A short guide to financing college (part 1)
BY Tianna Hunt | March 12, 2022
Image by GotCredit
The college admissions process is coming to an end. Because of this, it is important that students start sourcing scholarships. Throughout this search, there are a few terms that need to be differentiated:
Scholarships: free money awarded by a private or public institution, or the government
Loans: borrowed money that needs to be paid back
Grants: an award given to facilitate particular goals. Most do not need to be paid back - different places have different terms.
There are numerous websites that expose students to a variety of different scholarship awards. These include (but are not limited to):
After browsing these websites, it may be helpful to organize them all into one space. For example:
When organizing your scholarship list, note the deadline, amount awarded, requirements and website link. This will allow you to easily access all the information you need without constantly revisiting the site page.
After this is done, it is time to start applying. The main questions most scholarships asks have to do with these topics:
An accomplishment you are proud of
A challenge you have faced
Your academic or career plans
An impact you have had on your community
If you want a head start on the scholarship application process, brainstorm a few answers to these topics beforehand. This will help you write freely when you see the topic in an application question. The College Essay Guy website has many essay examples that may spark some inspiration.
A final tip is to email your district’s senators and ask them for a copy of their scholarship application. Many senators have scholarships and the deadlines in Baltimore are in March or April. Now is the perfect time to start reaching out.
Good luck!