How to Get a Scholarship for College

Free Money!

Getting a decent college education is becoming increasingly more difficult every single year. College tuition is increasing at a rate much higher than inflation! So what can the average person do to ensure that they have the funds to secure a decent college education? Millions of dollars in scholarships go unclaimed every year due to the lack of applicants and interest--this article will give you the tools and information you need to snatch those funds up to be put to good use!

Things You'll Need

• Time
• Computer
• Patience
• List of things that are UNIQUE to you.

Instructions

1. 

   Create a list of things that are unique to you, including race, hobbies, college major, etc. If you are an Asian Underwater Basket Weaver that likes to surf and there is a scholarship being offered for that, chances are that you'll be one of a few applying.

2. 

   After creating the list, go online (i.e. google, yahoo, bing) and search for scholarships based on your interests. For example, there are many scholarships based on race (HSF.com [Hispanic], APIASF.org [Asian], Blackexcel.org [Black]) or on interests (Scotiasurfer.com [Surf], MBAA.net [Biking]). Click on one and investigate!

3. 

   Apply for the scholarship and, if necessary, write the required essay. Remember to keep the essay concise, use refined language, and highlight anything that makes you unique (remember the phrase "show, don't tell"--write about an experience that will show your leadership abilities, for example, instead of just saying you are on the student council). Although there are only a small (relatively) number of applicants, you still need to stand out.

4. 

   Some of the scholarships will require an interview for a select few after the application process. Be sure to dress professionally, enunciate, and above all be yourself! Show them that you really do want to continue on to higher education and are a bright student!

5. After you have applied to some of these online scholarships, go to your school counselor. High Schools and colleges are bombarded with hundreds of scholarships by different companies every year, but the lack of interest makes it so that a majority of these go unclaimed!

Tips & Warnings

• Search for those elusive scholarships! There really are hundreds out there--with some patience and dedication, you can find them and find yourself with plenty of money to pay for college.

• Apply to every scholarship you can--even the small ones. Many of the small scholarships begin to add up and you could soon find that those small scholarships paid for your college tuition!

• Be sincere when applying to scholarships. Don't apply to one that you know nothing about or don't qualify for. THEY WILL FIND OUT!

• Be wary of sites that ask for your SSN. Research to see if those sites are legitimate before giving out any information.