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What are the best ways to find/apply to scholarships?

I'm enrolled fulltime at an online, out-of-state program. I'm a single mother and fulltime as a medical assistant?

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David’s Answer

Hi Destiny! 👋 First, I want to say — balancing full-time work as a medical assistant, full-time online studies, and motherhood is already an incredible achievement. You absolutely deserve financial support, and the good news is there are scholarships designed specifically for students like you. Here's a practical roadmap based on what works best for working parents in online programs:

🔎 1. Start With Scholarships That Match Your Profile
The more specific your situation, the less competition you'll face. Look for scholarships aimed at:

Single mothers (e.g., Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation, Soroptimist Live Your Dream Award, Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship Fund)
Healthcare workers / medical assistants (e.g., AAMA scholarships, Tylenol Future Care Scholarship)
Online / non-traditional students (many schools have specific funds for adult learners)
West Virginia residents (check the WV Higher Education Policy Commission for state-specific aid)
💻 2. Use Trusted Scholarship Search Engines
Create a profile on these free platforms — they'll match you automatically:

Fastweb.com
Scholarships.com
BigFuture by College Board
Bold.org (great for working adults and parents)
Going Merry
CareerOneStop.org (U.S. Department of Labor — excellent for working students)
🏥 3. Don't Forget Workplace & Professional Associations
Ask your employer's HR department about tuition reimbursement or employee scholarships — many healthcare employers offer this.
Join professional associations like the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) — members often get exclusive scholarship access.
🏫 4. Talk to Your School's Financial Aid Office
Even though you're online and out-of-state, your school still has a financial aid office — use it! Ask specifically about:

Institutional scholarships
Emergency grants for parents
Need-based aid (beyond FAFSA)
📄 5. File (or Re-File) Your FAFSA
If you haven't already, fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) — it unlocks Pell Grants, which as a single mom you'll likely qualify for, and many scholarships require it too.

✍️ 6. Apply Smart, Not Just Hard
Apply to many smaller scholarships ($500–$2,000). They're less competitive and add up fast.
Reuse your essays — most scholarships ask similar questions (your goals, challenges, why you deserve it).
Tell your story honestly — being a single working mom pursuing healthcare is powerful. Let that shine.
📅 7. Treat It Like a Part-Time Job
Set aside 2–3 hours per week just for scholarship hunting and applications. Even one hour a day can land you thousands in aid over a semester.

💡 Final Encouragement
Destiny, your story is exactly the kind that scholarship committees want to support — a mother investing in her future while already serving others in healthcare. Don't get discouraged by rejections; every "no" brings you closer to a "yes." Keep applying consistently, and the aid will come.

You've got this! 💪💙

David recommends the following next steps:

Create profiles on Fastweb, Bold.org, and Scholarships.com this week.
File or update your FAFSA at studentaid.gov.
Contact your school's financial aid office to ask about institutional scholarships.
Apply to AAMA and healthcare-specific scholarships for medical assistants.
Dedicate 2–3 hours weekly to apply to small, niche scholarships ($500–$2,000 range).
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