Potential Magazine College Organizer 2019 | Page 37

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top tips
TOP 10 TIPS
1. START BEFORE SENIOR YEAR: Getting an early
start on the scholarship search better prepares you for
actually applying. Many scholarships are specifically for
high school seniors, so plan your senior year to include
preparing and applying.
2. TALK TO YOUR GUIDANCE COUNSELOR: Local
businesses tell local high schools first about any
scholarships, and your guidance counselors have lists
of local and statewide scholarships.
3. ASK COLLEGE RECRUITERS: Many college
recruiters sit on scholarship boards, so they can
nominate you if they know you. They may also have
some “pull” with departmental scholarships.
4. VISIT THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE: If you already
know which college you’re attending, go to the
financial aid office to look for scholarships. Sometimes
they have applications for local scholarships or
scholarships sponsored by the school.
5. SEARCH THE WEB: There are several scholarship-
specific search engines that make finding them that
easier. While you’ll find more scholarships this way,
there’s also a lot of competition for most of them.
Fastweb.com, Scholarships.com, Cappex.com,
AchieveAlabama.com, and PotentialMagazine.com
are all good resources.
scholarships
FOR FINDING
SCHOLARSHIPS
6. LOOK LOCAL: Credit unions, banks, Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions
Club, your church, your insurance company – many of the
companies and non-profit groups in your area offer scholarships.
7. LOOK BACK: Look at your family tree – any war veterans?
Are you Native American, Greek, or Irish? There are many
heritage scholarships available. It may take some time to pull
records, so start these applications early.
8. LOOK AHEAD: Career-based scholarships are available for
several career paths, such as nursing and teaching. Some federal
programs will forgive student debt – effectively acting like a
retroactive grant – for students who pursue certain careers or
specific types of public service after graduation.
9. USE YOUR PASSIONS & LEADERSHIP: Scholarships aren’t
just for students with a high GPA. Non-academic scholarships
are available based on community service, leadership, extra-
curricular activities, and many other things.
10. DON’T GIVE UP: Finding scholarships can be a long,
time-consuming process, but it is worth it. To win a lot of
scholarships, you have to apply for a lot of scholarships. Many
scholarships require the same material, so recycling essays from
each application can be a huge time-saver. (Unless it's against
the rules of the scholarship!)
IS APPLYING WORTH MY TIME? Alabama’s overall completion rate ranked 31st in the nation, and
Alabama families left approximately $57.5 million in Pell Grant aid on the table to pay for education after high school.
Alabama’s 2018 high school graduates unlocked access to approximately $60.4 million in Pell Grants. Students can
use Pell Grants to pay for a broad range of technical and academic programs after high school. The maximum Pell
Grant is $6,195/year, and they do not have to be repaid.
Over $40 Billion Available
MERIT
$18 B
Merit &
Competitve
College
Scholarships
$3.3 B
Private
$28 B
Pell
Grants
Awarded according to your
high school academic success,
particularly on the ACT/SAT
tests and your GPA. Most uni-
versities use a tiered approach,
with a minimum award of
partial tuition up to possibly
full tuition, room, and board.
As long as you gain acceptance,
apply for the scholarship, and
meet the requirements, you will
be assured of this scholarship.
In other words, everyone who
qualifies receives the award.
www.potentialmagazine.com
COMPETITIVE
Limited in number ,and can have
many applicants. These are not
guaranteed – they are awarded based
on the competency of the applicants.
PRIVATE
Awarded independent of college
selection by individuals, foundations,
corporations, churches, nonprofit
groups, civic societies, veterans
groups, professional groups, service
clubs, unions, chambers of
commerce, associations, and other
organizations.
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