Scope of Freshman Scholarships

Feeling a bit stressed about financing college. I was wondering if there are any specific scholarships for incoming freshmen? I'm open to both need-based and merit-based scholarships. Any help would be great!

Absolutely, there are several scholarships out there specifically for incoming freshmen. Scholarships fall into two main categories: institutional scholarships (those offered by the colleges themselves) and external scholarships (those offered by outside organizations).

Many universities offer institutional merit-based scholarships for incoming freshmen based on academic achievement, leadership, and other personal attributes. Some of these scholarships are automatic upon admission, while others require a separate application. For example, Boston University awards a "Trustee Scholarship" that covers full undergraduate tuition plus the University's orientation and mandatory undergraduate student fees for four years.

Regarding need-based scholarships, universities usually require you to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and sometimes the CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service Profile) to determine your family’s expected financial contribution and your need for financial aid. Institutions like Princeton University offer generous need-based aid, meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need.

As for external scholarships, there are numerous ones available to high school seniors. For instance, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program offers scholarships of $20,000 for 150 high school seniors annually, based on leadership, service, and academic achievement. Another example would be the Burger King Scholars Program, which offers scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 for over 35,000 high school seniors with a strong academic record and significant work experience.

One last piece of advice: start researching and applying as soon as possible to maximize your chance of obtaining scholarships -- some have deadlines as early as the fall of your senior year.