Throughout high school, teachers, parents, and advisors are talking about college. Where will you go and what will you study are always the first questions you get asked. However, people do not always talk about the price of college. College is expensive, especially depending on what major or career you want to go into. The average tuition for a four-year college is 21,000 a year, and that is just tuition. There is also room and board, food, and any extra activities. Some scholarships can help, and this list will help you to start your scholarship journey.

Who Receives Scholarships?

Academic scholarships are awarded to students who have demonstrated a high degree of scholastic aptitude and performance. These scholarships are typically well-publicized and competition for them can be fierce. While all scholarships must consider a student’s GPA, academic or merit-based scholarships are rewards for the years of hard work and diligent effort demonstrated by talented students.

Finding Scholarships

There are millions of scholarships available, but there is not just one place where you can find them all. Since there are so many scholarships out there, you need to do your research on which ones you feel you can secure. The first place to look for scholarships is at your school’s financial aid office. They should have a list already set up to give to students. The one thing that is hard about this is that they will give this list out to every student. The United States Department of Labor has a tool to search for scholarships also which is helpful. More specific scholarships, like minority-based awards, could be found on group websites.

Prioritize

With there being so many scholarships out there, you need to pick which ones are the best for you. Some scholarships are simple to apply for, with just a transcript. Others are more in-depth and may require essays. Also, some scholarships only get given out to one person, so looking to see how many people get awarded and how many people get them is a key to what you want to apply to.

Continue Applying Throughout Your College Career

Look at each scholarship to see when the deadline is. Some scholarships are due before school starts and some are available throughout your time at school. You might need to apply to some each year and have the possibility of getting more than one scholarship in your academic career. With the number of scholarships out there, even if you miss a deadline there are always more to apply for.

Keep Going

With over 19 million students (about the population of New York) going to college and universities in a year, it is no wonder there are so many scholarships available. You might get many rejections over the time that you are applying. Keep your spirits up and keep applying as with the amount you are bound to get some, and anything is worth it.

Test Prep Score Can Help You Find Scholarships

Applying for scholarships can be exhausting. Sometimes they can be long and have a lot of parts to them. At TestPrepScore, we can help you to understand the process of applying for scholarships and help you with any questions you may have.