If you feel like you’re a little behind on college funding and are worried that you’ve missed the scholarship boat, don’t fret. According to the National Scholarship Database, nearly 60 percent of scholarship deadlines fall between the months of February and April. That means you can use the summer months to work on the other 40 percent, complete last minute scholarship applications and finalize loan plans. Importantly, always submit your applications before the application deadline. Many organizations will not even glance at late arrivals when determining recipients of scholarship awards, so you could be out of luck if you’re even a day late. Some applications may require you to put in some time but once you’ve completed an application or two, you might find it will get easier and take less time with each additional one scholarship award. You may even find that you’re able to use components of some applications for other scholarships, such as essays or personal statements.
Tips
The misinformation and scholarship myths out there could scare anyone out of applying for college scholarships. If you do a little research now, you’ll find that not only is the scholarship application process not as time-consuming and intense as you may think, but that there are awards out there for almost everyone. If you know what to look for in an award, you’ll be less likely to find yourself paying to either enter to win an award or to use a scholarship search website. With options like Scholarships.com, there’s no need to ever pay to get an extensive list of awards you qualify for. You don’t need to look too hard to find scholarships you could be eligible for and students who know what scholarship information judges are looking for will have a head start on the competition and the best chance at winning scholarships. Some of the more important things to remember include applying early (or at least before the deadline), meeting all requirements, following all directions, proofreading and, if the opportunity presents itself, expressing personality and stressing individuality. Browse through our site to see the kind of scholarship information you’ll need to find awards worthy of your attention and you’ll find that once you start the process, you’ll be surprised you hadn’t started searching sooner.
You may feel like it isn’t worth it to apply to scholarship awards because of how competitive many of them are. But someone has to win, so why shouldn’t it be you? Landing an award isn’t easy but there are ways to improve your chances, especially if the scholarship you find is focused on criteria specific to your student profile. Qualification criteria vary so much from scholarship provider to scholarship provider that most people seeking scholarships could certainly find some assistance. Apply for academic scholarships if you have a stellar GPA and standardized test scores to match but don’t forget all the things that make you unique and could land you free money to pad your financial aid package. One of the most important steps once you find an award that interests you is to read the directions (pay attention especially to deadlines), qualifications (if you don’t meet the criteria exactly, don’t apply) and fine print carefully (an award you have to pay for to receive could be a scholarship scam). Paying attention to detail will also help you from making minor mistakes that will send your application to the bottom of the judges’ pile. Remember that there are scholarship opportunities out there for everyone, even if your strengths have nothing to do with academics. Browse through our site to see some of our secrets to success and scholarship information on how to make your application stand out and look like a winning entry. Rather than fruitlessly searching through irrelevant or insignificant scholarship offers, students who visit Scholarships.com find applicable scholarship information that can be sorted by title, deadline, relevancy or maximum amount of money awarded.
A list of scholarships compiled by U.S. News and Scholarship America suggest a few that tend to have deadlines after April. Check with each individual grantor to see what the current year’s deadline is.
1. Abbott and Fenner Business Solutions gives away a $1,000 scholarship based on responses to their essay question. You must be currently registered at an accredited postsecondary institution to win. Deadline in June.
2. Antique Trader is holding a 500-1,000-word essay contest, which will be scored primarily on originality and depth of content. One high school senior or college freshman will be awarded a $3,000 scholarship. Deadline in July.
3. Ayn Rand Institute sponsors annual essay contests that offer 680 prizes and more than $99,000 in prize money every year. You can still submit essays for three of the four contests. The essay contests are open to both American and international students. Deadlines vary.
4. DoSomething.org and AT&T are teaming up to offer $35,000 in scholarships to students who are committed to rethinking what’s possible and making a difference. Deadline in April.
5. Financial Service Centers of America awards a minimum of $2,000 to at least two college-bound high school seniors, but the deadline is fast approaching, so hurry up and apply. Deadline in April.
6. Flag Manufacturers Association of America (FMAA) is giving away two $1,000 awards to high school seniors. Applicants must submit five copies of a video explaining what the United States flag means to them, as well as a statement of your future plans. Deadline in June.
7. Nordstrom is awarding 80 $10,000 scholarships to high school juniors who live and attend school in one of the 28 participating states designated by Nordstrom. Deadline in May.
8. Zinch.com hosts a three-sentence essay contest every week. All you have to do is write three sentences based on the weekly essay contest, and you are eligible to win $1,000. One winner is selected on a weekly basis. Deadline varies.