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Searching for Scholarships

by Clint Page

Brought to you by the American School Counselor Association

Sizing Up Scholarships
Where do you begin finding scholarship money? Without a doubt, the biggest innovation to the scholarship search is the Internet! Over the summer, begin your quest for scholarships by spending time surfing the Web and visiting your local library.

There are four major sources of scholarships:

  1. The federal government
  2. Your state government
  3. Post-secondary institutions themselves (endowments, etc.)
  4. Private sources (businesses, service clubs, fraternal, and religious organizations)

Keep your eyes and ears open and apply for every scholarship for which you are eligible. Most scholarships fall under one of the two categories:

1. Need-based scholarships are based on family income, savings, assets, and so on. Approximately 90 percent of scholarships are need-based).

2. Non-need or merit-based scholarships are granted based on academics, musical talent, athletic ability, community service, etc. Regardless of family income, only about 10 percent of scholarships are non-need based).

Finding Scholarships

  • Apply for all scholarships for which you meet the eligibility requirements. While you may not get a particular scholarship that you do apply for,you'll never get a scholarship that you don't apply for!
  • Pay careful attention to deadlines. Applying late will usually eliminate you from consideration.
  • Be aggressive in your scholarship search. Spend time on the Internet and keep your eyes and ears open for scholarships everywhere.
  • Visit your high-school guidance office regularly to check on new scholarship opportunities.
  • Every little bit helps, so apply for small grants too! Take it from a parent with two kids in college -- you can always put $100 toward the cost of books or other incidentals.
  • Remember: What your family considers "need" and what the government considers "need" are usually not the same.

    Best Websites
    The following websites will give you great information and related links on loans, college searches, and test preparation.
    While I can't promise you scholarship money, I can guarantee that if you spend time visiting these sites, you'll be ahead of the game.

  • FAFSA: Completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is usually where the financial-aid process begins. Developed by the U.S. Department of Education, this site is a "must visit" for parents and students alike. In addition to the wealth of information here, this site also allows you to file the FAFSA form electronically, online.
    FastWeb.com: There are dozens of sites with exhaustive scholarship searches, but this one's the largest, most accurate, and most frequently updated. The site requires that you give some facts and figures; however, the results are usually worth the time and effort. Additionally, you'll receive email announcing new scholarships as they become available.
    FinAid.org: In addition to good general information on numerous scholarships, this website features a link to scholarship scams tha tyou should avoid, as well an "ask the aid advisor" link. You can subscribe to a free, online financial-aid newsletter (highly recommended).
    CollegeQuest.com: This site is a helpful collaborative effort between Peterson's and the National Association of School Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).

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