Scholarships for Higher Education
Written by Monique Moreno
According to College Board, the average cost of a year at an in-state college is roughly $7,000 a year. While this may or may not seem like a lot, the costs of other necessities such as textbooks, food, and living arrangements often bring up this number to over $20,000 a year. Luckily, there are many scholarships available to students of all ages to help offset this overwhelming number. While many are discouraged by the belief that most scholarships aren’t worth the process of applying, in reality it is important to apply to as many as possible, especially because scholarships are available for literally anything and everything. In the end they add up and can completely pay for your tuition if, along with an application, diligence and perseverance is applied. Below is a list of scholarships for all ages.
Women's Awards
http://www.soroptimist.org/
Deadline: December 1 Amount: $5,000-$10,000
For single moms who demonstrate financial need; A total of 31 scholarships awarded http://www.rankinfoundation.org/
Deadline: March 1
Amount: $2,000 to a minimum of eighty women
For women aged thirty-five or older and demonstrate that they are low-income.Deadline: Check website
Amount: $2,000 per semester
For low-income women who have experiences traumatic situations
Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund
The Rose Fund
TCI Student Scholarships
http://www.tall.org/
Deadline:
Amount: $1,000
For women under 21 who are 5’10” or taller; for men under 21 who are 6’2” or taller
Girls Going Places Scholarship
www.guardianlife.com/womens_channel
Deadline: Check website
Amount: $1,000 to $10,000
Girls age 12 to18 who have shown budding entrepreneurship.www.hsf.net
Amount: $1,000 to $5,000
Various scholarships for Hispanic high school seniors with minimum 3.0 www.jackierobinson.org
Deadline: Check website
Amount: Up to $7,500
Minority high school leaders that demonstrate financial need www.lnesc.org
Deadline: Check website
Amount: $250 to $1,000
Granted based on academic achievement, ACT/SAT scores, financial need /
Deadline: Check website
Amount: $500-$5,000
Available to minorities who are in financial needwww.kohlscorporation.com/ Deadline: Check website
Amount: $1,000 or $5,000
Students up to age 18 that live in a community that has a Kohl’s department store
Sallie Mae Fund Scholarship Programs
Kohl’s Kids Who Care
Great resources to find other available scholarships:
http://schoolscholarships.org
The following is a list of guidelines and recommendations to ease the overwhelming process of applying for scholarships
DO’S
Do start your search as soon as possible. The moment you decide about going to college -- whether its for the first time or you’re a returning student -- is when you should begin the search for scholarships. All scholarships come with a deadline, and along with procrastination will come undesired stress.
Do apply for every scholarship available that you are qualified to apply for. A rule of thumb is to apply for as many scholarships as your tuition will cost, and then apply for even more than that
Do feel free to toot your own horn! Scholarships aren’t just given to people who were academically successful in high school; the judges also consider financial need, volunteering, life struggles, and ethnicity. Make it be known that you over came childhood obstacles to get where you are today. Make it be known that you were president of the cooking club in junior high!
Do remember that scholarships are available at any point in college and should not just be searched for before entering college. Many are there waiting to be awarded to college sophomores, juniors, etc.
Do have the confidence to believe that you can win scholarships. The people who’ve won them in the past are proof that scholarships are really given out in the end!
DON’TS
Do not ever let yourself get scammed by a scholarship application. Scholarships should never require a fee of any kind; the best ones to apply for are the ones that are free. If a scholarship requires a fee, move on in your search
Do not skip over the scholarships that are worth small amounts. It is often the ones that are for $50 that are the easiest to get because the norm is to skip over them. Applying for the small ones guarantees a bigger chance of winning it, as many apply for just the big ones. If this process is repeated, the funds can start to add up.
Do not forget to spell check your application essay (or application in general). One of the worst impressions made by applicants is grammatical errors and awkward word choices. Proof reading and spell check are both useful tools that you can use to ensure that your application looks its very best.
Do not submit an application that is not completely done. Judges have to sift through many applications and will eagerly eliminate applications that are not complete to sift through the process of awarding the scholarship in a more time-efficient way.
Do not believe that you are not qualified for a scholarship. There are scholarships for everyone out there; all it requires is a little researching. Having confidence and perseverance goes a long way in the world of scholarships!
While overlooked because of their bad reputation of being time consuming without any results, scholarships are a relieving way to offset the cost of expensive private and public colleges throughout the nation. They allow excuses such as “I can’t afford it!” to become a phrase of the past and allow the triumphant phrase of “I did it!” to become a memory we cherish forever.
Monique Moreno is a junior and resides in Katy, Texas. She is Editor-In-Chief of her school's yearbook and she plans on becoming a journalist when she "grows up." Moreno desires to go to college to study Communications and History.
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