As a student entering my third year in college, I'm looking for scholarships that specifically cater to upperclassmen. Does anyone have recommendations on where to start or how such scholarships differ from those for freshmen?
Finding scholarships for upperclassmen can feel like a tougher journey compared just to freshman year, but they are certainly out there. Here are ways you could potentially find those scholarships:
(1) Your College's Financial Aid Office: Pay a visit or send an email to your school's Financial Aid Office. They often have a list of scholarships available for current students, and this information may not always be immediately visible on their website. They could certainly inform you about any internal scholarships which might be digital to upper-level students.
(2) Your Major Department: Depending on your college, the department of your major (or minor) may have scholarships available to students who have declared that major. These are typically exclusive to juniors and seniors, as first-year and sophomore students often haven't declared a major yet.
(3) Professional Organizations: If you're part of any professional organizations related to your field of study, they may have scholarships available to college students. These are often less well known, so they can have fewer applicants than larger public scholarships, making them slightly easier to get.
(4) Online Scholarship Platforms: Appily, Fastweb, and Scholarships.com, might come up with a few targeted results if you enter your education level correctly. They do have scholarships targeted at different year levels.
Remember, scholarships for upperclassmen may have different requirements and judging criteria compared to those for first-year students. They might be more focused on your performance in college, your major, and your career goals, whereas scholarships for incoming freshman often look largely at high school accomplishments and potential.
Be sure to tailor your application to clearly meet the scholarship criteria. And keep in mind that even though these scholarships might not be as abundant, they also tend to be less popular, so don't be disheartened by the lower number of scholarships. You might find less competition.
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