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How to Win a Scholarship


When you dream of attending a college degree program or university, one of the biggest obstacles you face is figuring out how to pay the tuition and other expenses. While many options exist, one of the best involves winning scholarships. These helpful funding options are given by a wide variety of sources for many different reasons. Best of all, you never have to pay the money back like you do with student loans. Unfortunately, many people compete for most of them, so you need to know how to win a scholarship to improve the chances of getting more money for school.

Find the Best Scholarships for You

A large part of winning a scholarship is applying for the right ones. While some recommendations state that you should apply for as many as possible, it makes sense to focus your hard work on those that fit your situation or characteristics better. If you have enough time and energy, you can use the same tips to expand your applications even more.

All that being said, do not limit yourself when it comes to how many scholarships you apply for. If you seem to qualify for 200 of them, go for them all. Do not waste your own or the scholarship committee's time but seek out as much free money for your education as possible.

Know What Every Scholarship Committee Wants

Some groups who offer scholarships want to give money to the best students with high GPAs and test scores. Others prefer to reward those who did a lot of charity work in their neighborhood. Some are for sports, others are for students who are employed in a particular field, while others look at skill in chess, clarinet playing, or mock debate.

Even if you qualify for more than one type of scholarship, tailor your application package, essay, and other information to the individual one.

Go the Extra Mile When Applying

Are there optional questions in the scholarship package? Answer them to the best of your ability. Does the committee allow you to send a video, art project, or extra information? Send it all as long as it makes you look good. Seek out scholarships that specifically ask for essays if you have the ability to craft an interesting and accurate one. Demonstrating your willingness and ability to go the extra mile is a great way to show how serious you are about your future college success.

Focus on the Details and Meet All Deadlines

The smallest error can move your scholarship application to the rejected pile. If you do not meet a deadline, you will have no chance at all. Always keep track of the little things so you have a chance for approval based on your merit. Also, it is important to keep trying, go over your application, essay, and other things multiple times to ensure the most polished scholarship application package you can possibly deliver.