Are scholarships available for regular decision applicants?

I'm applying to a few colleges regular decision and wondering if there are still scholarship opportunities available for RD applicants. Is it harder to get scholarships if you apply regular decision compared to early decision or early action?

Indeed, scholarships are available for regular decision applicants. Many colleges and universities offer scholarships that regular decision applicants can apply for, just like their early action and early decision counterparts. These scholarships can be based on a variety of factors, including academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, leadership roles, or community service.

The competition for scholarships can be more challenging due to the higher number of applicants in the regular decision pool. However, this should not deter you from applying, as the financial aid offices at many colleges are committed to ensuring that all admitted students can afford to attend, regardless of when they submit their application.

Remember, though, institutional scholarships are just one part of the picture. There are also a multitude of external scholarships offered by private organizations, businesses, and foundations that are open to high school students, regardless of their college application timeline. Places like Appily can be great resources for finding these external scholarships.

Lastly, don't forget about need-based financial aid. Universities use tools like the FAFSA to determine a family's financial need and award financial aid packages accordingly. This is usually independent of whether you apply early action, early decision, or regular decision. Don't forget to fill these forms out!

In summary, while the competition might be tougher, there are definitely scholarship opportunities for regular decision applicants. Be thorough in your research, and make sure to apply for any scholarships for which you qualify. Good luck!