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What is the most efficient way to find scholarships that fit you the best
#college #scholarships #help
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Matthew there are countless scholarships out there designed to reward athleticism, a high GPA, or community engagement, but what about all the students who do not fall into these categories? Are they supposed to work through college without financial support? Of course not! Education costs may be climbing, but in the meantime college scholarships seem to be getting ever more weird and wonderful. While usually US scholarships are allocated based on academic merit and/or financial need, there are some much more unusual scholarships out there – based on everything from duck imitation skills to feats of engineering brilliance.
KNOW HOW TO SEARCH – This is your time to shine! Yes, many scholarships focus on funding individuals who exhibit specific talents or academic prowess, or are geared towards students who are in need of funding, but that shouldn’t prevent you from applying for financial backing. For example, it’s not uncommon to see scholarships targeted to recent high school graduates. However, it’s important to note that recent high school graduates only represent about 15% of all college students… “weird” scholarships are great for everyone involved.
APPLY FOR EVERYTHING – Matthew If you meet the basic eligibility requirements, go for it…Even if it’s for a small amount, say $500, and you spend three hours completing the application, you’ll just paid yourself $166/hr for your efforts. Would you rather have a one in a thousand odds or one in a hundred? The fact that there are fewer students applying for these financial opportunities puts you in the unique position to try for scholarship that might not entirely match your interests or experience.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY – Talk to your friends, parents, and parents’ friends to see if they know of any scholarships. There are a lot of companies that offer college scholarships — companies that the people you know work at. So ask around! Some of the best scholarships come from some of the most unexpected places. When I was applying for scholarships, my Father was working at Kaiser — which offered a college scholarship to relatives of Kaiser employees. My brother is a teacher and she knew about a scholarship offered through the California Teachers Union. These are scholarships barely anyone applies to because many high schoolers simply don’t know to ask about them. So when you DO find out about one, you automatically have an advantage over everyone else. If you feel odd about it, know that every person wants to help out a high schooler. They won’t think it’s “weird.” In fact, they’ll find it admirable.
TRY DIFFERENT APPROACH – Write down personal interests, clothing brands, foods, companies, hobbies, talents, or skills and then add the word scholarship to their search. In my 40+ years of higher education experience, I’ve seen some really unique scholarships appear. There are countless scholarships out there designed to reward athleticism, a high GPA, or community engagement, but what about all the students who do not fall into these categories?
WATCH FOR SCAMS – Just because these scholarships are quirky doesn’t mean some of them might be too good to be true, and it’s important to keep your eye out for red flags. If they request any money to start the application it's probably fraudulent. Beware of telephone numbers with a 900 area code. A dishonest operation might put pressure on you by saying that awards are on a first-come, first served basis. Fraudulent operations may also claim endorsements by groups with names similar to well-known private or government organizations. For instance, the Better Business Bureau and government agencies do not endorse businesses.
STAY INTOCH WITH YOUR FINANCIAL AID OFFICE – Matthew if you are applying for unique scholarships you may also be receiving some other forms of financial coverage provided directly through their college. Outside scholarships can affect this funding, so it’s important to stay in touch with your school’s financial aid office. Your school cannot refuse outside resources. They do, however, have to account for scholarships in the student’s total financial aid package. So, if a you bring in several outside scholarships, and their aid exceeds their cost of attendance, you might see a reduction in non-need-based aid like unsubsidized loans.
Matthew check below for a few examples of strange scholarships that have been popular over the last few years.
Debt.com Scholarship for Aggressive Scholarship Applicants • https://www.debt.com/our-story/scholarships
Make Me Laugh Scholarship • https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/make-me-laugh-scholarship
Shout It Out Scholarship • https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/shout-it-out-scholarship
STARFLEET Scholarships • http://sfi.org/Backup/scholarships
National Potato Council Scholarship Program • https://nationalpotatocouncil.org/events-and-programs/scholarship-program
KNOW HOW TO SEARCH – This is your time to shine! Yes, many scholarships focus on funding individuals who exhibit specific talents or academic prowess, or are geared towards students who are in need of funding, but that shouldn’t prevent you from applying for financial backing. For example, it’s not uncommon to see scholarships targeted to recent high school graduates. However, it’s important to note that recent high school graduates only represent about 15% of all college students… “weird” scholarships are great for everyone involved.
