you may be stunned how fruitful that effort is. To be taught extra, try our scholarship information.