HOW TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS LIKE A PRO

Young person doing homework.

Getting accepted to college is something worth celebrating, but what isn’t quite as exciting is figuring out how to pay for it. Luckily, there are tons of scholarships out there that can help make your college dreams come true, and it all rides on your applications. If you’re feeling a little lost or just don’t know where to start, scroll through the tips below to get prepared to apply for (and earn) all those scholarships.

1. Find Scholarships

First things first, you’ve got to find the scholarships before you can start applying. The good news is, we’ve got a whole list of online scholarship resources to get you off and running. (A little #humblebrag here: DoSomething offers scholarships for volunteering and community service, no essay, GPA, or recommendation required.)

2. Start Early

We really can’t stress this enough. Scholarship applications take time, and their deadlines vary, so start as soon as you can. It’s a good idea to start researching in the summer between junior and senior year. You don’t want to end up finding the perfect scholarship for you, only to realize the application closed a month ago.

3. Keep Organized

Spreadsheets will be your best friend! Keep track of the scholarships you want to apply for and the ones you’ve already submitted, along with deadlines and award announcement dates. 

4. Widen Your Applications

That poster in your middle school classroom was right: you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Apply to as many scholarships as possible (making sure you meet the requirements for applying). Even if the award amounts are small, they’ll start to add up.

5. Follow Instructions

This may seem a little obvious, but seriously, it’s all in the details. Even little things like formatting instructions or essay word counts can make or break your scholarship application. Different scholarships have different requirements.

6. Be Yourself

There are plenty of things that make you uniquely talented and qualified, so focus on what you have rather than trying to exaggerate what you don’t. Scholarships readers are looking to hear your voice, so let it shine through!

7. Show Don’t Tell

Avoid making bland, generalizing scholarship essays. Don’t just say that you’re a good problem-solver, tell them about the time you found just the right solution to save the day. For more in-depth essay advice, 

8. Proofread

After finishing your scholarship application, reading it all over again may be the last thing you want to do, but it’s definitely worth the few minutes it takes to double check. It’s also a good idea to have someone else take a look at it with fresh eyes.

9. Keep Copies

A lot of work can go into applying for a scholarship, so it’s worth backing up your documents just in case you need to do a quick resend if things get lost. Plus, keeping copies of your essays can help you repurpose them if you come across a similar essay question.



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