High school students everywhere are missing out on so much, but funding for college doesn’t have to be one of them. While stuck at home, why not look for scholarships.
Finding scholarships online takes time and effort. Junior year is a good time to start—although most applications are due the fall of senior year. Starting now will give you a sense of what is required and allow you to note future deadlines. Online websites are a great resource . The most common include:
- Fast web.com
- Cappex.com
- Scholarships.com
- Bigfuture.collegeboard.org
- Chegg.com
- Niche.com
- Petersons.com
You should also check with your local community foundation website. They often have scholarships specific to your town, county or high school. The Lions Club, Kiwanis, Rotary or other service organizations also have local awards. Check their websites or your school counselor may have a list.
Where do your parents or grandparents work? Do they have a foundation or scholarship program? Where do you like to shop? Visit the webpage, look for community relations or charitable giving—if there is a scholarship it will be under that section.
Do you want to go into a certain industry like teaching or nursing? Both have shortages so some states are offering scholarships to encourage enrollment. These can usually be found on the website of the agency that handles financial aid programs for your state or your higher education commission/board of regents/board of education. Search for professional organizations related to your field of interest as their may also be scholarship competitions.
Your church may have scholarships to specific colleges of the same faith/denomination. Check on your home church website but also check your national website.
Follow organizations like Sallie Mae, College Board, get schooled, and ACT for their scholarship announcements.
Having good grades and a strong essay are key to scholarship success. If you want someone to read and provide feedback on your essay, Coffman Consulting is happy to help.
Coffman Consulting 