Scholarships for Sophomore Year of College?

Do colleges offer scholarships specifically for students in their sophomore year? Planning ahead and curious if there's support available after the freshman year, in case I miss out initially.

Yes, absolutely! Many institutions, organizations, and foundations do offer scholarships specifically tailored for current college students, including sophomores. Some may require that you've declared a major, show exceptional academic performance, or demonstrate financial need. In fact, Some colleges often have separate scholarship funds set aside for current students that are either merit-based or need-based.

You should start with a visit to your college's financial aid office. They can guide you about various scholarships and grants available for sophomores at your school.

Consider also checking with your department of study, as some departments offer scholarships to students who have declared a certain major.

Moreover, plenty of external scholarships are not restricted to incoming freshmen. For instance, The National SMART Grant is available for students in their third and fourth year, or fifth year of certain five-year programs, provided they're pursuing degrees in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, or engineering or in a foreign language determined critical to national security.

Just recall that these scholarships still require effort in terms of applications, essays and sometimes interviews. So, plan ahead, and start early, mark the deadlines on your calendar to ensure you don't miss out. Applying to scholarships is an ongoing process throughout college, not just confined to your freshman year.