College Scholarship Search for the Frustrated Student

It may seem like the fall of a student’s junior year is too early to look for scholarships, but it’s not. In fact, I often tell parents to start looking for a scholarship the moment their student enters high school. It’s an unusual time to talk about money for college. Most parents and students think that graduation is four years away. As life goes on, college acceptances are on the horizon. It is true that the early riser gets the scholarship. The key to having a scholarship strategy that works is to start early. There are some parents who have a formula for success. They have a folder where they are already compiling information about scholarships. They attend as many scholarship and grant training sessions as they can. Every parent and student should consider finding scholarships as a team effort. Start by meeting someone at your local library. There are many college scholarship resources in the library and someone is always willing to help.

Did you know that there are billions of dollars in scholarships that go unused each year? Some students say that it is too difficult to apply for scholarships. This is why I tell all students to start their scholarship search early. Starting early is the best way to keep every student and parent from feeling overwhelmed. You should have different types of scholarships in each section of your scholarship portfolio. You can also have your own library of scholarship books and articles that you are selecting and reviewing. There are thousands of scholarships on Google. You can search by college major and interests. Ask your student to talk to their high school counselor about available scholarships. The school counselor should have the information they are receiving throughout the year. Let them know that he is interested in receiving information and that you will apply

There are many scholarships that are based on a student’s performance in high school. Each student must work to earn the highest grades possible. Get a tutor right away or arrange for the teacher to meet with your student. The critical issue for every parent is deciding how to use each year as leverage against the rising cost of college. Look for small and large opportunities to find scholarships in newspapers and magazines. Call your local college financial aid office for more information about their scholarships and deadlines. Call your bank or credit union to see how you can start saving and if they have scholarships.

If you are the parent of an 11th grader, it’s time to prepare for senior year by asking your student to obtain scholarship recommendation letters from their teachers. Create a calendar with scholarship deadlines and make sure your applications are submitted on time. Don’t allow yourself to be left behind. It’s easy to miss out on a scholarship because your application wasn’t submitted on time. Use the summer to get ahead of the game. Ask your son/daughter to write the answers to several questions about scholarships. Some of the questions to look forward to: How will you use our scholarship to complete your college degree? Why do you deserve this scholarship? How will you make a difference in the world after receiving your degree? Remember that grammar and spelling count, if a student wishes to have their scholarship application considered.

Investing in your child’s education is one of the best decisions a parent and student can make. Start your scholarship search early so your student has the flexibility to pay for the college of their choice. Position yourself to reap the financial rewards of saving for scholarships. You won’t regret your investment of time and can have money to pay for tuition, room and board, and other expenses.