Best Ways to Secure College Scholarships

I'm researching how to get scholarships for college and feeling a bit overwhelmed. What are the best strategies to increase my chances? I'm especially curious about advice or resources that worked for others.

It's completely normal to feel overwhelmed when navigating the world of scholarships—it can be a lot! The first step you might consider is to create a scholarship strategy.

Start by prioritizing completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as soon as possible. This data calculates your Student Aid Index (SAI), helping schools award need-based scholarships and grants. Schools also often use this information to disburse their own scholarship funds.

Make a dedicated effort towards applying to smaller, local scholarships as they tend to be less competitive. Reach out to your guidance counselor or school's career center to see if they know of any local scholarships that might not be advertised nationally. They can be a great resource for these types of scholarships.

Use scholarship search engines, such as Appily the new name for Cappex, or College Board's Scholarship Search. They can help you find programs that align with your achievements, interests, and unique characteristics.

Another tip is to think about your "spike," or an area of passionate interest - high academic achievers, gifted athletes, talented musicians/artists, proficient multilingual students, and students with significant community service and leadership experience are often specifically targeted for scholarships. Consider your unique skills, traits, and experiences to identify scholarships that may be specifically tailored to you.

Don’t forget to apply early and apply often. Some scholarships are offered on a rolling basis, or have more than one award per year. Prioritize the scholarships with the earliest deadlines to increase your chances of winning.

Lastly, practicing good scholarship application hygiene can increase your chances. Make sure to follow all the instructions to the letter and be aware of the deadlines. Have someone else read over your application to catch any mistakes you might have missed and to ensure it's presented well.

Just remember, applying for scholarships is a numbers game, and it's okay to not win every one. Keep trying and don't get discouraged—every scholarship you win is one less you have to pay out of pocket or borrow! Good luck!