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Alandra
Student
Frisco, Texas
1
Question
Updated
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What are some tips to getting selected for a scholarship? #Spring25
I'm a senior at LTHS and i'm deciding between TXST and TTU for next fall. I am needing a lot financial aid as I am a first-generation student and paying for my college alone and would love the help on how to get the most out of scholarships and finacial aid.
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2 answers
Michelle M.
Actress
3276
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Alandra !
It's great that you're in your senior year at Lebanon Trail High School and you are exploring financial assistance for college. Many scholarships appear online, but there's also some that do not.
For starters, you should be looking into applying for Federal Student Financial Aid. Visit the college you intend to go to and speak with the financial aid office for detailed information pertinent to that college. Also ask about scholarships that the college offers to its students.
You didn't spell it out, but I have to assume that your intended colleges to apply to are Texas State University and Texas Tech University. You can go to both of their websites and see if the scholarships they offer appear on the website with information about how to apply. You would need to know exactly what college you would be going to in order to apply for scholarships or grants because the donors many need to know that you are enrolled at a college.
Another avenue for scholarships and grants are the numerous scholarship websites for which you can do an online search for. Make notes of the ones you qualify for and make note of the start dates and deadlines for each scholarship. There are scholarships in different categories and even ones for first generation students. Do a search for whatever category you fit into. Set aside time a couple or more days per week to dedicate solely to researching scholarships and grants. It is a lot of work, but you know what you qualify for so it's best done first hand. You will want to apply for as many scholarships as possible to increase your chances of getting some. You would apply and then wait to hear back whether or not you've been granted the scholarship.
I would advise that you visit the Frisco Chamber of Commerce at 6843 Main St. Ask if there are any businesses that may be offering scholarships. Some scholarships may not be posted online, so it pays to cover a lot of ground. Another possible resource for scholarships would be your high school guidance counselor because again, there may be scholarships they know about that are not posted online. Sometimes teachers know about scholarships, too, so ask around your school.
There are really no "tips" for getting selected for financial assistance for college. Make sure you fit the criteria for applying. Your application will go through a screening process and the screeners will select how many students will receive the scholarship. Getting your applications in early may help. Make sure all applications are complete with all questions completed answered and any documentation that is requested. Since it goes through a screening process, it's not easy to say how to get selected. That is up to the donors giving the scholarship.
The top online websites that show scholarship information are : Going Merry, Fastweb, The College Board’s BigFuture, Scholarships, Niche, Bold, ScholarshipOwl, Scholly, RaiseMe, cholarship America, Peterson’s (at Peterson's be aware of possible outdated opportunities), Chegg Scholarships, College Greenlight (this site has first generation student scholarships), Scholarships360, Unigo, Adventures in Education, The University Network, CollegeScholarship, Appily, Tuition Funding Scholarships, BrokeScholar, and ScholarshipPoints. Apply for all that you qualify for.
I hope that this helps and I wish you all the best in all you do !
It's great that you're in your senior year at Lebanon Trail High School and you are exploring financial assistance for college. Many scholarships appear online, but there's also some that do not.
For starters, you should be looking into applying for Federal Student Financial Aid. Visit the college you intend to go to and speak with the financial aid office for detailed information pertinent to that college. Also ask about scholarships that the college offers to its students.
You didn't spell it out, but I have to assume that your intended colleges to apply to are Texas State University and Texas Tech University. You can go to both of their websites and see if the scholarships they offer appear on the website with information about how to apply. You would need to know exactly what college you would be going to in order to apply for scholarships or grants because the donors many need to know that you are enrolled at a college.
Another avenue for scholarships and grants are the numerous scholarship websites for which you can do an online search for. Make notes of the ones you qualify for and make note of the start dates and deadlines for each scholarship. There are scholarships in different categories and even ones for first generation students. Do a search for whatever category you fit into. Set aside time a couple or more days per week to dedicate solely to researching scholarships and grants. It is a lot of work, but you know what you qualify for so it's best done first hand. You will want to apply for as many scholarships as possible to increase your chances of getting some. You would apply and then wait to hear back whether or not you've been granted the scholarship.
I would advise that you visit the Frisco Chamber of Commerce at 6843 Main St. Ask if there are any businesses that may be offering scholarships. Some scholarships may not be posted online, so it pays to cover a lot of ground. Another possible resource for scholarships would be your high school guidance counselor because again, there may be scholarships they know about that are not posted online. Sometimes teachers know about scholarships, too, so ask around your school.
