Introduction
Scholarships are an excellent way to supplement other types of financial aid, and can often help you avoid student loans. Dr. John Manzella is of the opinion that scholarships are typically awarded based on merit or need, but some are also specific to your major or other criteria. Here is a basic guide to finding a scholarship:
What is a scholarship?
A scholarship is a financial award given to students for exceptional academic achievement. Scholarships can be based on a variety of factors including academic performance, financial need, extracurricular activities and community service.
Scholarships are often merit-based and require you to meet certain criteria or requirements in order to be eligible for them. For example, some scholarships require that you have at least a 3.5 GPA while others may require you to have participated on your high school’s varsity sports team or been involved with other extracurricular activities such as volunteering at local soup kitchens or libraries during high school (or both!).
Types of scholarships
The scholarship you’ll be applying for will determine the type of application you must complete. For example, if you’re applying for a scholarship that’s open only to women, then your application form will ask questions about your gender and other factors related to being female.
The same is true for race-based scholarships and those reserved for students with disabilities: they’ll each have their own unique requirements on top of what’s required by all applicants (like transcripts).
Finding scholarships based on your major
The first step in finding scholarships is to talk to the financial aid office at your school. They may have a list of local and national scholarships that match your major and career goals. If they don’t, consider asking professors or mentors for advice on how you can find these kinds of opportunities on your own.
When searching for scholarships, look for those that match the career path you want for yourself after graduation–this will help ensure that you’re applying only to those awards which make sense for you as an applicant, thus saving time and effort during the application process.
Finding scholarships based on interests and activities
Finding scholarships based on interests and activities is a great way to get started. If you are a member of a club or organization, look for scholarships that require membership. Or if you have an interest in music, try searching for scholarships relating to that area.
Conclusion
There are many types of scholarships and financial aid available, and it can be difficult to sift through all the options. But with a little research and persistence, you can find the right scholarship for your needs! If you’re looking for help finding scholarships, check out our search tool at Scholarships.com.
