In financial aid lingo they're called third party scholarships. They are need based and merit scholarships that are not disbursed by state scholarship programs, institutions or even federal programs. For the student, it's extra money. It is also extra work, but it can be “oh, so worth it!”
One word of caution: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER....oh by the way, did I say NEVER pay someone to help your student "find the right scholarship for them." There are people out there claiming that they will help find scholarships for you, fill out your FAFSA and many other things for a fee. In order to receive financial aid of any sort, you will have to fill out the free FAFSA.
All you have to do is type “scholarships” in any search engine and you will come up with pages of websites. Websites such as Zinch, Fastweb, and Cappex, allow students to put in profile information and then they match the student up with potential scholarships. These sites also have tips for college admissions. These websites aren’t just for juniors and seniors either. Even sophomores can apply for some of the scholarships.
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| Sample Scholarship Application |
Companies such as Best Buy, Walmart, Burger King, Lowe’s and Coca-Cola also have scholarships that your student can submit online. My one word of caution with these is they are very time intensive. My two oldest daughters spent a lot of time filling out online applications with no success. My youngest daughter chose not to make applications to any of the programs listed above. Parents or other adults can also nominate students for Kohl’s which has a service scholarship program. The adult nominating the student will need access to all of their academic information, extra- curricular activities and information specific to their service involvement.
Other available scholarships are much closer to home. If you’re a member of a credit union, check to see if they offer scholarships. You can also try service organizations such as Rotary Club or Lions Club to see if they offer scholarships. Sometimes you have to know someone in the organization who is willing to sponsor your student. The Elk’s Lodge has a national, state and local scholarship program. Your student may have to write essays for these scholarships. According to a high school guidance counselor, students who are willing to write the essays are more likely to get scholarships. During a Financial Aid session at my daughter’s freshmen orientation, the financial aid representative suggested contacting the guidance counselor at rival high schools to see what scholarships they’re suggesting to their students.
Finally, be aware of deadlines and what each scholarship requires for submission. Some scholarships are very specific down to the type of folder you must submit the scholarship application in and the type of supporting documents/materials you must include.
Be a cheerleader for your student. Between college applications, honors program applications, and scholarship applications my youngest daughter wrote between 12-15 essays. She was weary~~~ We found out about a scholarship opportunity just a week before it was due. Did I mention she was weary? She had to write another essay and get supporting materials together in just a week, but it was “oh, so worth it!”
Until Next Time,
Johnna
