8 Great Scholarship Tips and When to Apply. Scholarships are the best form of financial aid. They are free money that can help you pay for college. However, you are not alone if you feel discouraged from applying for scholarships.
Many scholarships are competitive and most times, very few applicants get the scholarship. You can also get these scholarships. Yes, there are many things you can do to increase your chances of winning a scholarship. Specifically, I will be sharing eight great scholarship tips and when to apply.
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8 Top Scholarship Tips
These are the top eight great scholarship tips and when to apply:
1. Create a List of your Unique Traits
Did you know that there’s a scholarship out there for practically every trait? Scholarships are available for students based on personal interests, GPA, languages spoken, extracurricular activities, and nationality.
There are scholarships for:
- swimmers,
- pianists,
- football players,
- students who grew up with certain hardships,
- LGBTQ individuals.
Most students who get the most money don’t apply for all of those scholarships. These students simply find scholarships that match their traits, then apply and that makes them look like the perfect applicants. That is why you need to start by making a list of all of your unique traits.
You can start by reflecting on who you are, including:
- Personal interests and passions.
- Extracurricular activities.
- Hardships you or your family have endured (for example, cancer, loss of a parent, and a natural disaster).
- Career interests or goals.
- Academic achievements.
- Heritage and community.
- Sex/gender.
- Personality traits (for example, a strong sense of leadership, and a great sense of humour).
- The university you currently attend or the universities you’re applying to.
2. Search for Scholarships based on your Traits
There are diverse scholarships for college. Many of these scholarships are easy to find, like popular and high-competition scholarships (for example, the Gates Millennium Scholars Program and the Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholarship).
On the other hand, specialized scholarships with less competition are usually harder to find. So, you will have to be very careful in your research. Don’t be afraid to ask teachers, counsellors, and current college students for advice.
You can also search for scholarships based on your traits using scholarship search tools, for example, Scholly. These scholarship tools can help you find all of the scholarships you’re eligible for, including those with less competition.
3. Develop an Organized List of Scholarship Opportunities
As you’re searching for scholarships, you need to keep an organized list of scholarship opportunities based on several factors:
- The scholarship’s deadlines.
- What makes you a unique fit for the scholarships.
- The amount given by these scholarship providers.
4. Implement a Scholarship Schedule
Implementing a scholarship schedule is also among the eight great scholarship tips and when to apply. You must apply for as many scholarships as possible.
Searching and applying for scholarships should be a regular part of your college preparation routine, much like standardized test prep.
Carve out time to dedicate solely to scholarship applications. You can make a scholarship schedule.
For instance, you can use Monday to search and create a list of scholarships. Then, every Wednesday, dedicate an hour to applying for a scholarship on your list. Just choose what works best for you and stick to it.
Also, you can apply for 10 scholarships per month to increase your chances of winning scholarships.
However, there are plenty of college scholarships out there that are easy to apply for. You can use about 15 minutes to complete some scholarship applications. In your schedule, try to create shorter and longer applications.
5. Build a Scholarship “Toolbox”
A scholarship toolbox is just all of the resources and knowledge you will need to use during the scholarship application process. By gathering all of the (potentially) necessary items and information you will need for scholarship applications ahead of time, you will be able to access them in less time.
The items you will need for your toolbox include:
- Personal information (name, address, email address, your parents’ and guardians’ information and employers).
- Information about your past schools like the name, location, and your graduation year.
- Your transcripts from college or high school.
- Letters of recommendation from 1-2 teachers.
- Scholarship essays you have written in the past.
- Parents’ most recent federal tax return.
- Completed FAFSA and SAR report (This report is usually generated after you complete the FAFSA).
- Your student loan lender information (that is if you have already taken out student loans).
- A recent, non-blurry photo of just you (a “headshot” style from shoulders up and without your friends in the frame is the best).
Depending on the scholarship you are applying for, you may likely need few or all of this information. So, you must get all of these resources and documents ahead of time so that if you do need them, you won’t lose time searching for them.
6. Don’t Rush Your Scholarship Applications
You must create time to apply for scholarships, don’t rush during the application process. Your application should be a reflection of your abilities and achievements.
Creating time to apply for scholarships includes:
- Reading all application directions (including fine print) thoroughly.
- Familiarizing yourself with the organizations that are giving the scholarships.
- Reflecting thoughtfully on any essay questions.
- Writing a strong scholarship essay, if applicable.
7. Track Your Scholarship Applications
Keeping track of your scholarship applications is also one of the eight great scholarship tips and when to apply. The more applications you apply for, the more you keep track of them.
For example, Scholly search allows you to save upcoming scholarships, stay on top of due dates, and keep track of the scholarships you’ve applied for (including your wins). Also, you can use a spreadsheet to keep track of your scholarship applications. You can keep track of the scholarship’s deadlines, when applicants will be chosen for the scholarship and many others.
8. Follow all the Scholarship Instructions
Are you required to provide your GPA during your scholarship application process? Letters of recommendation? A photo of just your face? Then, you have to present these documents as the scholarship providers want. You do not have to deviate from the scholarship’s guidelines and risk being disqualified.
Also, you must make sure that you submit everything necessary and show that you meet the qualifications for the scholarship.
Bonus Tip
Scholarships Are Not a One-Time Deal
You can continue to apply for scholarships even when you are in college. You can apply for scholarships for years and keep getting more free financial aid to pay for college.
When Can I Start Applying for Scholarships?
The perfect time to start applying for scholarships is now. You can research available scholarship opportunities and apply for them before their deadlines. There are diverse scholarships you can get all through the year.
For some students, you can apply for scholarships before the start of the senior year of high school. You can also apply for scholarships after you have finished submitting college applications. Or, you can apply for scholarships while you are in college. It is never too late.
Conclusion
When it comes to paying for college, there is no better form of financial aid than scholarships. Scholarships are free financial aid (it is not refunded). Also, scholarships are available for everyone, you just need to know how to find the right ones for you. Some of the best tips to apply for a scholarship include: creating a list of your unique traits, searching for scholarships that match your traits, and also following all the directions during your application process. Good luck as you make use of these tips to get scholarships.
