Oluwaseun Thomas

GUIDE TO SCHOLARSHIPS A scholarship is a gift or payment an organization awards a student to help the student with the financial burden of academic endeavors. Tertiary education requires money that many people cannot afford. According to StudyPortals, the average cost of a Bachelor's degree in the United States is $30,000 per year. The cost of tuition fees is often higher in Private institutions than in public institutions. Public Colleges can cost as low as $8,700 a year in Florida. It can also cost as much as $18,150 as in Pennsylvania. On the other hand, Private Colleges usually cost anywhere between $17,650 in Florida and $30,950 in Massachusetts. Regardless of the minimum threshold cost of tuition, many intending students cannot afford the payment on their own. Hence, there are millions of scholarships helping both international and local students by providing billions of dollars to subsidize or fully fund education. Some people do not know about scholarships and how to apply for them. If you are one of such people, you are in luck. GetEducated will break it all down and give you a guide to scholarships in this article. First, you should know that even though competition for scholarships is high, there is always some scholarship fund for you if you implement the right strategies. To better put that in perspective, GetEducated says that an intending student who strategizes and makes choices from among the numerous scholarship programs stands a good chance of landing a scholarship. When an intending student meets the criteria for a scholarship program, the funds will either be paid to the institution or sent to the student's account. In this guide to scholarships, you will learn about strategies to apply for scholarships. However, you must know the types of scholarships first, as this will help guide you in making decisions regarding scholarships. Types Of Scholarships Scholarships are of two types when categorized according to sources. The two categories are College-Specific Awards and Private Organizations. College-Specific Scholarships College-Specific Scholarships are scholarships that colleges or universities often offer themselves. Some college-specific scholarships are awards from other sources for specific colleges and universities. The conditions for maintaining this type of scholarship often include maintaining a certain minimum cumulative grade point average or studying a particular course. There are three types of college-specific scholarships. They are Academic Scholarships, Departmental Scholarships, and Athletic Scholarships. Academic Scholarships- scholarships you can only receive based on academic merits. This type of scholarship considers your academic records and performances in specified tests. It is a common choice among intending students as it offers a leveling ground for all. Skills matter and will give you an advantage here. For instance, an excellent writer would possess writing skills that help highlight strengths and gloss over weaknesses when writing SOPs and other forms of essays. Departmental Scholarships- this form of scholarship often comes from your chosen department. Specific departments offer scholarships to encourage incoming students or retain their best students. Departmental scholarships are often subject-based, but some departments might enlist other criteria. Some departments often include minority status and residency as criteria for scholarships. Hence, it is essential to check if your department of choice has scholarship programs. It is also essential to check the requirements. Athletic Scholarships- Athletic Scholarships refer to free education funds set aside by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to keep college athletic standards. They do this by awarding scholarships to the best athletes they can find to encourage athletes, maintain a sizeable sports team, and attract top talents. Athletic Scholarships provide for students in Division I and Division II schools. Athletic Scholarships fund over 126,000 students every year. Funding under this scholarship system can either be complete or partial funding. Awardees of Athletic Scholarships must maintain a specified minimum performance in academics and athletics. Private Organization Scholarships Private organization Scholarships are scholarships with external origins. Private organization scholarships are unlike college-specified scholarships where the individual benefits from the school's scholarship programs, private scholarships have little to do with the institution. The connection between the college or university and the private organizations awarding scholarships depends on whether the private organization pays the institution's tuition or sends the money to the recipient. When we categorize according to the funding source, we have five types of private organization scholarships. Corporate Scholarships- Corporate scholarships have local businesses, fortune 500 companies, and private business outfits as sponsors. Corporate scholarships are the most common form of private organization scholarships. Some companies fund these scholarships as part of their Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR). Companies also give their employees scholarships to help improve learning and skills acquisitions. Criteria for corporate scholarships often differ from company to company and from scholarship scheme to scholarship scheme. The most common criteria have to do with minority status, gender, or specific field of study. Military Scholarships- Military Scholarships are the second most common funding source for scholarships. The military in the USA provides scholarship funding for people who have anxiety issues or suffer uncertainties because of having a loved one in the military. Hence, military scholarships also cater to family members and spouses. Religious Organization- Religious organization scholarships come next to military scholarships as the largest funding source for private organization scholarships. Religious groups often sponsor members who have a history or record of active involvement or volunteer work for that religious group. Sometimes, being a member of a specific religious group is enough. Union Scholarships- Workers' unions fund union Scholarships. This scholarship type focuses on helping children of workers belonging to the Union by paying their tuition if they desire to further their studies. Financial needs are usually the criteria. High School Scholarships- Some students excel in High School or stand out for various reasons. The criteria often revolve around excellence in learning and character. If a student has been remarkable enough in academics, they can benefit from scholarship schemes if their High School offers them. Some people categorize scholarship schemes based on requirements. Categorizing scholarships by requirements creates Merit-based or Academic Scholarships, Need-based Scholarships, Race, Ethnicity, Gender-based scholarships (which cater to minorities and seek to balance inequalities), Athletics-based Scholarship, and Needs-based Scholarship, and