Talk to Your Counselor
Colleges or universities and scholarship provid ers often supply information about their award offerings and applications to high school coun selors . Many institutions also offer specific awards by major for both new and returning students that can be applied for through the school ’ s financial aid office . These resources , as well as newsletters and bulletin boards outside of these offices , can help you identify scholarships for which you may be eligible to apply .
Apply for Scholarships in Your Field of Interest
Many job sectors have scholarship opportunities available through related clubs , organizations , small businesses and other benefactors . For example , the America ’ s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders program , sponsored by the Monsanto Fund in conjunction with the FFA , provides $ 1,500 scholarships to students endorsed by local farmers for continuing their education at two- or fouryear universities and trade schools in agriculture-related fields of study . This year , the program will award more than $ 500,000 in scholarships to students in fields such as mathematics , computer science , busi ness , communications , engineering , farming , agronomy , education and more . Students can learn more about the program by visiting GrowAgLeaders . com .
Don ’ t Overlook Smaller Award Amounts
When it comes to paying for your education , every scholarship you receive – even those that come with smaller , one-time award amounts – can help defray the costs beyond tuition for books , supplies and living expenses . Many times , scholarships with smaller award amounts have fewer additional requirements that must be satisfied outside of mate rials traditionally required for submission such as transcripts , letters of reference and an application .
Look for Essay Applications
Students are often more likely to forgo applying to scholarships that require essays , videos or additional assets that promote their accomplishments outside of submitting an application and a copy
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of their transcripts . This typically leads to a smaller candidate pool . Due to the added requirements , these scholarships can oftentimes come with larger monetary values , as well .
Use a Scholarship Search Engine
While a simple search for “ college scholarships ” on any search engine is likely to elicit plenty of options , there are sites available that are dedicated to helping students identify college scholarship opportunities . While paid options exist , there are also several free sites , such as Scholarships . com , Fastweb and Scholarship America , that can provide local , regional and national options based on the information you provide . Other , more industry-specific websites , such as FFA . org , can provide scholarship opportunities that pertain to a certain field of interest .
INCREASING YOUR SCHOLARSHIP ODDS
While there is no way to guarantee a scholarship to help offset the costs of higher education , there are things you can do to increase your odds of getting noticed by admissions departments and those who award scholarships . Before sending in your application , consider these tips :
Get Involved
Students who are involved in extracurricular activities , such as volunteer causes , sports , clubs or student government , often give themselves a leg up on the competition when achievements in the classroom are similar . Getting involved outside of the traditional school day is also a way to network , which can be helpful when it comes time to ask for letters of recommendation .
Apply Early
A good rule of thumb is to not wait until the due date to submit your application and other materials as issues out of your control can arise , such as a website malfunction or a not-yet-submitted recommendation letter . In fact , some scholarships close once they receive a certain amount of applicants , and those reviewing applications can put a premium on those received earlier .
Look Professional
Ensure your online presence matches the persona your application depicts . As more college admissions departments , employers and scholarship committees are researching candidates online prior to awarding admission , interviews or scholarship money , be sure to clear your social media accounts of any inappropriate or unprofessional material , look yourself up on search engines to be aware of any information available about you and use a simple email address that includes your name in some fashion .
Proofread
Read back through your scholarship application as well as your essay a few times once you ’ re finished to ensure everything looks and sounds as you intended . Pay particularly close attention to spelling and grammar , and if time permits , ask someone you trust – such as a parent , teacher or counselor – to double-check your work prior to submitting your application .
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