I'm looking into scholarships as a way to pay for college, and I'm curious which ones offer the biggest financial awards. Any tips on scholarships that give substantial amounts of money would be greatly appreciated!
The amount of scholarship money you can receive ranges widely depending on the specific scholarship or award. That said, there are a few notable scholarships that offer particularly large awards:
1. The Gates Scholarship: This highly selective scholarship covers the full cost of college including tuition, fees, room, board, books, and transportation. It's given to 300 top student leaders each year who have significant financial need.
2. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship: This is another highly-competitive scholarship that provides up to $40,000 per year for four years for students attending four-year colleges and universities. It also offers comprehensive educational advising.
3. Coca-Cola Scholars Program: This scholarship offers 150 awards of $20,000 each to high school seniors who demonstrate outstanding leadership, academic excellence, and dedication to their community.
4. HSF Scholarships: The Hispanic Scholarship Fund offers a wide range of scholarships to students of Hispanic heritage. Awards are based on merit and range from $500 to $5,000, depending on the student's financial need.
5. BU Trustee Scholarship: Boston University offers a full-tuition scholarship to 20 outstanding students through its Trustee Scholars Program.
Remember that these are highly competitive scholarships and they require exceptional academic and extracurricular achievements. So, while they offer sizable awards, they are not easy to attain.
Additionally, alongside these, you should consider local scholarships in your area, scholarships from the colleges you're applying to, and scholarships from organizations related to your intended major or career path. Even if the individual awards are smaller, they can quickly add up! It's also important to note that small scholarships attract fewer applicants, so you may have a better chance of winning multiple smaller amounts.
Finally, regularly check scholarship databases like Fastweb, College Board Scholarship Search, or Appily to find both big-ticket scholarships and smaller awards tailored to your specific situation. Good luck!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.