Seniors: Tips for finding money for college
Shelly Humbach • February 21, 2020
You may have thought you were done with writing essays and sending applications, but not quite yet.
Now is the time to look for scholarships. And don’t get discouraged. In this case, one more essay or scholarship application could mean a big pay-off for you. A few more hours of your time could turn into hundreds or even thousands of dollars!
College scholarships typically come from three sources:
- The colleges to which you have been accepted.
- Local community organizations
- National or larger regional organizations
At your College
Most scholarships come from the schools that have admitted you. See the scholarship tab in GuidedPath for your schools. It lists academic scholarships offered to 8 or more students.
Start Locally
Local organizations are the hidden gems of scholarship money. Although the awards are typically smaller in dollar amount, you also don’t have as much competition. Many local scholarships are actually looking for applicants! Churches, service organizations (like the VFW, or the Junior League), local charitable funds, even your parent’s employer may have scholarship opportunities. The key is finding the information – who, what, when, where, why and how to apply!
Check with:
Your high school counseling office
Parent organizations (PTA, Booster clubs, etc.)
Your local library
Expand Regionally
Use your residence as a means to get more money for college. Many states offer scholarships to top students. Check to see what is offered through your state. Check deadlines for any state scholarships you qualify for.
Compete Nationally
There are dozens of national scholarship search engines available. Many are nothing more than a way to market credit cards or other products to you. These are our recommended scholarship search engines.
- College Express
- College Treasure
- Scholarship Match- Unigo
Take Action
Add your college scholarship deadlines to your application plan.
Review the scholarship tab for all colleges on your list and determine your eligibility for specific awards. Add milestones or notes for the scholarships you are planning to apply for.
In June, I hosted my annual Senior Essay Writing Workshop. This was the first in-person workshop since 2019. I bet you can guess why. I was elated to meet my students face-to-face after months, even years, of connecting through the screen. Imagine my surprise at their height, super-smiles, and warm laughter. Dang, it was wonderful. So, essentially, all my in-state seniors gather at my house for a three-hour intensive workshop on crafting a killer college essay. As I was preparing for the event, it occurred to me that I might be in competition with their PHONE. Classic directness (this is probably a character flaw) led me to inform my students and their parents, in advance, that this would be a no-phone gathering. My messaging went something like this, Important: Phones are placed in a basket at the door and retrieved at noon. No exceptions. Parents: If you need to reach your student during the workshop, text me directly at **********. Now, I am fully on board with the phone-free movement. I support it, advocate for it, and live it (I brilliantly quit all personal media last November). And I thought: my event, my rules. I was a little concerned about how this announcement would land. Turns out my concern was mainly about the parents. The kids? Not so much. In fact, research indicates that students crave phone-free learning environments. Suffice to say, the workshop was a smashing success. Not a single student pushed back against the policy. One poor soul forgot to retrieve her phone and left it sitting all alone in the basket. Not to worry, though. She didn’t get far before turning back to grab it. Here’s the truth: We don’t have to bow down to every technological whim or societal pressure. As adults, we know the phone is a problem, and it’s our job to foster healthy, happy individuals. So let's keep this momentum going. As Maya Angelou wisely said, “When you know better, do better.”
I work with incredible colleagues; collaborative, smart and supportive. They make me better and I am deeply grateful. Every year, Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy of Big J Educational Consulting share invaluable information regarding college admissions. Their research is impeccable and accurate and provides crucial data to help students and families make informed college decisions. Read on, share broadly and give a shout out to these generous professionals! Early Decision and Regular Decision Acceptance Rates Class of 2028 Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based and Merit Aid Class of 2028 In-State and Out-of-State Acceptance Rates Class of 2028 Financial Aid for International Noncitizens Class of 2028 International Noncitizens Acceptance Rate and Yield Class of 2028 Percentage of Students Submitting SAT and ACT Scores Class of 2028 Athletic Divisions and Conferences (partial list) Class of 2028 - NEW! These charts are visual, interactive, and easy to use. They make it possible to instantly sort using any column's metrics and to easily compare subsets of colleges. They are free and can be accessed at www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com/resources . From Jennie and Jeff: We hope you find these resources helpful in your work guiding students. Please feel free to share them broadly as long as they remain in their original unedited form. Permission is not granted to those charging a fee for their distribution. If you find an error after cross-referencing with an institution's Common Data Set, please contact us at info@bigjconsult.com . Thank you!
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