Competing for Free Scholarships From Corporations

Personalize your scholarship applications.

College is expensive but fortunately, there are numerous ways of securing financial assistance. In addition to federal programs that offer grants based upon need and low interest loans, there are thousands of private corporations that award scholarships to students that meet specific criteria. Although some of these scholarships ask that you write an essay or qualify by academic standard, other scholarships require that you meet selective criteria, including but not limited to, your race, your religion, where you live or where your parents work. Apply for every possible scholarship to ensure that you receive sufficient funding.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Find available scholarships to fit your own situation and needs. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce to find corporate scholarships in your community and check out FastWeb online for the largest free scholarship-matching site on the Internet. Register and let FastWeb find all the scholarships that match your goals and accomplishments. (See Resources.)

2. Complete your scholarship application as neatly as possible. When you're competing against other students for a corporate scholarship, professionalism counts. If possible, complete the application on your computer and print it out. Otherwise, use a high-quality ballpoint pen and your best handwriting for a neat look.

3. Follow directions. Nothing will get you kicked out of the competition as quickly as not reading the fine print and completing all of the required steps. If the application calls for a 500-word essay, a 300-word essay may get your application disqualified.

4. State your case early in your application cover letter and avoid repetition. This applies to both online applications and those you send by postal mail. Complete your cover letter offline, in a word-processing program, and re-read it with a critical eye.
   Your opening paragraph should include your reason for applying and the rest of the letter should state your qualifications. Make sure your letter is error-free before pasting it in an online form or before printing and mailing.

5. Follow up with a phone call. Corporate scholarships depend upon a person or a board making a decision as to which students are the most qualified. Make sure they know you are interested in winning the award by contacting members of the board personally. Avoid taking up much of their time, just mention that you hope they received your application and that you are very interested in the award. A couple of minutes is sufficient.

6. Personalize your application. You may design a work record and an experience record that you print for every scholarship application but unless you're filling out an online form that does not allow you to enter anything personal, you should gear your application to each specific corporation. For instance, if you're applying for a Coca-Cola scholarship, include at least one line stating how you've enjoyed their soft drink since you were a small child.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply for as many scholarships as you can. Since the competition for larger financial awards is often highly competitive, you increase your chances of finding assistance by sending out numerous applications to a wide range of corporations. Don't bypass the small awards. Competition for those scholarships is often less competitive and the money adds up when you win several of these scholarships.

Resources

• Register for a free scholarship-matching account at FastWeb.