Scholarship Tips
There are many sources for scholarships. Some scholarships are based on academic ability, rank and ACT. But, others are based on major or field of study, ability to write an essay, the amount of volunteer service, hair color or even left-handedness!
Besides checking the MB website additional sources for scholarships include places of employment, volunteer and church organizations, the college itself, as well as many retail establishments. A list of currently available scholarships is available on the website as well as in the Guidance Office. Please feel free to check with the Guidance Office regarding any questions or concerns about a scholarship.
There are many free scholarship searches available on the internet. A very good one is www.fastweb.com. This search engine allows students to enter their personal information and preferences for field of study, extracurricular activities, academic information, hobbies and organizations as well as the type of scholarships for which they would like to apply (for instance writing or not writing an essay.) Fastweb takes that information and then searches for scholarships for the student. Once the student is registered FastWeb will continue to search for scholarships and will even send reminder emails as scholarship deadlines approach. The site is free and they do an excellent job of searching for scholarships. Students who do not like the site complain of receiving too many scholarships for which they could apply rather than not receiving enough.
There are a few automatic scholarships that are received from colleges without additional applications. However, completing most scholarship applications requires quite a bit of effort. Students who receive a large number of scholarships have generally spent quite a bit of time and effort in applying and have looked at it as a part time job.
Ideas to keep in mind:
*Apply for everything! Don’t eliminate yourself. Sometimes the “requirements” are guidelines rather than absolutes. Let the committee decide how strictly they are enforcing their requirements. Students have told me they have received scholarships they never believed they could receive simply because they were one of the very few who applied.
*Make your applications look as neat as possible. Typed applications are required by some scholarships, but preferred by all.
*Sign up for at least one web-based scholarship search. These programs are free and do a great job of searching for scholarships based on the information you have given them.
*Apply despite the amount of the award. A $100 scholarship won’t buy much, but combined with other $100 scholarships it can add up. Plus, the lower the award amount, the lower the number of people to compete against for the scholarship.
*Consider the scholarship search like a job. It takes a lot of time, but the results will be worth it next year.
There are many sources for scholarships. Some scholarships are based on academic ability, rank and ACT. But, others are based on major or field of study, ability to write an essay, the amount of volunteer service, hair color or even left-handedness!
Besides checking the MB website additional sources for scholarships include places of employment, volunteer and church organizations, the college itself, as well as many retail establishments. A list of currently available scholarships is available on the website as well as in the Guidance Office. Please feel free to check with the Guidance Office regarding any questions or concerns about a scholarship.
There are many free scholarship searches available on the internet. A very good one is www.fastweb.com. This search engine allows students to enter their personal information and preferences for field of study, extracurricular activities, academic information, hobbies and organizations as well as the type of scholarships for which they would like to apply (for instance writing or not writing an essay.) Fastweb takes that information and then searches for scholarships for the student. Once the student is registered FastWeb will continue to search for scholarships and will even send reminder emails as scholarship deadlines approach. The site is free and they do an excellent job of searching for scholarships. Students who do not like the site complain of receiving too many scholarships for which they could apply rather than not receiving enough.
There are a few automatic scholarships that are received from colleges without additional applications. However, completing most scholarship applications requires quite a bit of effort. Students who receive a large number of scholarships have generally spent quite a bit of time and effort in applying and have looked at it as a part time job.
Ideas to keep in mind:
*Apply for everything! Don’t eliminate yourself. Sometimes the “requirements” are guidelines rather than absolutes. Let the committee decide how strictly they are enforcing their requirements. Students have told me they have received scholarships they never believed they could receive simply because they were one of the very few who applied.
*Make your applications look as neat as possible. Typed applications are required by some scholarships, but preferred by all.
*Sign up for at least one web-based scholarship search. These programs are free and do a great job of searching for scholarships based on the information you have given them.
*Apply despite the amount of the award. A $100 scholarship won’t buy much, but combined with other $100 scholarships it can add up. Plus, the lower the award amount, the lower the number of people to compete against for the scholarship.
*Consider the scholarship search like a job. It takes a lot of time, but the results will be worth it next year.