Applying for Undergraduate Scholarships
Scholarships are an ideal way to pay for college. Certain requirements and qualifications are needed to attain most scholarships. The scholarships do not have to be paid back. For the work that you put into applying for the scholarships, the outcome can be greater than you realize. It's free money for your college education.
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Instructions
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Finding the Scholarship
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Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. This is the most important step in applying for scholarships. There are many steps when filling out your FAFSA, but it's worth it in the end. You will receive a Student Aid Report, or SAR, from the college that you are attending. This SAR will tell you the type of financial aid you can receive through the college itself.
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Check with your community. It is easier to win a scholarship through a local organization than it is to win a nationwide scholarship. To find these scholarships, go to your local library and ask them for a list of available scholarships.
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Go online. This is the best resource that you can have. With web sites such as FastWeb, you can insert information about yourself and scholarships will be matched to you. These types of web sites are also good at providing advice and other information to college students.
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Look at the college you are attending. Some colleges have scholarships available beyond the FAFSA. These scholarships must be applied for separately. Sometimes, these can be significantly more than you expect and focus more on your area of study.
Application Process
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Read through the scholarship details. Don't skip the fine print. All of the information is necessary. Before you decide to work on that scholarship application, know that you meet all of the requirements and can continue to meet the requirements if it is a renewable scholarship.
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Create a spreadsheet or database that holds the most important information about the scholarships you are applying for. Information can include scholarship name, organization, contact information, deadlines and type of scholarships. By doing this, you can keep track of what you've done and what you have to do.
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Write the essays. There will be many kinds of essays that you have to submit. It is a good idea to start writing early, not at the last minute. Give yourself time to revise your essays. If you can get someone else to read it as well, you can get more insight.
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Fill out the application. Most scholarships require an application. Many people fill out the application either when they first begin the process or right before it is submitted. Choose the method that works for you. If you alternate, it is likely that you will forget to fill out the application.
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Submit your scholarship application at least one week before the due date. This will ensure it's not late, giving you a sense of ease. Submitting your application electronically is the easiest way to get it done, but some scholarships allow for hard copies to be sent.
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Tips & Warnings
Double-check everything before submitting your scholarship application. Mistakes are easy to overlook the first time.
You will not get every scholarship you apply for. Instead, apply for as many scholarships you can. The more you apply for, the more money you may get.
