Some issues about faculty scholarships are apparent – specifically, that free cash to assist pay for school is an efficient factor. However for one thing everybody is aware of about, there are literally lots of misconceptions and myths on the market about how scholarships work and the way college students can qualify for them.
Take a look at these six frequent myths about scholarships and learn the way to make these large instruments aid you pay in your faculty training.
Delusion 1: You need to be a star pupil (or a jock, inventive virtuoso, and so on.) to win scholarships
We’re not going to lie: when you’re the varsity valedictorian, already gained a Pulitzer, and certified for the Olympics, it’s true you’ll have a better time getting faculty scholarships. However you don’t must be any of these issues to earn important quantities of scholarship cash.
All it’s a must to be is resourceful.
Seems, there are lots of scholarships on the market primarily based on all kinds of standards. Whereas government- and school-issued scholarships normally have a minimum of modest tutorial standards for candidates, personal scholarships may be primarily based on no matter standards the donor chooses.
There are scholarships primarily based on demographics comparable to your faith, gender, or ethnicity, hobbies, inventive pursuits, your meant profession path, and lots of extra. There are even scholarships on the market for super-tall individuals, or these with a sure uncommon surname. When you look, chances are high you’ll discover a minimum of a number of which can be an ideal match for you.
To make that course of simpler, verify our scholarship database that allows you to search by varied standards so you possibly can house in on the choices which can be one of the best match for you.
Delusion 2: Faculty scholarships are good for all for 4 years of college
Some scholarships are granted as four-year awards, however many usually are not. Whenever you apply for a scholarship — and particularly when you win it — ensure you perceive when you’ll must reapply yearly to proceed to obtain the scholarship.
You also needs to verify to see what standards you’ll want to meet annually to remain eligible for the scholarship — it will not essentially keep the identical. Frequent methods you can develop into ineligible for a scholarship you’ve already gained is that if your grades drop, you progress, or when you change majors.
Delusion 3: You need to apply in highschool
Whilst you actually ought to begin in search of faculty scholarships whilst you’re nonetheless in highschool, you possibly can 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 training.
And keep in mind: Simply since you didn’t qualify for a selected 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. When you see a scholarship that you just nonetheless suppose is an efficient match, go for it!
Delusion 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 short kind. (Our scholarship is simple to use for and your dad and mom can apply as effectively.)
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 kind a day late or forgot to incorporate a replica of your tutorial transcript.
Delusion 5: Solely large scholarships are value making use of for
Profitable a big-name and/or big-dollar scholarship is clearly a feather in your cap in addition to a option to deliver down your complete 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 in addition they are inclined to get far fewer candidates, so the possibilities of you being the chosen grantee are significantly better.
Give it some thought: Let’s say a rural county’s chamber of commerce provides three $500 scholarships to native grads. And just a few thousand youngsters annually graduate from highschool in that county — a lot of whom gained’t hassle to use. You could possibly have a greater than 1-in-1000 likelihood of snagging a type of grants, in comparison with some big-name scholarships the place you’d be competing in opposition to tens of hundreds of different college students.
Now, $500 isn’t prone to imply you graduate faculty debt-free. However when you can win 5, 10, or 20 of these smaller scholarships over the course of your faculty profession, it might probably add as much as hundreds of {dollars} of free cash — and a a lot lighter pupil mortgage burden when you graduate.
It is value spending a while in search of all of the smaller, under-the-radar scholarships which may swimsuit you. It doesn’t must be a full-time job — an hour or two every week to analysis and fill out purposes may very well be sufficient to internet you a big quantity of free cash.
Delusion 6: Scholarships are solely good for tuition
A shocking variety of individuals suppose scholarships solely can be utilized for tuition or direct training 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 expertise wanted to pursue your training.
If and while you win a scholarship, ensure you double-check its tips to make sure you’re staying throughout the established guidelines.
You’re juggling quite a bit attempting to wrap up highschool and prepare for school. On the lookout for scholarships can really feel like another activity on an already-overfilled plate. However when you can handle to squeeze in a little bit time to search for (and apply to) the scholarships which can be one of the best match you is perhaps shocked how fruitful that effort is. To be taught extra, try our scholarship information.