Although the internet is a great resource to turn to when searching for scholarships, the overwhelming variety of opportunities can blind students from finding ones that are best suited for their strengths, passions, and goals. In this article, we will explore some tips to keep in mind in our pursuit of the ideal scholarship.
Written by Afreen Deen
Taking Advantage of Your Strengths
As mentioned, the internet is home to an endless amount of scholarships—some for diversity, talent, athletics, academics, and more. Therefore, to overcome the barrier of having to look into all of them, ensure that you specify exactly what type of scholarship you are looking for. This can be done straight in the search engine, or in the “keyword” section of some scholarship websites. After doing so, assess the categories alongside your strengths, meaning that if you are more proficient in a certain strand/field, there will be a better chance of you being awarded that scholarship and you should definitely apply. Some areas include:
Academic - Those who have high GPAs and standardized test scores
Athletic/Arts - Those who excel in specific sports or in the areas of music, art, dance, or drama
Community Service - Those who have demonstrated a significant commitment to serving their community
Diversity - Those who are members of a certain race, ethnicity, gender, or religion
Look Out For the Requirements
Although it is important to find scholarships that you are passionate about, remember to pay attention to their requirements; it would be a shame to spend time applying for something you are not qualified for. Scholarship requirements usually involve skills, education, age, race/ethnicity and location. Additionally, understanding the specifications of scholarships allows you to plan ahead of time to meet certain expectations such as reference letters and portfolio submissions.
Stay Safe
Safety should always be a top priority, especially while hunting for scholarship opportunities. This is because a lot of the time, individuals waste time & money in applying for scholarships that turn out to be scams. Some red flags to be aware of are:
Processing fee is larger than the award itself
Scholarship websites that charge you to register
“Winning” an award you did not apply for
Companies asking to apply for you
To avoid any of these scenarios, make sure to complete some thorough background research about the scholarship, the institution or organization offering it, and its previous winners. This way you can ensure the opportunity’s authenticity.
To kick-start your scholarship hunt, here are some popular scholarship databases:
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