College Scholarships – Get started now!

Scholarships, scholarships, scholarships! That’s the bulk of what I see in my Twitter feed lately – and for good reason! With rising tuition costs at all colleges, it’s never been more important for students to pursue scholarships and maximize their chances of earning money for college. In fact, it may surprise you that high school students are encouraged to start the scholarship search as early as junior year.

Feeling overwhelmed? Take note of these tips to get your scholarship search into full gear:

Diversify your search. You may be surprised to learn about all the different scholarship opportunities available. There are scholarships offered in your local community and high school, as well as thousands of scholarships you can apply for online.

Typically, it’s best for students to start their search locally first. This involves exploring scholarships awarded at your high school through your guidance counselor or career center. At the local level, many employers and chambers of commerce award scholarships to students in their communities each year. Talking with family members and doing some research around your city or town will help you learn about worthwhile scholarship prospects (Examples: Churches, civic organizations, clubs, etc.)

In addition to your local search, don’t forget about the plethora of national scholarships that can be found online. Making a habit to apply to even one online scholarship per month can potentially result in significant money toward your college education.

Be strategic in your search. While any opportunity to be awarded free money may seem appealing, you’ll run yourself ragged by applying to every single scholarship you come across. To effectively utilize your time and maximize your chances of being a scholarship recipient, you must be strategic in your search. This means applying only to the opportunities aligned with your academic strengths and interests. One way to do this is by using specific academic and geographic keywords when searching for scholarships online. For example, rather than search “Scholarships, New York State,” a phrase that would yield much more targeted results would be “English Scholarships, Syracuse, New York.”

Avoid scams. Unfortunately, there are many scholarship scams, especially online. It’s critical you know how to identify scams before it’s too late and your personal information is at risk. In general, the most reputable online scholarship websites include colleboard.com, cappex.com, fastweb.com, scholarships.com, and scholarshipamerica.org. Before applying to any scholarship on the Internet, remember these tips for avoiding scams:

• Never pay to apply to any scholarship.
• Never provide a credit card number for any scholarship application.
• Never sign up for a program.
• Never provide highly personal or sensitive information, such as a social security number.
• Beware of “claims or guarantees.”
• Beware of free seminars or classes.

Being smart and using common sense will go a long way. If something doesn’t feel quite right, don’t apply.

Start now!

When it comes to acquiring free money for college, time is on your side. The sooner you start applying for scholarships, the better off you’ll be financially when the tuition is due.

Also, keep in mind that SAT and ACT scores are important criteria when colleges award merit scholarships. Learn how Test Preps can help raise your SAT or ACT scores well before you apply to college. Get in touch at contact@testprepsbuffalo.com or call Melissa Cook at (716) 574-7349.