7
By Family Features
College is a significant investment
and millions of families each
year face the question of how
to pay for it. One way students can
position themselves for success is by
seeking out various forms of financial
assistance.
Earning scholarships can be one way
to offset the financial burden, but winning
a scholarship can sometimes be as
competitive as gaining admission to the
college of your choice.
While most scholarships don’t entirely
cover college tuition, they can be
useful tools to help cover educational
expenses, such as room and board,
tuition and books.
Some scholarships can be earned by
meeting or exceeding certain standards,
such as academic performance,
while other scholarships are based on
financial need or personal interests of
the applicant.
There’s also a wealth of opportunities
that support students in specific areas,
whether it be from companies, professional
organizations or foundations.
For example, the America’s
Farmers Grow Ag Leaders program
offers industry-specific scholarships
each year for those looking to study
agriculture-related fields.
While your academic performance,
character and extracurricular resume all
play a part, knowing where to look for
scholarships can make all the difference
when it comes time to pay for your
education.
These tips can help you identify and
apply for scholarships that match your
interests and credentials.
Complete the FAFSA
Completing the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) might
be required to apply for a number of
scholarships, particularly scholarships
offered by most colleges and universities
based on need.
It is also required for other forms
of financial aid, such as subsidized or
unsubsidized loans.
While you can begin filling out the
FAFSA on Oct. 1 of the year prior to
needing aid, many need-based scholarships
give priority to students who
complete the FAFSA by their state’s
application deadline.
It is important to note that some
colleges and universities have earlier
deadlines.
Talk to your counselor
Colleges or universities and scholarship
providers often supply information
about their award offerings and applications
to high school counselors.
Many institutions also offer specific
awards by major for both new and
returning students for which you can
apply through the school’s financial aid
office.
These resources, as well as newsletters
and bulletin boards outside of
these offices, can help you identify
scholarships for which you might be
eligible to apply.
Apply for scholarships
in your field of interest
Many job sectors have scholarship
opportunities available through related
clubs, organizations, small businesses
and other benefactors.
For example, the America’s Farmers
Grow Ag Leaders program, sponsored
by the Monsanto Fund in conjunction
with the FFA, provides $1,500 scholarships
to students endorsed by local
farmers for continuing their education
at two- or four-year universities and
trade schools in agriculture-related
fields of study.
This year, the program will award
more than $500,000 in scholarships
to students in fields such as mathematics,
computer science, business,
communications, engineering, farming,
agronomy, education and more.
Students can learn more about the
scholarship program by visiting
GrowAgLeaders.com.
Don’t overlook smaller
award amounts
When it comes to paying for your
education, every scholarship you receive
— even those that come with smaller,
one-time award amounts — can help
defray the costs beyond tuition for
books, supplies and living expenses.
Many times, scholarships with
smaller award amounts have fewer
additional requirements that must be
satisfied outside of materials traditionally
required for submission, such as
transcripts, letters of reference and an
application.
Look for essay
applications
Students are often more likely to
forgo applying to scholarships that
require essays, videos or additional
assets that promote their accomplishments
outside of submitting an
application and a copy of their
transcripts.
This typically leads to a smaller
candidate pool.
Due to the added requirements,
these scholarships can oftentimes
come with larger monetary values,
as well.
Use a scholarship
search engine
While a simple search for “college
scholarships” on any search engine is
likely to elicit plenty of options, there
are sites available that are dedicated to
helping students identify college
scholarship opportunities.
While paid options exist, there are
also several free sites, such as
Scholarships.com, Fastweb and
Scholarship America, that can provide
local, regional and national options
based on the information you provide.
Other, more industry-specific
websites, such as FFA.org, can provide
scholarship opportunities that pertain
to a certain field of interest