Scholarship Advice from a Scholar: Part 1

Scholarships can feel overwhelming, especially when you are an entering freshman and have so much other stuff to do—finals, college applications, etc. Applying for scholarships requires a lot of dedication and organization, but it is definitely worth the work because it can end up saving you tons of money for your college education. But remember that applying for scholarships is always a risk. You may put in a lot of effort to write a really good essay and application, but you might not get chosen or win any money.

Key: Apply for scholarships that you are most likely to win, or that you are very passionate about, and apply for as many as possible.

As a recent graduate who has been through the scholarship mayhem, I put together some tips and advice that I learned based on my personal experience that I think will be most beneficial to all other students currently seeking and applying for scholarships. This will be a 10-part series where I will post 1 piece of advice per day for the next 10 days. If you want to see the entire series at once, click here. I am also open to answering any questions that you might have regarding specific scholarships or the scholarship application process. Just write your question in the comment section below.

Let’s get started!

#1. Use the internet (and books) to your advantage.

There are lots of scholarship resources online that are very helpful if you know where to look. These sites compile many scholarships into an easy to use database and offer helpful advice. One of the sites that I found most helpful was http://www.fastweb.com/. You sign up, enter in some info about yourself and your interests, and it will automatically find scholarships for you that you are eligible for. It is free and regularly updated. I found several scholarships that I didn't know about through this site.

Some other websites to check out:

http://www.scholarships.com/

http://www.collegescholarships.org/

http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/

http://www.collegeboard.com/

http://www.finaid.org/

http://go.salliemae.com/pay_scholarship_search/

http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/

http://www.scholarshiphunter.com/

There are also lots of books available about scholarships and how to pay for school. Check out your local library!

These are some great books for guidance:

-The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2012: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants, and Prizes by Gen & Kelly Tanabe

-Get Free Cash for College: Secrets to Winning Scholarships by Gen & Kelly Tanabe

-How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay by Gen & Kelly Tanabe
-College Board's 2012 Scholarship Handbook

When it comes to scholarships, research is the first place to start. So happy hunting!