2. Stay on top of your grades
Scholarships are generally based on merit, meaning your grades are a huge factor in whether or not you get accepted. Many have a minimum GPA of around 3.0 or higher, but you likely won’t qualify if you just meet the cutoff. If you’re struggling with a class, consider going to tutoring or asking your teacher for help. And complete as many extra credit assignments as possible for bonus points.
3. Volunteer in your community
Many scholarship programs list community involvement as a requirement — or at least list it as a quality of an ideal candidate. Find work that lines up with your interests. For example, if you’re an athlete, consider coaching or giving free lessons to kids at a community center. If you’re into fashion, consider working at a local charity thrift store.
And start early — the longer the commitment, the more serious you’ll appear to the scholarship committee.
4. Apply to as many as you can
At the end of the day, the selection process for scholarships is highly subjective. Even the most qualified applicants get rejected from scholarship programs sometimes. Instead of focusing on a few large scholarships, applying to as many as you’re qualified for can increase your odds of getting funds.
5. Consider scholarships of all sizes
Large scholarships might make the biggest dent in your cost of attendance. But they’re also often the most competitive. Don’t write off those smaller $1,000 awards. Not as many people are applying for them, and they can add up.
6. Look locally
Local scholarship funds typically have a smaller pool of applicants and can be a great way to increase your chances of winning an award. Ask your high school guidance counselor or college adviser about which local programs you might qualify for. If you’re already in college, set up an appointment with the financial aid office to learn about other opportunities available to you.
7. Answer all questions — even the optional ones
It might be tempting to skip over the questions you don’t have to answer on an application — especially if you’re applying to multiple scholarship programs. But answering all questions can make your application stand out from the others and shows your commitment to thoroughness.
Explanation:
2. Stay on top of your grades
Scholarships are generally based on merit, meaning your grades are a huge factor in whether or not you get accepted. Many have a minimum GPA of around 3.0 or higher, but you likely won’t qualify if you just meet the cutoff. If you’re struggling with a class, consider going to tutoring or asking your teacher for help. And complete as many extra credit assignments as possible for bonus points.
3. Volunteer in your community
Many scholarship programs list community involvement as a requirement — or at least list it as a quality of an ideal candidate. Find work that lines up with your interests. For example, if you’re an athlete, consider coaching or giving free lessons to kids at a community center. If you’re into fashion, consider working at a local charity thrift store.
And start early — the longer the commitment, the more serious you’ll appear to the scholarship committee.
4. Apply to as many as you can
At the end of the day, the selection process for scholarships is highly subjective. Even the most qualified applicants get rejected from scholarship programs sometimes. Instead of focusing on a few large scholarships, applying to as many as you’re qualified for can increase your odds of getting funds.
5. Consider scholarships of all sizes
Large scholarships might make the biggest dent in your cost of attendance. But they’re also often the most competitive. Don’t write off those smaller $1,000 awards. Not as many people are applying for them, and they can add up.
6. Look locally
Local scholarship funds typically have a smaller pool of applicants and can be a great way to increase your chances of winning an award. Ask your high school guidance counselor or college adviser about which local programs you might qualify for. If you’re already in college, set up an appointment with the financial aid office to learn about other opportunities available to you.
7. Answer all questions — even the optional ones
It might be tempting to skip over the questions you don’t have to answer on an application — especially if you’re applying to multiple scholarship programs. But answering all questions can make your application stand out from the others and shows your commitment to thoroughness.
