Scholarships
Students can begin scholarship searches as early as freshman year though most are designed for juniors and seniors. Check deadlines and eligibility.
Beware of Scholarship Scams!
The Federal Trade Commission cautions students and families to be aware of scholarship services that tell you:
They have information you can't get elsewhere
The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back
The scholarship costs a fee
You are required to attend a “free” seminar
They will do all the work for you
You’ve been selected by a “national foundation”
Also be aware of any scholarship service that charges a fee. Most of these search services do not provide any information of values and some are outright scams.
National Scholarship Search Engines and Databases
(Most require users to fill out a brief online profile)
www.goingmerry.com One Stop Scholarship Search Engine and Application Platform
www.studentscholarshipsearch.com
www.dosomething.org/scholarship Earn easy scholarships through community service.
Because scholarship searching can be overwhelming, here is a review of some of the top search engines and databases: College Scholarship Reviews
Opportunity Scholarships - The College Board has launched a new scholarship program with $5 million of scholarships each year, beginning with the class of 2020. Students simply complete 6 key steps along their path to college for a chance to earn scholarship.
Scholarship Junkies is a great website for tips on how to maximize your scholarship essays, search for, apply to, and win scholarships.
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation - provides scholarships to the children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen attending post–high school, undergraduate, and career technical education programs. Scholarship awards are need-based, and every eligible applicant receives a scholarship.
Local Scholarships
Where to look for local scholarships:
Local Organizations - eg. foundations, religious organizations, town or city clubs
Community Organizations and Civic Groups -eg. American Legion, 4-H,YMCA, Kiwanis, Jaycees, Elks, Boy or Girl Scouts
Employers - (students and parents)
Volunteer work - if you’ve done any volunteer work for local organizations, they may offer scholarships in recognition for unpaid assistance
Unions - (students and parents) eg. AFLCIO, Teamsters, etc
Church
Chamber of Commerce
The library - is a good source of information for state and private sources or aid
Newspapers
The internet
Students interested in local scholarships should check the scholarship bulletin board or visit Mrs. Habacivch in the College & Career Counseling office for a more complete list and to get applications that are not available online.
Finally, once you are accepted into a college or university, check Institutional Scholarships and Grants. Post secondary institutions offer scholarships and grants to help make education more affordable. Check the college website to see what’s available.