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How do students better qualify for scholarships and how can they improve their chance of recieving them, especially one geared towards their STEM major?

I would like to know some tips on increasing my chances of receiving scholarships towards my future major. #college #financial-aid #scholarships

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Thank you comment icon I have been applying to many scholarships! I know that some of them focus on financial need while also looking at test scores and determining what type of person you are. Although I am not sure, all I can say is try your best to apply to as many scholarships as you can! Tiffany
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Meighan’s Answer

Make sure your interests clearly align with your goal of majoring in a STEM field. This will make you more competitive for scholarships and to the colleges you apply to.

Some steps you can take in high school:

-Take as many STEM electives as you can. Go above and beyond the minimum science and math requirements to graduate and max out your school's offerings.
-Take the highest level of each core STEM course you can. For example, if you need to take Algebra II, take it at the Honors or accerlated level if possible based on your school's offering. Take additional STEM classes at your local Community College if you can.
-Make sure your extracurricular activities show you are committed to STEM. Consider joining your school's robotics team, DECA, or Math Club. Pursue summer job, volunteer, or internship opportunities in STEM fields such as interning or researching for a STEM company or simply tutoring other students in STEM courses.
-Make strong and genuine connections with your STEM teachers. This will help you when you need to ask for letters of recommendation which may be required for certain scholarship applications.

The work you do in and after school is just as important as the work you do on the actual scholarship applications! Good luck!
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Lindsey’s Answer

Great question Giancarla. I'm sorry no one's answered it yet! In the meantime, I thought I'd share a few links to other relevant Q&A on CareerVillage.org that should be super helpful for you to read through. I also wanted to chime in with my two cents:)


Take a look at the "next steps" section below for a list of sites you should create accounts on if you haven't already. Tips:

  1. Dedicate a minimum of 1 hour a day for a few weeks to applying for scholarships and it'll go a long way.
  2. Be thoughtful about your entries, just doing the bare minimum isn't going to land you any scholarships. It's better to spend more time on each entry to ensure it's well thought out than to rush through to try to enter a bunch. Quality over quantity!!
  3. I recommend writing one STELLAR essay. Chances are you'll use it for every scholarship application (potentially only having to make minor edits dependent on what the prompt is). Tell a story that clearly represents who you are and what's important to you. The goal of the essay should be to let the reader in to your life. If you can do that in a genuine and meaningful way you'll be considered, I promise! A couple of ideas: Write about the hardest thing you've had to go through in your life or what makes you so passionate about something. Be sure to include lessons you've learned and what you hope to do with that knowledge/experience later in life.
  4. Spend more time finding scholarships that directly pertain to YOU so it cuts down the competition. Look for scholarships in your local community, or that are just for young women, for example. Know what career path you want to pursue? There are probably dozens of scholarship opportunities that are only for students aspiring to follow a specific career path (e.g. STEM, entertainment, sports, design, etc. etc.)


Relevant Q&A on CareerVillage.org you should read:

What financial support can I find to help me pay for college?

How to stand out when applying for scholarships?

What are the chances of winning scholarships?

Lindsey recommends the following next steps:

Create an account on Cappex and Niche.com
Look for scholarships from bigger companies like Coca-Cola and Taco Bell. Oftentimes they won't list on bigger sites and therefore less youth apply.
Know what school you're attending? Talk to students who go there to see if they have any insights on how to pay for school/what grants or scholarships to apply for.
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