Smart Tips for Scholarships

Start Early

• Start searching your sophomore or junior years
• Apply for scholarships about a year before you will actually receive the aid 
• Get good grades
• Be organized so that you don't waste time applying to the same scholarship twice

Prepare Yourself

• Get involved in clubs and organizations 
• Perform community service and keep records

Do Research

• Figure out what separates you from everyone else 
• Consider unique circumstances or conditions 
• Search everywhere for scholarships

Send Away for Applications and Information

• Contact organizations through mail to request applications 
• Give the organizations time to select recipients, but follow up too
• Watch out for deadlines

Apply

• Make sure you understand all the information being requested 
• Give yourself enough time to complete the application
• Keep a calendar of all deadlines
• Double check spelling and grammar
• Give your best effort for each application

Beware

• Do not pay any business or person to get a list of scholarships; there are too many free searches available
• Do not pay a scholarship application fee; sometimes this is also called an “administrative fee”

For your convenience, please print Steps for Getting a Scholarship or Tips on Shopping for Scholarship Money.