Skip Navigation
Edvisors Star Logo
Edvisors Logo
  • Compare Lenders
      • Compare Lenders
      • Best Private Student Loans in September 2023
      • Student Loan Comparison: Federal Loans vs Private Loans
      • Parent PLUS Loans vs Private Student Loans
      • How Does Interest on Student Loans Work?
      • Private Student Loan Cosigner: Everything you Need to Know
      • View All Articles >
      College ave student loans apply now

      This is an advertisement.

      • Compare Lenders
      • Best Student Loan Refinance Companies for September 2023
      • Federal Student Loan Repayment Plans
      • Student Loan Forgiveness: How to Get Student Loans Forgiven
      • Repayment Plans for Private Student Loans
      • Parent PLUS Loan Forgiveness
      • View All Articles >
      refinance student loans with college ave get started

      This is an advertisement.

    • Private Student Loans
    • Refinance Student Loans
  • Plan for College
      • Best Job Search Sites September 2023
      • Resumes That Get Noticed
      • High Paying Careers
      • STEM Careers
      • View All Articles >
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • Measuring Academic Fit: Reach, Match and Safety Schools
      • Need-Blind Admissions
      • How Long is a College Essay
      • When are College Applications Due
      • How to Write a Good College Essay
      • View All Articles >
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • Filing the FAFSA 2023-24: A Simple Guide for Students
      • FAFSA Deadlines for 2023-2024
      • FAFSA FAQ - Your FAFSA Questions Answered
      • View All Articles >
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • Most Popular Scholarships for College Students in 2023
      • Apply for Free Scholarships for College
      • College Scholarships for Kids
      • Most Prestigious Undergraduate Scholarships
      • Las mejores becas para estudiantes hispanos y latinos
      • View All Articles >
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • How to Pay for College
      • Tuition Payment Plans
      • Pros and Cons: Borrowing From My 401K to Pay for College
      • Paying College Tuition with a Credit Card
      • Best Ways to Pay for College Without Financial Aid
      • View All Articles >
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • Financial Aid Disbursement: When and How You Will Get It
      • Should I Pay Off My Student Loans Right Now
      • How to Minimize Student Loan Debt
      • View All Articles >
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

    • Careers
    • College Admissions
    • FAFSA
    • Scholarships
    • Paying for College
    • Student LIFE Blog
  • Student Loans
      • Filing the FAFSA 2023-24: A Simple Guide for Students
      • FAFSA FAQ - Your FAFSA Questions Answered
      • FAFSA Deadlines for 2023-2024
      • FAFSA School Codes
      • FAFSA 2023-2024 Guide & Resources
      • View All Articles >
      College ave student loans apply now

      This is an advertisement.

      • Best Private Student Loans in September 2023
      • Student Loan Comparison: Federal Loans vs Private Loans
      • Parent PLUS Loans vs Private Student Loans
      • How Does Interest on Student Loans Work?
      • Private Student Loan Cosigner: Everything you Need to Know
      • View All Articles >
      College ave student loans apply now

      This is an advertisement.

      • Filing the FAFSA 2023-24: A Simple Guide for Students
      • FAFSA FAQ - Your FAFSA Questions Answered
      • The complete guide to federal undergraduate student loans
      • What are Federal Parent PLUS Loans and How to Apply?
      • Financial Aid for Graduate School
      • Compare Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans
      • View All Articles >
      College ave student loans apply now

      This is an advertisement.

      • Best Student Loan Refinance Companies for September 2023
      • Federal Student Loan Repayment Plans
      • Student Loan Forgiveness: How to Get Student Loans Forgiven
      • Repayment Plans for Private Student Loans
      • Should You Refinance Federal Student Loans?
      • Parent PLUS Loan Forgiveness
      • View All Articles >
      Jar with coins labeled Student Loan Repayment next to text that reads Student Loan Repayment Relief.  Win $2,500 to pay down your student loan debt.  Enter Now.  FitBux EdvisorsThis is an advertisement
      • Sallie Mae Student Loan Review
      • College Ave Student Loan Review
      • SoFi Student Loan Review
      • Ascent Student Loan Review
      • View All Articles >
      College ave student loans apply now

      This is an advertisement.

    • FAFSA
    • Private Student Loans
    • Federal Student Loans
    • Repay Student Loans
    • Lender Reviews
  • Credit Cards
      • Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card Review
      • SoFi Credit Card Review
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • Best Credit Cards for 2023
      • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
      • Best 0% Introductory APR Credit Cards
      • Best Secured Credit Cards for 2023
      • Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • How to Build Credit?
      • What Age Can You Get a Credit Card?
      • What is a Secured Credit Card?
      • What is an Unsecured Credit Card?
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

    • Card Reviews
    • Best Credit Cards
    • Credit Card FAQs
  • Money Management
      • Best Budgeting Apps September 2023
      • Budgeting Tips
      • Budgeting for Beginners
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • Financial Goals
      • How to Save Money as a College Student
      • What is an Emergency Fund
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • How to Pay Off Debt
      • Debt Relief
      • What is a Debt Management Plan
      Edvisors 1000 College Scholarship

      This is an advertisement.

