Let's Talk Scholarships!

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There are SO MANY scholarships available for prospective college students, but finding and applying for them can be intimidating! Many students miss out on great scholarship opportunities because they assume they don't qualify. A common misconception is that scholarships are only awarded to those with high achievements. There are actually many scholarships out there that are aimed towards your own personal interests or hobbies! One of the first steps is to determine what type of scholarship is best suited for you.
Common categories include: 


1. Academic scholarships: these are merit-based scholarships that are typically the most prestigious (and competitive!)

2. Athletic scholarships: there are opportunities for almost every type of physical sport and skill. 

3. Scholarships for minorities

4. Scholarships for specific groups: for example, girls in STEM, international students, etc.
5. Community service: this is a great fit for those who genuinely love to give back to their community and have their experience to show for it! 

If none of these sound appealing to you, remember that there is a scholarship out there for everyone! For example, for the creative fashionistas, there is a Duct Tape Prom Dress Scholarship Contest with a prize of $10,000!  The best way to increase your chances of getting a scholarship is to do your research! Here is what YOU need to know about getting a larger piece of the “free-scholarship-money pie.”

1. Utilize your resources!


There are literally thousands of scholarships available for prospective college students. College has been getting more expensive. Just last year, the national outstanding student debt reached 1.5 TRILLION dollars. There has never been a better time to get FREE money! Here are just a few places to start your scholarship hunt:
Head to the Library! No search for scholarships is complete without a trip to a local library or bookstore. Books like The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2019: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes by Gen and Kelly Tanabe and Scholarships, Grants & Prizes 2018 by Peterson’s can be checked out or bought for roughly $20 and contain information on countless scholarships as well as how to apply for them.

2. Early Bird Gets The Worm

Do you notice our recurring tip?! ;) Start EARLY and plan AHEAD. You don’t have to wait for college application season to start searching for scholarships. You’ll miss a lot of opportunities if you wait till the last minute to apply for your prospective scholarships! Many scholarships require essays, and some may require you to submit your GPA or SAT/ACT scores. Know your deadlines!
The earlier you start, the more scholarships you can apply for. There are many scholarships available to students in grades 9, 10 and 11, not just high school seniors. There are even scholarships for students in grades K-8.

3. Don't Overlook The Little Ones


There are WAY more smaller scholarships ($500-$2000) out there than larger scholarships. Applying for as many small scholarships as you can is oftentimes much more rewarding than just a few larger ones.
The scholarships with the biggest rewards are usually the most competitive. Applying for the smaller ones can increase your chances of winning because there will be fewer applicants!Winning multiple small scholarships can add up to a larger sum than you had expected! Even if you only win a couple hundred, that can cover the costs of textbooks and supplies, which means EXTRA money for you! 
One of our own MeriAlumni was able to receive $120,000 in scholarship dollars this way! 

4. Go Big Or Go Home

Scholarships that require more work, such as multiple essays or projects will have fewer applicants, which means you have less competition!
If you’re already putting in the work to apply for scholarships, you should want to apply for the ones you have a better chance of winning! It might take a little more work, but will be more worth it.  

5. Be Professional

It’s true. Almost all potential employers and even schools may try to google you and see what they find. Try to google your own name and see what comes up! Your social media accounts should have nothing inappropriate or immature. Make sure you are submitting everything using a professional email address.

6. Watch Out for Scams

Do not spend money to get money. If a scholarship wants money, it is likely a scam. There are only a few scholarships that require an application fee. If a scholarship DOES have a fee, do some research to make sure it’s not a scam.

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