Scholarships Where to start & what’s out there…

Basic Facts  In general, scholarships are based off of need, athletics, merit, or ethnicity, but there are many unique scholarships that go unclaimed!  In , $105 billion was distributed for financial aid.  The following year the amount grew to $118 billion.  Total scholarship aid per full-time student averages about $10,000.  Institutional aid accounts for 20% of student aid or makes up about 62% of what students receive at private schools or over 25% for students at public schools.

How to Identify Scams  Scams state you have won an award which you didn’t apply for.  Scams do not supply valid contact information.  Scams guarantee you will win an award.  Scams require personal financial information like credit card numbers, or checking account numbers to “hold” or “verify” a scholarship.

What to do if you are scammed  Save all of the forms you receive about the company.  Keep copies of written details about the offer and any correspondence, s, or other paperwork.  Make sure all materials are dated.  Take notes during any seminars or phone conversations. Record the date, time, phone number, and the person’s name with whom you spoke.  Include a detailed account of your conversation.  Take a copy of all literature and correspondence concerning the scholarship to your guidance counselor or Mrs. Pak. They can verify that the foundation is legitimate.  Report suspected scammers to: National Fraud Information Center (NFIC) at or

How to Recognize a real scholarship  A legitimate scholarship sends information about awards when you request it.  A legitimate scholarship makes contact information available upon request.  A legitimate scholarship does not guarantee that you will win an award.  A legitimate scholarship should not direct you to a fee-based provider because they know that financial aid information is readily available for free.

Steps to Applying  First comes the scholarship search, use or (Mrs. Pak also posts scholarships outside the Career Center!)  Next research the scholarship, make sure it is legitimate, check on what the award amount is, when the application is due, and look at the application requirements.  Begin applying for the scholarship, make sure to save your work if done online.  Bring any required essays and/or applications to Mrs. Pak, a guidance counselor, or a teacher for editing or suggestions before submitting it.  Submit your application.  Make a copy of the application and the essays for your records.  Make a list of all the scholarships you have applied for, if you have or have not won, and the amount won.

Scholarship Tips  Aim to apply for one scholarship per week.  Send any mailed applications via priority mail and make sure to get a receipt from the post office for your records.  Have all applications and essay drafts looked over by your parents, teachers, counselors, and/or career centers for editing.  Have all final applications and essays looked over a final time before sending.  Keep a draft of your essays on your computer. Many times one essay can be used for multiple scholarships with a bit of tweaking.  Remember to sell yourself in your essays. What makes you stand out above the crowd?  Apply for all scholarships regardless of the award amount. It is much easier to nickel and dime your way to a full ride than to get a full ride from one scholarship.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask for help, or apply for the “unusual” scholarships, money is money.