I live near Lancaster, PA, and I'm searching for any scholarships that might be available for college students here. Does anyone have recommendations on where to look or what scholarships to consider?
It's certainly wise to investigate all available scholarship options. When looking at scholarships, you should consider a few different categories:
Local Scholarships: These are opportunities based specifically in your community or state. For Lancaster, PA, a couple that come to mind include the Marie W. Kettering Foundation Scholarship or the William J. and Lucille A. Stephan Scholarship, both administered through the Lancaster County Community Foundation. It's worth searching the foundation's website to see what opportunities they have currently.
State Scholarships: The state of Pennsylvania has a number of scholarships available to its residents. For instance, the Philadelphia Foundation and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) provide a range of scholarships and grants for Pennsylvania students.
Institutional Scholarships: Don't forget about the scholarships offered directly by the school you'll be attending. Many colleges and universities offer merit-based and need-based aid. Often, these are automatically considered as part of your application, but it doesn't hurt to investigate if there are any separate applications required for particular scholarships.
National Scholarships: There are also a lot of country-wide scholarship opportunities available. Some of these include the Coca Cola Scholars Program, Dell Scholars Program, and the Burger King Scholars program. Some of these scholarships are based on academic merit, some on financial need, and others on special talents, so there's a wide range of opportunities.
Don't forget to use scholarship search platforms like Fastweb, Scholarship.com, or Appily to help locate and organize different types of scholarships.
Just remember to start early and apply to as many as possible - scholarships can be competitive, and the more you apply to, the greater your chances. Good luck!
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