Search for scholarships
The smartest way to pay for college is with scholarships and grants that don’t have to be repaid.
Searching for scholarships can take some time, and some patience, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
Plan ahead. A single application could take hours to complete—even more if your child is required to submit an essay. Encourage your child to put aside 2-3 hours each week to search for scholarships and prepare applications.
Search locally. Your child should visit the guidance office at school, the public library and college Financial Aid Offices to look for small, local awards that aren’t posted on search engines or scholarship books. Check with your employer about scholarships and tuition programs. Ask local organizations and clubs to which you or your child belong; these groups often sponsor small awards that sometimes get overlooked.
Search nationally. For immediate access to more than 800,000 awards worth over $2.8 billion in no-cost aid, visit the NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine. It’s fast, completely private and totally free of charge.
Scholarship Search Tips
Search diligently and often. Awards change and new ones are added all the time.
Try "what if" searches. For example, a student may have an SAT score of 1100 right now, but "what if" he/she retested and scored higher?
Don't limit the search to one academic major. Select multiple majors to see what's available. Or select "No Academic Major" to see the scholarships awards available to students regardless of their field of study.
Follow proper application etiquette
Keep "request for information” letters to one page
Always include a self-addressed, stamped envelope
Complete applications according to the instructions
Send a thank-you card
Call funding sources no more than one time to follow up
Protect yourself
There’s an ugly side to the Web-based scholarship world. Families desperate for college money are easy marks for con artists who hide behind the anonymity of the Internet. To protect yourself, follow these guidelines.
Don’t pay money to search for free money
There is never any guarantee of a scholarship award – they are very competitive
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Be aware of a website’s privacy policy, are they going to sell your information, or try to sell you in follow up spam? Be sure to check before entering your information
For more information about NextStudent, visit www.NextStudent.com.
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