Potential Magazine College and Career Organizer 2020 | Page 35

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top tips
TOP 10 TIPS
1. START BEFORE SENIOR YEAR: Getting an early
start on the scholarship search better prepares you for
actually applying. Many scholarships are specifically for
high school seniors, so plan your senior year to include
preparing and applying.
2. TALK TO YOUR GUIDANCE COUNSELOR: Local
businesses tell local high schools first about any
scholarships, and your guidance counselors have lists
of local and statewide scholarships.
3. ASK COLLEGE RECRUITERS: Many college
recruiters sit on scholarship boards, so they can
nominate you if they know you. They may also have
some “pull” with departmental scholarships.
4. VISIT THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE: If you already
know which college you’re attending, go to the
financial aid office to look for scholarships. Sometimes
they have applications for local scholarships or
scholarships sponsored by the school.
5. SEARCH THE WEB: There are several scholarship-
specific search engines that make finding them that
much easier. While you’ll find more scholarships this
way, there’s also a lot of competition for most of them.
Fastweb.com, Scholarships.com, Cappex.com, and
PotentialMagazine.com are all good resources.
scholarships
FOR FINDING
SCHOLARSHIPS
6. LOOK LOCAL: Credit unions, banks, Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions
Club, your church, your insurance company – many of the
companies and non-profit groups in your area offer scholarships.
7. LOOK BACK: Look at your family tree – any war veterans?
Are you Native American, Greek, or Irish? There are many
heritage scholarships available. It may take some time to pull
records, so start these applications early.
8. LOOK AHEAD: Career-based scholarships are available for
several career paths, such as nursing and teaching. Some federal
programs will forgive student debt – effectively acting like a
retroactive grant – for students who pursue certain careers or
specific types of public service after graduation.
9. USE YOUR PASSIONS & LEADERSHIP: Scholarships aren’t
just for students with a high GPA. Non-academic scholarships
are available based on community service, leadership, extra-
curricular activities, and many other things.
10. DON’T GIVE UP: Finding scholarships can be a long,
time-consuming process, but it is worth it. To win a lot of
scholarships, you have to apply for a lot of scholarships. Many
scholarships require the same material, so recycling essays from
each application can be a huge time-saver. (Unless it's against
the rules of the scholarship!)
IS APPLYING WORTH MY TIME? Over 30,000 Alabama high school seniors did not fill out the
FAFSA in 2019, leaving more than $72 million in Pell Grant aid on the table to pay for education. More than 60 percent
of Alabama students qualify for a Pell Grant which can be used to pay for technical and academic programs at 2-year
and 4-year colleges. The maximum Pell Grant is $6,195, and it does not have to be repaid. Source: http://alabamapossible.org/
MERIT
Awarded according to your
high school academic success,
particularly on the ACT/SAT
tests and your GPA. Most uni-
versities use a tiered approach,
with a minimum award of
partial tuition up to possibly
full tuition, room, and board.
As long as you gain acceptance,
apply for the scholarship, and
meet the requirements, you will
be assured of this scholarship.
In other words, everyone who
qualifies receives the award.
COMPETITIVE
Over $40 Billion Available
Limited in number, and can have
many applicants. These are not
guaranteed–they are awarded based
on the competency of the applicants.
PRIVATE
Awarded independent of college
selection by individuals, foundations,
corporations, churches, nonprofit
groups, civic societies, veterans
groups, professional groups, service
clubs, unions, chambers of
commerce, associations, and other
organizations.
www.potentialmagazine.com
$18 B
Merit &
Competitve
College
Scholarships
$28 B
Pell
Grants
$3.3 B
Private
College Organizer 2020 | 35