| OK, you don't have a 4.0 GPA, you're not the senior | | | | more) of their tuition revenue in the form of institutional |
| class president, you can't throw a football fifty yards, | | | | financial aid. When these funds are factored in, private |
| and your SAT scores aren't generating letters or | | | | colleges may ultimately be little or no more expensive |
| phone calls from Harvard, Yale or Princeton. So, you'll | | | | for some students to attend than public colleges and |
| never qualify for a college scholarship, right? | | | | universities with lower published fees. |
| Not necessarily! There are lots of scholarships, and | | | | If you can demonstrate financial need, as established |
| other kinds of financial aid for which you might qualify. | | | | by your answers on the FAFSAform at , you may |
| Some colleges may offer you academic grants with a | | | | want to apply to at least a few colleges which meet |
| GPA of 3.0 and SAT scores of 1000. Ashland | | | | 100% of demonstrated financial need and do so with a |
| University offers scholarships to twins. Many church | | | | reasonable proportion of gift aid to self-help aid (loans |
| affiliated colleges offer grants to students who are | | | | and/or work-study funds). Take note that although |
| members of their religious denomination. And that's just | | | | some relatively small number of colleges will meet the |
| the beginning. | | | | full need of all enrolled students, many more will be far |
| If you are the son or daughter of a military veteran, if | | | | more likely to meet or nearly meet the full need of |
| either of your parents work for a major corporation, if | | | | stronger students. |
| your mother or father is a member of a fraternal or | | | | To position yourself well to be a competitive candidate |
| civic organization, or if you are preparing for a career | | | | for scholarships, students should take the most |
| in a particular profession, there may be substantial | | | | challenging classes available, work diligently to learn as |
| scholarships for which you can apply, even if you're | | | | much as possible (not just to get grades), and get |
| not a top student or student leader. | | | | involved in co-curricular, community, charitable and/or |
| Are you good at writing essays? If you are, your | | | | public service activities. Here's a good rule of thumb for |
| writing skills may be the ticket to a scholarship. There is | | | | all students; the more you have to offer the more |
| even a scholarship for students who agree to abstain | | | | you're likely to be offered. |
| from using tobacco and alcohol while in college. | | | | Remember three words...research, research, and |
| You may even qualify for a scholarship because of | | | | research. The more time you spend investigating |
| where you live, your last name, your ethnic heritage or | | | | scholarship opportunities, the more likely you are to find |
| race, or a disease or handicapping condition you may | | | | scholarships for which you may be eligible. |
| have. Get the idea yet? There are all kinds of | | | | Don't let anyone discourage you. There are lots of |
| scholarships, grants, and financial aid programs out | | | | people "out there," including some educators, who are |
| there. Some require economic need or have other | | | | inadvertently spreading their serious misconceptions |
| restrictions, others do not. | | | | about who may qualify for financial aid and what is |
| You can search through hundreds of thousands of | | | | required to do so. Most important of all, do not fail to |
| possible scholarships (free!) in more than twenty | | | | investigate or apply to a college you like because you |
| different data bases at While you're there, you can | | | | think it is too expensive. That is one of the most |
| sign up for a free email newsletter with articles on | | | | common and worst mistakes a family can make. |
| college admission, scholarship and financial aid | | | | Remember, you never know what kinds of |
| programs, college survival tips, and income | | | | scholarships and/or financial aid you might receive. |
| opportunities for college students. | | | | However, just like you should have "fall back" or |
| At you'll find scholarships given by individual college to | | | | "safety" colleges in case you are not admitted to your |
| all enrolled students meeting the listed criteria. | | | | first choice institutions, you should choose and apply to |
| Student-athletes may visit to find the information | | | | colleges that will be affordable if you do not receive |
| needed to secure an athletic scholarship (or an | | | | the financial assistance for which you hope. |
| opportunity to compete in a Division III or other | | | | Obvious as it may be, I feel obligated to remind you to |
| non-scholarship program). | | | | pay attention to details and deadlines when applying |
| Don't forget your school counselor, as he or she can | | | | for scholarships because so many students fail to do |
| be a great source of information about local | | | | so. I could hardly believe it when an independent |
| scholarship sources. In fact, most high school guidance | | | | educational counselor who probably earns in the |
| offices maintain a list of locally based scholarships. | | | | neighborhood of $1,000 for helping a student identify |
| Parents and students would be well advised to | | | | and gain admission to appropriate colleges asked (on |
| explore the range of scholarships for which they may | | | | an email list serve) how many words above the limit |
| qualify as early as the ninth or tenth grade so they can | | | | one of her counsulees could go on his college |
| plan to meet the requirements of as many as possible. | | | | application essay. Don't make the mistake that she did |
| You should be aware that many private colleges offer | | | | by assuming there will be no penalty if you "come |
| substantial scholarships and grants in order to be more | | | | close" to the requirements or are "only a few days |
| competitive with lower cost public institutions and/or | | | | beyond the deadline". If you don't pay attention, be |
| attract students who might otherwise enroll elsewhere. | | | | prepared to pay for your mistakes. |
| These monies are often offered to students with very | | | | But, do it right and you have a great chance of getting |
| little or no demonstrated financial need. In fact, many | | | | some scholarship and or financial aid help. Good luck. |
| private colleges frequently "rebate" 30%-35% (or | | | | |