Scholarships

College Scholarships Mean Free Money!

Scholarship programs are like having a rich uncle who likes to write checks. They are sources for free money that can be yours for the taking - if you just put in a little time. The best part about college scholarships is that they don't have to be paid back. And because so many college scholarships go unclaimed each year, there might be one out there waiting just for you.

Because college scholarship awards are frequently deducted from financial aid packages, they may not be the best bet for those with substantial financial need. For others, especially students who don't qualify for federal grants like the Pell Grant or subsidized student loans like the subsidized Stafford loan or Perkins Loan, scholarships can be especially useful. They can help make up the difference between what college will cost and what you and your parents can actually afford to pay.

It's true that most students aren't fortunate enough to get a 'full ride' university scholarship. You know the ones that are reserved for highly gifted athletes and class valedictorians with perfect SAT scores… But don't despair because there are plenty of private scholarship programs offered through high schools, corporations, cities and towns, churches and ethnic groups to go around. Your key to finding a piece of the college scholarship pie is to create a search plan. It's easy to get started. All you really need is a notebook, a pen, internet access and a phone.

Your first step is to make a 'scholarship hit list' - a list of all of the places you can check for scholarship programs. Your list will be unique, but some of the places to check include:

• The colleges you would like to attend
• Your high school guidance counselor
• Your city or town
• Your parents' companies
• Your after school job
• Your church
• Ethnic or religious groups
• Your extracurricular activities
• Clubs or social organizations you belong to
• Clubs or social organizations your parents and grandparents belong to
• Local non-profit organizations

Once you have prepared your hit list, show it to your guidance counselor and your parents. They may have additional avenues for you to pursue. When finalized, use your hit list to search the internet. You can use your favorite search engine in conjunction with your hit list to search for scholarships. There are even online scholarship finders out there for you to try. But you need not spend your money on a paid scholarship search service. These firms typically deliver what you can find out on your own for free.

When you find college scholarships that you're interested in applying for, take the time to do so. There are students who have completely financed their college careers by adding a little scholarship here to a medium-sized scholarship there and so on. What you'll find is that some are easy to apply for, while others ask you to submit an essay describing yourself and detailing the reasons why you deserve the scholarship. This is not the time to be shy. Just be yourself and open up in these essays. The scholarship committees are looking for interesting individuals with interesting stories to tell. Of course it can only help if you have an interesting story to tell about yourself in the context of their organization or service.

College scholarships are out there waiting for you to find them. So take the time to look for yours. You can't beat free money! But if you still find you're coming up short to foot the college bill, look into getting a grant or a student loan. There are many options to help you realize your college dream. And Student Finance Domain can help you find one best suited for you.