Best How To Apply For Scholarships For College Guide

There are thousands of scholarship opportunities and finding which ones are the best fit for you can be challenging. This article outlines a framework for you to follow so you can know how to apply for scholarships for college.

1. Begin Your Search

The internet is here for you to use. It is your greatest asset.

Take advantage of being able to scour the web for scholarship opportunities from the comfort of your bed. You could be earning thousands of dollars while in your pajamas.

So where do you start?

Well, online of course. You can simply start by searching on google for scholarships and applying certain keywords that are representative of you. Or you can use scholarship search engines and websites to help you search. My personal preference is jlvcollegecounseling.com.

I have applied for many scholarships found on this site and a number of them I was fortunate enough to receive. Of course, do your own due diligence before sending your information to these sites.

You can also search your university’s website. Most schools have an Office of Fellowships and Scholarships or something along those lines. Go to that particular page and see what you can find.

At the least, you can go to your university’s Office of Financial Aid page and see what they have to offer. Often, these pages list several opportunities as well as links to even more pages for you to search through.

2. Seek Help From Counselors And Others

Also remember, to reach out to your counselors if you have them, especially if you are in high school. Ask them how to apply for scholarships for college.

A counselor can often give you info on local opportunities that you might not be able to find online. They are also just a good point of information when it comes to figuring out how to apply for scholarships altogether.

Lastly, check out the websites of local organizations in your area. They might be offering scholarships to local students and the likelihood of you having a lot of competition for these is usually less when compared to scholarships easily found online.

And remember to continuously think about your background, career interests, major, and organizations you are affiliated with as you search. These are great ways to filter out those scholarships that are not a good fit for you.

Read More: Asking These 7 Questions Saved Me Thousands In College

3. Compile the requirements for each scholarship

This step is arguably the hardest, depending on how easy you can receive this information. Almost all scholarships require a transcript as a part of the application and getting them can be a long-drawn-out process depending on how your school has the process set up.

So, go ahead and request more than one. I always requested eight transcripts at the end of each semester so that over breaks I could more easily apply for scholarships.

Letters of Recommendation are key and can definitely be the secret sauce to applications. If you are applying for a scholarship that requires recommendations be sure to read what the scholarship committee is looking for in the recommendation. DO NOT just use the same letter of recommendation for every scholarship before determining if it applies to what you are applying for.

One of the worst things you can do is send in a letter of recommendation that should be coming from a professor or teacher but instead comes from your summer camp counselor that is not a teacher (no shade to camp counselors).

Be intentional with who you ask to write your recommendation and give them enough advance notice so they don’t feel rushed. However, be prepared to constantly remind them about the deadline.

One tip I have for the letters of recommendation is to always give the recommender a deadline that is a week earlier than the actual deadline. This gives you breathing room so if they completely forget to write it you are not screwed.

Next, is your resume. Simply put tailor your resume to the scholarship. Try and use the verbiage that the scholarship uses. If you are not sure what you must have on your resume read this article linked below. It details the 6 must-haves that you need.

Read More: 6 Resume Must-Haves To Get Any Interview

4. Writing the Essay

Before you start writing the essay, assuming you are using a computer, copy and paste the prompt at the top of your document. Refer to it often as you brainstorm. Refer to the prompt as you develop your outline. Above all, refer to the prompt as you develop your paper.

Once you have your first edit complete, be sure to proofread it. Get the paper peer-reviewed by someone you trust. Some universities have academic resource centers where you can go and get your papers reviewed by English teaching assistants or even professors.

Keep editing and getting it reviewed until you feel you have a compelling and on-topic essay. Oh, and be sure to make sure that you are following all word count and other requirements.

Some scholarships require essays to be written in a certain size or with certain margins. You don’t want to be disqualified because you didn’t follow their instructions correctly. So, don’t give them any reason to trash your application. Follow their requirements.

5. Double Checking All of Your Information

This step is simple enough. Double-check everything to make sure that it is accurate, complete, and meets the requirements of the scholarship application rules.

Don’t take this step lightly. If you don’t double check, you do not know how to apply for scholarships for college. You could easily get your application dismissed just because you didn’t correctly follow instructions or left out a needed piece of information.

6. Submitting The Application

Lastly, is to submit the application! You have worked hard! Go ahead and submit your work and take a celebratory walk or whatever works for you. Remember though, that these scholarships often have a return window of eight weeks or more so don’t expect to hear back right away. In the meantime, continue to apply for more scholarships!

What are your thoughts? Let me know your tips on how to apply for scholarships for college!

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Best of luck adulting!

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