APPLY FOR EVERYTHING – Matthew If you meet the basic eligibility requirements, go for it…Even if it’s for a small amount, say $500, and you spend three hours completing the application, you’ll just paid yourself $166/hr for your efforts. Would you rather have a one in a thousand odds or one in a hundred? The fact that there are fewer students applying for these financial opportunities puts you in the unique position to try for scholarship that might not entirely match your interests or experience.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY – Talk to your friends, parents, and parents’ friends to see if they know of any scholarships. There are a lot of companies that offer college scholarships — companies that the people you know work at. So ask around! Some of the best scholarships come from some of the most unexpected places. When I was applying for scholarships, my Father was working at Kaiser — which offered a college scholarship to relatives of Kaiser employees. My brother is a teacher and she knew about a scholarship offered through the California Teachers Union. These are scholarships barely anyone applies to because many high schoolers simply don’t know to ask about them. So when you DO find out about one, you automatically have an advantage over everyone else. If you feel odd about it, know that every person wants to help out a high schooler. They won’t think it’s “weird.” In fact, they’ll find it admirable.
TRY DIFFERENT APPROACH – Write down personal interests, clothing brands, foods, companies, hobbies, talents, or skills and then add the word scholarship to their search. In my 40+ years of higher education experience, I’ve seen some really unique scholarships appear. There are countless scholarships out there designed to reward athleticism, a high GPA, or community engagement, but what about all the students who do not fall into these categories?
WATCH FOR SCAMS – Just because these scholarships are quirky doesn’t mean some of them might be too good to be true, and it’s important to keep your eye out for red flags. If they request any money to start the application it's probably fraudulent. Beware of telephone numbers with a 900 area code. A dishonest operation might put pressure on you by saying that awards are on a first-come, first served basis. Fraudulent operations may also claim endorsements by groups with names similar to well-known private or government organizations. For instance, the Better Business Bureau and government agencies do not endorse businesses.
STAY INTOCH WITH YOUR FINANCIAL AID OFFICE – Matthew if you are applying for unique scholarships you may also be receiving some other forms of financial coverage provided directly through their college. Outside scholarships can affect this funding, so it’s important to stay in touch with your school’s financial aid office. Your school cannot refuse outside resources. They do, however, have to account for scholarships in the student’s total financial aid package. So, if a you bring in several outside scholarships, and their aid exceeds their cost of attendance, you might see a reduction in non-need-based aid like unsubsidized loans.
Matthew check below for a few examples of strange scholarships that have been popular over the last few years.
Doc recommends the following next steps:
Thank You Donald. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Doc Frick
Tasneem, Life is an echo. What you send out comes back. What you sow you reap. What you give you get. What you see in others exists in you. Regardless of who you are or what you do, if you are looking for the best way to reap the most reward in all areas of life, you should look for the good in every person and in every situation and adopt the golden rule as a way of life.
Doc Frick
Updated
Boyd’s Answer
Hi Matthew! as far as scholarships go, if you are already in college, I would partner with your student advisor or the dean or your department to see which major specific scholarships there are available for you. This way there is a smaller group of students applying for the scholarship, plus you are automatically more qualified for it, resulting in a higher chance of you getting the scholarship! Even if it's 500$, every little bit helps along the way.
Updated
Katie’s Answer
Hi Matthew! Great question. I would start by looking online. There are several websites that you can use to get started like fastweb.com and collegeboard.org. You may also want to consider looking into financial aid options, using FAFSA. In addition to online resources, you could also reach out to your high school guidance counselor or the college you plan on attending for more information. Good luck!