College is a big investment in your future, but it can be expensive. While you can take out loans for school, there are opportunities to save money with scholarships that help offset the costs of tuition, books, room and board, and more.
Most people are aware of athletic and academic scholarships awarded to high school students, but there’s so much more than that. Here’s everything you need to know about the types of scholarships, their criteria, and how to present the best possible scholarship application.
What Are Scholarships?
A scholarship is a financial award given to a student based on criteria that demonstrates merit or need. Scholarships offer financial help for school and are awarded based on specific criteria. The grantor of scholarships typically defines how the money should be applied, but they’re often used for tuition, books, room and board, or other educational expenses.
What Types of Scholarships Are There?
It’s important to understand the different types of scholarships to select the best ones for your needs, but most scholarships focus on academic results.
Here are the different types of scholarships:
Merit-Based Scholarships
This is the best-known type of scholarship. It’s awarded to students for achievements in academia or related fields, such as art or athletic achievements, and aims to recognize a student’s work and dedication.
Merit-based scholarships come in several categories:
- Academic results: These scholarships are for superior academic performance and often have requirements for GPA, standardized test scores, and courses.
Research achievements: These scholarships are for students who have excelled in conducting research leading to new findings or innovations and often require original research projects and recommendations from industry professionals.
Artistic achievements: These scholarships recognize students who have demonstrated exceptional talent in the arts. The criteria often include a portfolio, participation in exhibitions or competitions, and recommendations from mentors or professionals.
Athletic achievements: These scholarships recognize students who excel in sports and often require outstanding performance in sports on a national or international level.
Need-based: These scholarships help students with low income access higher education. They require verified low income and secondary selection criteria, such as merit or athletic achievement.
Underrepresented groups: These scholarships are aimed at underrepresented groups to empower people from marginalized backgrounds, such as racial minorities, women in STEM, LGBTQ+ community, students with disabilities, and first-generation students.
Special focus: Scholarships can be offered with a special focus, such as scholarships for national and regional students, scholarships for specific subjects, and scholarships for academic programs.
Specific institutions: Scholarships may be awarded by the college or university, the government, religious organizations, labor unions, sports organizations, or community groups. These scholarships typically have strict requirements for academic achievement and other criteria.
No matter the type of scholarship or the award offered, scholarships may pay some or all of the tuition and educational expenses. Here are some of the types of funding for scholarships:
Full scholarships that cover the entire tuition fee.
Partial scholarships that have a fixed amount or percentage of the total cost of tuition.
Renewable scholarships that are awarded yearly if the student maintains their academic standards.
One-time grants that offer a single grant for a specific academic year or semester.
Though scholarships are a focus for high school students, they’re not limited to just high school students. Scholarships may be available to current students, graduate students, adult learners returning to school, and more.
Tips for Applying for Scholarships
Ready to apply? Here are some tips for success:
Pay Attention to Application Deadlines
Use a calendar or planner to track your scholarship application deadlines, then make a schedule to complete your applications as early as possible. Missing a deadline, even by a day, can void your application.
Start Early
Give yourself plenty of time to complete your applications. Incomplete applications probably won’t be accepted. You don’t want to rush, either, and not put your best effort out there.
Don’t Miss Out on Smaller Scholarships
Larger scholarships may be tempting, but they can be much more competitive. Don’t ignore the smaller awards. They often have lower competition, plus several small awards can add up quickly while also giving you practice for the hard-to-get scholarships.
Request Your Letters of Recommendation Early
Some applications require letters of recommendation. Take care of this step early by thinking about who can write your letters and speak to your academic (or any other) strengths. Generally, family and friends are not acceptable.
Once you have your list, reach out as early as possible. Your chosen recommenders should have at least a few weeks to write your letter.
Prepare Your Essays
Many scholarships require an essay, which is an opportunity to showcase your strengths to the selection committee. Think about the question that’s asked and prepare to write several drafts, including a final pass of proofreading and editing. It can also be valuable to ask a trusted teacher, mentor, or friend to proofread and review your essay.
Sell Yourself
Scholarship applications ask you to sing your praises. This can be uncomfortable for people, but this is a chance to brag about your awards, recognitions, talents, and passions. Don’t be modest in showing the committee why you deserve the award.
Keep Trying
You may not get every scholarship you apply for, but don’t stop trying! Hold on to copies of your application to see how you can improve next time.
Introducing Sophia’s Scholarships and Discounts Network
Looking for scholarship opportunities? Students who sign up for Sophia and complete at least one course will have access to a network of institutions offering tuition discounts and scholarships!
The Scholarships & Discounts Network is an exciting new portal that connects qualified learners with partner schools who want to offer special tuition discounts and scholarships to Sophia learners.
The Scholarships & Discounts Network is available to any Sophia subscriber. Learners will be able to view all possible scholarships and discounts available, and those who have completed at least one Sophia course and who are not yet enrolled in a university will be able to opt in and express interest in any tuition discount or scholarship they qualify for, all of which are available in the Scholarships & Discounts Network on the homepage.
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