There are really no "tips" for getting selected for financial assistance for college. Make sure you fit the criteria for applying. Your application will go through a screening process and the screeners will select how many students will receive the scholarship. Getting your applications in early may help. Make sure all applications are complete with all questions completed answered and any documentation that is requested. Since it goes through a screening process, it's not easy to say how to get selected. That is up to the donors giving the scholarship.
The top online websites that show scholarship information are : Going Merry, Fastweb, The College Board’s BigFuture, Scholarships, Niche, Bold, ScholarshipOwl, Scholly, RaiseMe, cholarship America, Peterson’s (at Peterson's be aware of possible outdated opportunities), Chegg Scholarships, College Greenlight (this site has first generation student scholarships), Scholarships360, Unigo, Adventures in Education, The University Network, CollegeScholarship, Appily, Tuition Funding Scholarships, BrokeScholar, and ScholarshipPoints. Apply for all that you qualify for.
I hope that this helps and I wish you all the best in all you do !
George Zou, M.S.
Academic Advisor
36
Answers
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Updated
George’s Answer
Hi Alandra,
Great question! I'm so glad you posted here to get some guidance.
Getting selected for scholarships is really about being prepared, telling your story, and applying to as many opportunities as you can. For example, I'd applied to over 500 scholarships and ultimately received 24 scholarships to cover my cost of attendance. One of the best things you can do is apply early, because a lot of scholarships run out of money fast, and students who submit everything sooner often get looked at first. Make sure you share your story clearly, especially that you’re a first-generation student paying for college on your own—scholarship committees really want to help students who show determination and responsibility. Keep your grades steady and show improvement, because effort matters just as much as perfect scores. It also helps to get strong recommendation letters from teachers, counselors, or coaches who know you well and can talk about your character. Don’t only apply to big national scholarships—look at local ones in your community, your high school counseling office, and the scholarship pages for TXST and TTU. First-generation and need-based scholarships are especially helpful for your situation.
When writing essays, you'll want to answer the prompt directly, talk clearly about your goals, explain why you need financial help, and proofread before submitting. Also, fill out the FAFSA as soon as it opens, because that’s how you get grants, loans, and extra aid from your future college. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help—counselors, financial aid offices, and trusted adults can help you stay organized and make sure you don’t miss any opportunities. I will have to say the key to getting many scholarships was I targeted ones that were giving out multiple awards. So for example, if a scholarship gets 500 applicants and they were giving out 10 awards of $1000, you'd have a higher chance of getting one than if they were only giving out 1 or 2 awards of $1,000. Best of luck to you. If there are any other questions, I'd be happy to help.
Great question! I'm so glad you posted here to get some guidance.
Getting selected for scholarships is really about being prepared, telling your story, and applying to as many opportunities as you can. For example, I'd applied to over 500 scholarships and ultimately received 24 scholarships to cover my cost of attendance. One of the best things you can do is apply early, because a lot of scholarships run out of money fast, and students who submit everything sooner often get looked at first. Make sure you share your story clearly, especially that you’re a first-generation student paying for college on your own—scholarship committees really want to help students who show determination and responsibility. Keep your grades steady and show improvement, because effort matters just as much as perfect scores. It also helps to get strong recommendation letters from teachers, counselors, or coaches who know you well and can talk about your character. Don’t only apply to big national scholarships—look at local ones in your community, your high school counseling office, and the scholarship pages for TXST and TTU. First-generation and need-based scholarships are especially helpful for your situation.
When writing essays, you'll want to answer the prompt directly, talk clearly about your goals, explain why you need financial help, and proofread before submitting. Also, fill out the FAFSA as soon as it opens, because that’s how you get grants, loans, and extra aid from your future college. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help—counselors, financial aid offices, and trusted adults can help you stay organized and make sure you don’t miss any opportunities. I will have to say the key to getting many scholarships was I targeted ones that were giving out multiple awards. So for example, if a scholarship gets 500 applicants and they were giving out 10 awards of $1000, you'd have a higher chance of getting one than if they were only giving out 1 or 2 awards of $1,000. Best of luck to you. If there are any other questions, I'd be happy to help.