Interests or hobby-based Scholarships. How Scholarships Work Scholarship schemes are numerous and help offset what would ordinarily be billions of dollars worth of debt. Most scholarship schemes run yearly. They either pay tuition fees partially or fully. Scholarship schemes offer contributions ranging from $50 to well over $20,000. It all depends on the scholarship program you applied for and the cost of your tuition. Scholarship funds are rarely more than your tuition fee, as the tuition fee payment aims for scholarship programs. Some scholarship schemes pay to the institution and not the student's account. Since the funds are free, scholarship schemes often come with some competition. Hence, some scholarship schemes get more applications from students and are more competitive. If you seek to know or apply to some of the most accessible scholarship schemes, here is a list of scholarship schemes that are easier to get. For International Students who seek scholarship programs, International Student (IS) is a tool you can use to find scholarships. Also, not all scholarships require essays. If you would like to apply for Scholarships that do not require essays, here are some scholarships that do not require essays. It is vital to observe the eligibility requirements before applying. If you want to apply for Academic Scholarships, a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 3.0 is often the requirement for most Academic Scholarships. Criteria often include financial needs, essay qualities, membership in a religious group, or involvement in sports. Outside Academic Scholarships, many other scholarship types do not have requirements based on past academic performances. It is always best to apply for multiple scholarships, which boosts your chances of landing a scholarship. Mistakes To Avoid When Applying For Scholarships Rushed Scholarship Applications and Deadlines It would be best if you took note of the eligibility and the deadline from the beginning. Some students find they may have ignored the deadline and then must hurry up with their applications. Rushed applications stand a higher chance of rejection as they often have many avoidable errors. It would help if you were intentional about your application to avoid mistakes from rushed submissions. Write Your Essays Yourself Some students fail to write their essays by themselves. Hence, they do not know the content of their essays or whether the essays meet the requirements. Such students could end up in a situation where their Resumes say one thing, and their essays strongly contrast their experiences or personal statements. Avoid Scams It is important to avoid scams. Any scholarship scheme that asks you to pay for a scholarship is probably a scam. Scholarships, by nature of their purpose, are gifts. It would be best if you avoid those kinds of scholarship schemes. You should also avoid scholarship schemes that request personal financial information like your bank account number, credit card information, and social security number. You also want to avoid supposed scholarship schemes that notify you that they accept you for a scholarship you did not know or apply to. They often send messages congratulating you on being a finalist and passing a test. They tell you that they shortlisted you and then ask you to respond. If you did not apply to a scholarship scheme or foundation, there is no chance of you being a finalist. If you cannot find a genuine website for any scholarship program, you should avoid them. Such scholarship programs often come to your attention via friends, social media, or paper flyers. They are not trustworthy. Strategies That Will Help Get Scholarship Funding We have come to what is probably the most crucial part of getting a scholarship. As with everything in life, you should be intentional with scholarship. Plan, and come up with a strategy before you apply. GetEducated will now provide you with a strategy you can use when applying for scholarship funds. 1) Profile Yourself When you start searching for scholarships to apply to, you will find that everything GetEducated has written in this article is true. You will realize that scholarships differ based on requirements and sources of funds. So, it would be best if you created a profile for yourself so you can easily find the scholarships best suitable for you. Some questions you should answer to help profile yourself include: What field of study (course of study) do you want to apply to the University or College? What is your ethnicity? Are you a minority? What religious group do you belong to? Have you been active in sports with a proven record before now? What colleges or Universities are you applying to (this will help you in college-specific awards)? How much do your parents (or you if you fend for yourself) earn? Where do you live? What are your hobbies? If you answer these questions correctly, you already have a profile for yourself. So, when you see scholarship offers, you already know which scholarships you have a good chance of getting. 2) Strategically Search For Scholarship Programs Now that you have a profile and can spot scholarships that suit you with ease, it is time to search for scholarship programs. It is always best to use scholarship search tools like International Student (IS) for students who live outside the country of the college they intend to attend. You can search online and search for scholarships for any group of people and find something useful. The scholarships you search for should be scholarships that cater to your profile. 3) Prioritize Your List Of Suitable Scholarships After strategically searching for scholarship programs, you will have a few that suit you best. It is now time to prioritize. Remember that the scholarship programs with the most requirements will often have fewer applicants. If you have done an excellent job selecting scholarship programs that suit you, you will find you are a good match for most of them. Now, prioritize the scholarship programs based on how many requirements you fulfill, the amount of money involved, and additional benefits. 4) Apply For The Scholarship Now that you have picked the scholarships that give you the best chance of winning, you can apply. You should apply to the ones with closer deadlines first before moving to those with deadlines still far away. Some Additional Tips GetEducated Has for Students Seeking Scholarships If you are still in High School, do your best to get high grades. They will help with scholarships. If you are a religious person, become active in your religious group's main body. If you have a passion for Sports, become competitive, get certificates, and keep records. Join a social group and help your community. Start checking for scholarships early. GetEducated.com is a trusted source of information for students and intending students. We provide up-to-date information straight from sources like colleges, universities, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Use GetEducated.com when in need of information about schools, scholarships, studentship, and opportunities.