Scholarships for High School Juniors: What Are My Options?

I'm currently a high school junior, and I'm starting to think about college scholarships. Are there any scholarships available for juniors, or is it too early to start applying? Any tips would be appreciated!

Absolutely, there are indeed scholarships that high school juniors can apply for. In fact, starting your scholarship search early can give you an edge as you have more time to get familiar with the application process and can potentially avoid the stress often associated with last-minute applications. Here are a few top scholarships intended specifically for high school juniors:

1. The National Merit Scholarship: This program uses your PSAT scores from your junior year to determine semi-finalists. If you score within the top percentile, you'll get a chance to become a National Merit Scholar which could lead to substantial scholarship money.

2. The Coolidge Scholarship: This scholarship is a full-ride, four-year scholarship that covers a student's tuition, room, board, and expenses at any accredited U.S. college or university. The scholarship is extremely competitive, and high school juniors are eligible to apply.

3. American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest: This contest awards scholarships of up to $25,000 for a prepared speech on some aspect of the U.S. Constitution.

4. United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP): High achieving high school juniors interested in public service could be rewarded with an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., and a $10,000 scholarship.

Additionally, look into scholarships offered by local businesses, community organizations, and foundations. Schools often have information about these local scholarships. Plus, you can use Appily's Scholarship Search tool to find scholarships tailored to your background, interests, and accomplishments.

Lastly, a piece of advice: When applying for scholarships, make sure to stay organized, keep track of all deadlines, and tailor each application to the specific scholarship. Scholarship committees want to see that you've put thought into your application and that you're genuinely interested in what the scholarship stands for.