Scholarship Tips

With a tense economy and an unpredictable future, many people are looking for alternatives to paying for out of their own pockets. More and more students are applying for scholarships to help relieve the large financial burden. ClassesandCareers.com an online resource to help students and prospective students map out their educational and career goals, offers a few tips to keep in mind when choosing scholarships:

1. Apply early and apply often. Deadlines for scholarships are throughout the year. Many deadlines are in March or October; so it's not a bad idea to plan ahead.
2. Read eligibility requirements carefully. If you have a question about any of the requirements, it's best to contact the scholarship sponsor before spending time on an application.
3. Consider local scholarships. Most students only apply for university or national scholarships. Local businesses are often looking to give out scholarships. These scholarships will be less competitive and often look at things beyond your GPA, like community service, job experience or financial need.
4. Grade point average matters. Your parents are right. Your GPA from your freshmen year through your senior year will be important. Don't be afraid of AP courses to help you boost your GPA.
5. Find a way to stand out. Get involved in extracurricular activities including sports, community service, drama, music, art, or religious groups. Apply for internships that are relevant to your major. The experience will put you above other candidates. It is never too late to do things that will make you a better scholarship applicant.
6. Write a compelling essay. Many scholarships require some sort of written essay along with the application. Use this as an opportunity to make yourself stand out. Have a parent, friend, or teacher critique the essay before submitting.
7. Look for gender, ethnicity, or major-specific scholarships. A lot of scholarship committees are looking for individual types of students. If you want to get into education or medicine, there are many scholarships offered. Also, there are numerous minority and female focused scholarships, so take advantage of them.

Scholarship Criteria

What Do Scholarship Committees Look For?

One of the best ways to afford your college education is by obtaining a scholarship. As such, you should keep in mind the criteria that selection committees evaluate in awarding scholarships.

There are two types of scholarships available - need-based and merit-based. Need-based scholarships are offered based on financial need. Merit-based scholarships, by contrast, are awarded to students who have distinguished themselves in one or more of the following areas:

Academics
Almost every scholarship requires some degree of academic achievement. Scholarship committees want to ensure applicants can cope with the rigors of college life. As such, they will look at a mixture of indicators (usually GPAs and test scores) and remove applicants that fall beneath a certain cutoff point. That being said, while a high GPA is valuable, most committees will also take into account your class schedule and reward you for taking challenging courses.

Leadership
Leadership means that the individual has the motivation, self-determination, and ability to complete projects and lead others. And while leadership can be shown in an assortment of ways, scholarship committees typically focus on extracurricular activities or work experience. Committees tend to look for applicants that can work well with an assortment of people, including teachers, administrators, co-workers, employers, and even various government and civic organizations.

Creativity
Scholarship committees value applicants with personality and creativity. Creativity can be shown through an applicant’s ability to play a musical instrument, sing, or draw. Applicants can also illustrate their creativity through less predictable means such as graphic design auto repair, and computer programming. The key thing is to demonstrate that you are well-rounded and one of a kind.

Physical Fitness
While colleges and universities do award scholarships solely on the basis of physical fitness - usually to exceptional student-athletes - many scholarships have some kind of physical-fitness component. As with creativity, committees are looking for applicants who are well-rounded - and that includes physical fitness. This does not mean you need to be the star varsity athlete; it just means you need to demonstrate a devotion to health and fitness perhaps by jogging regularly, by participating in some kind of intramural sport, or even by riding your bike to work.

Service
Scholarship committees like applicants who have an active interest in others and in the community. That being said, service should not be forced or faked. Committees need to be convinced that service is part of your life, not just a device for getting a scholarship. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you have to join the Peace Corps; you can demonstrate meaningful service simply by volunteering at a retirement center or school fundraiser. The important thing is be truthful and reliable.

Courage & Determination
In addition to successes - academic, creative, physical, or otherwise - committees also value applicants who have demonstrated courage and determination in the face of difficult obstacles. These obstacles can range from physical, mental, or social handicaps to financial problems. The important thing is to explain to scholarship committees what these obstacles were, how you overcame them in order to accomplish your goals, and, most importantly, what you learned about yourself in the process.

Finally, while each of these criteria is important, bear in mind that many scholarships will typically focus only one or two areas, so don’t be discouraged if you are weak in one or more of these areas. Simply identify your strengths and then find the scholarships that favor those strengths. With the number of scholarships available - and they are legion - chances are you will find a scholarship that is perfect for you.