One of the most common questions I receive from student is “are there scholarships I can apply for?” The answer is always yes, however if you end up sitting in my office with bill in hand asking this question it is usually too late to take advantage of scholarships. While there are scholarship deadlines year-round, the majority of them occur from January-April. These scholarships are for the upcoming year, so if you are looking for additional aid for next year, now is the perfect time to apply. Here are a few things to keep in mind while searching and applying for scholarships.
Finding scholarship to apply for can be a very long process. The Financial Aid Office has compiled a list of over 100 outside scholarships and posted them on our website as a resource for you to use. This is a great place to start your search.
Every little bit helps so apply for any scholarship you may qualify for regardless of the amount.
Know the difference between “required” and “preferred.” If you meet the scholarship requirements but not the preferences apply anyway. You never know who else is applying, and you may still end up being the best applicant.
Avoid scholarship scams. There are a lot of scholarship search sites online and they can be a great place to find scholarships, but they also can hold some scholarships that are scams. Remember that you should never have to pay to submit a scholarship or to receive information about a scholarship.
Reapply for scholarships you didn’t get last year. Scholarship pools change every year so you never know when your application may get chosen.
Keep track of the deadlines. Plan ahead and know what scholarships you are eligible for and what their deadlines are. A lot of scholarships require additional materials such as essays, transcripts, or letters of recommendation. Give yourself enough time to complete each piece of the application by the deadline.
We love when our students receive scholarships and are happy to help in any way we can; whether that is answering questions you may run into, or proof reading applications.
Best of Luck!
Kira Bridges
Financial Aid Counselor