and fourth year college students
$4,000 annually
with the Pell grant
Grant Resources: There are over 1,000 grant programs, totaling $400
billion, which are available to college students.
- Find different grant
programs at http://www.grants.gov based upon your qualifications and
needs
Scholarships are also a great
resource for financing college, as it is “free money” that does
not need to be paid back upon graduation. There is a wide funding
source for scholarships, ranging from private companies to college alumni
associations. As such, different scholarships focus on varying
factors, including ethnic background, academic achievements, financial
background, religious affiliation, particular extracurricular activities,
anticipated majors, and future ambitions. Each organization that
offers a scholarship has different factors that are important, but there
are certainly many available for which you may be qualified.
Each university also offers
a large array of scholarships, ranging from campus-wise funding to departmental
specific scholarships. When you are considering a university,
review their scholarship options and speak to an admissions advisor
regarding your potential for receiving an award.
To access the large array of
available scholarship applications, you simply need to conduct research
online to find the ones suited for you. There are many different
websites that maintain scholarship databases, and you can even register
to receive daily updates regarding new available scholarships.
Successfully applying for
scholarships
For many scholarships, there
is extensive competition among students who would like to be selected
for the awards. Generally, the great the amount of money the scholarship
offers, the more students will apply for the consideration. In
order to increase your chances of receiving scholarship awards, it is
important that you complete the applications thoroughly and thoughtfully.
- Keep track of
deadlines and apply as soon as possible:
The vast majority of scholarships have deadlines that must be adhered
to diligently. You should begin your research early in the school
year and keep track of all of the deadlines. The earlier you apply,
the better chances you will have of obtaining the scholarship.
Some scholarships work on a rolling basis, and therefore, it is in your
best interest to apply as soon as possible. In addition, due to
inherent logistical risks, you should always allocate time for application
errors, lost mail, and other potential delays. - Evaluate the
details for qualification:
Most scholarships have specific criteria for their applicants.
As many scholarships are offered by organizations, they each have their
own requirements and specifications for the award. For example,
some scholarships may be ethnically based, while others are specifically
for individuals who are part of a particular group or religion.
Make sure you review all of the details to ensure that you qualify for
the scholarship. - Prepare the qualifying
documents: Many scholarships have additional qualifying documents
that are required beyond the application, such as recommendation letters,
transcripts, and essays. Your entire scholarship application must
be complete to be considered, and therefore, it is important that you
have all of this information prepared. - Write a great
essay: The essay is the most important part of your scholarship
application. It gives you an opportunity to shine on paper and
describe who you really are. However, you must tailor your experiences
to the organization’s purpose to ensure that your application is relevant.
For example, if you are applying for a technology scholarship, it is
important to show your personality through a technology example.
In addition, you should consider who will be reading your essay.
If you are applying for a scholarship from a humanitarian organization,
then your tone, word choice, and even examples would be different than
an application to a business scholarship. You simply need to reflect
on who you are, select a relevant example that illustrates who you are,
and then tailor your writing style to the audience. - Proofread!
[...] special needs 3. An intensive mentorship with a highly skilled teaching professional 4. A $30,000 scholarship to pursue a Master’s Degree in Special Education 5. A post fellowship opportunity with the [...]