There are various sources of scholarship money awarded to students each year – probably more than you realize. The trick in finding these opportunities is understanding each type of scholarship and whether you’re eligible for them. While wading through countless resources may seem a daunting task, if you’re serious about finding legitimate ways to fund your college education, the task of learning about various opportunities can be well worth it.
College Scholarships
Many colleges offer monetary awards for their specific college. If you know which schools you’d like to attend, it may be to your benefit to find out whether those schools offer school-specific scholarships as part of your financial aid package. Schools that do offer specific scholarships to students of their college typically include requirements the student must maintain in order to remain eligible for the money.
For example, many colleges require students receiving scholarship money from them to maintain a certain GPA, pursue a defined course of study, or other specific academic requirements. Not every college offers school-specific scholarship awards however, so it’s a good idea to do your research beforehand so you won’t end up disappointed.
Athletic Scholarships
These types of scholarships seem to be less talked about than the majority of monetary awards, but that doesn’t necessarily make them any less viable. It used to be that students who didn’t excel academically, but were amazing when it came to athletics, believed they could fund their college education on an athletic scholarship alone.
These days however, that’s simply not the case. It’s not impossible to receive an athletic scholarship for your hard work on the field, but these scholarship awards are highly competitive. If you excel athletically, it’s a good idea to research the school or schools you’re interested in attending to see if they offer athletic scholarships to promising athletes. You’ll also want to look into the process of applying for an athletic scholarship so you know what’s involved.
Academic Scholarships
These awards are often college-specific as well, and are awarded to outstanding students who excel academically. Because they are merit-based, academic scholarships are also highly competitive. While you may have to apply separately for these types of awards, oftentimes an academic scholarship is included with your financial aid package from the school if you show academic excellence in one field or another.
Different departments of various colleges may also have specific scholarships available to students pursuing a specific course of study within that department. If you already know what you plan to major in, it would be a good idea to contact the school you’re interested in attending and see if they offer scholarships specific to students in your course of study.
Private Organizations
These organizations are not affiliated with any specific school, and awards from these types range from small monetary awards to $20,000 or more depending on the specific organization. These scholarships require a good deal of research to determine whether the opportunity is legitimate, and may have specific requirements for applying.
Various corporations may offer scholarships to students who are interested in pursuing a major within that specific business’ field. These scholarships may be a bit difficult to find, but they are out there. Check with your parents’ employers to see if they offer any sort of scholarship program to prospective students. These scholarships often have less competition, so your chances of obtaining funding this way are greater than they would be otherwise.
Religious groups oftentimes offer scholarships to students who are involved with the church or specific religious organization. If you belong to a religious group, check to see if they offer monetary awards for people interested in attending college. Not every religious organization offers these awards, but you may be surprised at what you discover.
High schools almost always have scholarship opportunities available to students. Check with your guidance counselor and find out which scholarships you may be eligible for. The sooner you begin researching your various scholarship options, the better chances you’ll have of securing funding for at least a portion of your college education.
You may also considering checking with your local Chamber of Commerce for various scholarship opportunities that may be available within your community. They’ll have plenty of information available about the different business’ that may offer scholarships, and will be able to direct you to the appropriate source for your inquiry.
Finally, there are still many other organizations that offer scholarships to students from all walks of life. The “other” category is where you’re apt to find the most opportunities available. Check online at reputable scholarship websites to see if you’re eligible for any, and what requirements these groups may have. You never know what you may find once you start researching your various options.
Of course, the Military is always an excellent option for students who are interested in receiving scholarship money for college. Of course, Military scholarships require students to perform an active tour of duty, and you MUST be willing and able to comply with the requirements in order to receive your scholarship. Most branches will even pay your entire college tuition, depending on which branch you serve and what you’re planning to study.
If serving in the Military coincides with your educational goals, you may want to check out which scholarships are available and the requirements for obtaining one. However, be sure that you’re going to be able to follow through with the requirements, because once you’re in – you’re in.
There are countless ways to help cover the costs of your college education, and various scholarship opportunities await you. All you need to do is put in a bit of time and effort to locate those scholarship opportunities that you’re eligible for, and make sure you comply with the requirements exactly. Applying for college is a daunting task, but if you are serious about furthering your education and need help covering the costs, scholarships are a viable way of earning your degree without having to go broke doing it.
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