Planning out your college career goals is an exciting, and often overwhelming process. Between choosing a major, where you would like to study and visiting schools, you may overlook an important part of going to college: cost. Most families cannot afford to pay for college tuition, books, or room and board without some assistance. Scholarships are a great way to help curb your college costs, and there are scholarships available for just about every student situation and skill set.
Instructions
1. Ask your guidance counselor for information on any local scholarships you may be eligible for. Even if your grades are not the best, you may be eligible for scholarships pertaining to your extracurricular activities (especially if these activities influence your chosen area of study in college), work history or even family situations. You school guidance office should also have access to scholarship information for nationwide scholarship opportunities. Local scholarship opportunities can include local businesses, grocery stores, and religious organizations.
2. Research your club or organization websites or speak with your club adviser about scholarship opportunities. Organizations like the National Honors Society (NHS) recognize excellence in high school academics and leadership skills through volunteering and other activities. The United States NHS website notes that since 1946, the NHS has provided more then $10 million in scholarships.
3. Check online scholarship services. Online scholarship searches provide a wealth of information quickly, and many scholarship search engines let you search for scholarships catering to your specific extracurricular talents as well as academic achievements. In a CNNMoney.com interview from April 6, 2009, Tally Hart, senior adviser for economic access at Ohio State University notes you should use free college scholarship services, provided by organizations like the College Board or Petersons.
4. Contact the colleges you will be applying to for information on scholarships offered through the school itself. Scholarshiphelp.org notes colleges typically offer accepted applicants three types scholarship awards: athletic awards which are highly competitive (particularly for Division I and II schools that are supported by the National Collegiate Athletic Association), academic awards for excellence in the classroom, and department-specific awards that are specific to your proposed major.
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