Weekly College Update

Dear Huskies, Snow Leopards, Bulldogs, and Thunderbirds

‘Tis the season… for scholarships!

While scholarship deadlines come up throughout the year, January-February is a time in the year when a lot of scholarship applications become available or are due. Right now is a really good time to start looking for scholarships you might want to apply for in the next couple of months.

This week’s focus is scholarships.
                

Scholarships are awards of money to help pay for college tuition and expenses. There are scholarships available for every type of student, so don’t assume you won’t qualify for them. Some scholarships are need-based but others are merit-based. Some scholarships require applicants to be U.S. citizens but there are some available for undocumented students as well. Check outthis resource to find out more about online databases where you can search for scholarship you are eligible for.

Below is some general advice about applying for college scholarships:

• Work on scholarship applications early and often!

  • Even when the applications require writing, they’re usually not as time consuming as college applications and you can probably reuse essays you have already written. There are  deadlines for scholarship applications all throughout the year. You can continue to earn scholarships once you’re in college as well. The search shouldn’t end!

• Identify what makes you unique and search for scholarships that fit your student profile.

  • What is your family’s background? What groups do you identify with? Where do your parents or family members work? What do you excel in? What are your goals related to education, your future major, or your career? You can find scholarships specifically for all of these things!

• Focus your efforts on smaller, local scholarships.

  • While the amounts of the awards might be smaller, they can add up to make a big difference! Your odds of winning will increase with local scholarships because the applicant pools are smaller. To find local scholarships, try the companies where your family members work and check local community service organizations like the rotary club. Another good starting place is the Silicon Valley Community Fund.

• Watch out for scams!

  • Unfortunately, there are scams out there so be careful. You should never have to pay a fee or enter credit card or bank account information to apply for a scholarship. Start your search on a trustworthy database, such as Collegeboard Big Future, Naviance, and others linked in this document.

Good luck and happy scholarship season!

Ms. Hannon
Director of College Readiness
khannon@summitps.org