      • How to Check Your Credit Score
      • Best Credit Building Apps September 2023
      • What is Credit?
      Self Credit Builder: Build Credit. Build Savings. Build Dreams.

      Sponsored Ad

      • Investing for Beginners
      • Best Investment Apps September 2023
      • Understanding the Stock Market
      Invest in rental homes share by share.

      Sponsored Ad

      • What is Risk Management
      • How to Prevent Identity Theft
      • What is Insurance
      Info compromised in a breach? Don't compromise on identity theft protection.

      Sponsored Ad

    • Budgeting
    • Saving
    • Debt Management
    • Credit
    • Investing
    • Risk Management
  • Student LIFE Blog
Search Box Form
School Search Form
Advertisement Disclosure
Advertisement Disclosure
×

Edvisors (“Edvisors Network, Inc.”) provides independent advertising-supported platforms for consumers to search compare and apply for private student loans. Loan offers from participating lenders that appear on our websites are not affiliated with any college and/or universities, and there are no colleges and/or universities which endorse Edvisors’ products or services. Lender search results do not constitute an official college preferred lender list. Edvisors receives compensation from lenders that appear on this site. This compensation may impact the placement of where lenders appear on this site, for example, the order in which the lenders appear when included in a list. Not all lenders participate in our sites and lenders that do participate may not offer loans to every school.

Edvisors is not a lender and makes no representations or warranties about your eligibility for a particular loan or financial aid. Lenders are solely responsible for any and all credit decisions, loan approval and rates, terms and other costs of the loan offered and may vary based upon the lender you select. Please check with your school or lender directly for information related to your personal eligibility.

Edvisors has endeavored to provide accurate information. However, the results provided by lenders are for illustrative purposes only and accuracy is not guaranteed, as such, Edvisors assumes no responsibility for errors or omission in the information provided.

×
Get Your Free Guide to Filing the FAFSA Today!

Thank you for your interest in Edvisors' 2020-2021 Guide to Filing the FAFSA.

Please complete the form below to access your free copy.

Thank you! Click here to download your free FAFSA Guide.

I am a:

×
College knowledge starts here!

Enter your email below to receive your Student Loan Handbook from Edvisors.

Please check your email for the Student Loan Handbook.

After Navigation
Home Plan for College Scholarships College Scholarships How to Get a Scholarship
  • Contents
  • Finding a Scholarship
  •  Applying for a Scholarship
  • Winning a Scholarship
  • Be Mindful of Scholarship Scams

How to Get a Scholarship

Photo of Elaine Rubin
By Elaine Rubin
February 9, 2022
Email This Article
Fill out the form below to send a copy of this article to your email.
By clicking "Submit" I have read and agree to the Edvisors' Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We strongly encourage you to read our Privacy Policy to understand how we use and share your information.
A copy of this article has been sent to your email.

When it comes to getting a scholarship, you should understand how to find the best ones for you, be able to put forth your best application, and then understand what happens when you win.  Scholarships are a form of gift-aid, meaning it’s money you don’t have to pay back, except in very rare instances.  With scholarships being “free” money, it makes them very desirable and therefore the competition for scholarships can be fierce, so know it might take some work and effort.  

Scholarships come in all forms and sizes. They can vary widely in the amount awarded from as little as a couple hundred dollars to full rides, which cover most, if not all, of the cost of attending college. They can be based on academics, athletics, demographics, or even won via a sweepstakes. There’s no shortage of opportunities to pursue. While it can be overwhelming to know where to start, we can help you organize your efforts to give you the best chances of winning as much college money as you can.

Key Takeaways

  • Consider your academic accomplishments and any unique talents and/or traits you possess that could qualify you for scholarships.
  • Write an impressive essay that conveys who you are in a clear, compelling way; start early, have others review it before submitting it.
  • Follow the instructions carefully; get organized by creating a spreadsheet outlining the requirements and deadlines of each scholarship you want to apply for.
  • Build relationships with faculty members or alumni who can help you determine which scholarships are best for you.

Finding a Scholarship

Given there are quite a few scholarships to apply to, try to be selective in the scholarships you decide to pursue and match them to your strengths, skills, traits, and interests. The more scholarships you apply to, the more likely you are to receive some money to help pay for school. 

More>>> Weird, Unusual, and Unique College Scholarships

Read the Terms and Conditions

A piece of advice is to look at the scholarship’s eligibility requirements and guidelines before beginning your application (as some can be time consuming). It can be disheartening to fill out an application only to realize you don’t qualify by the time you get to the end. By checking the requirements beforehand, you can save yourself time in the long run.

One of the best places to begin looking for scholarships, is to contact the school you are applying to and see what they offer.  After that, consider your local community and current affiliations (such as memberships in organizations, etc.) to see if they are offering scholarships you qualify for.  Finally, there is always the internet.  

School-Specific Scholarships

Schools often want to assist students who need financial help.  Many have access to scholarships that are set aside for certain majors or areas of study. Check with the financial aid office of your school or the schools you are applying to, to find out what could be available for you.  Additionally, colleges and universities often offer merit scholarships for incoming freshmen who have high GPAs or SAT/ACT test scores. 

Check with the school’s website or talk to the financial aid office, they may require you to complete the FAFSA or another financial aid application to award you a merit scholarship. This is not a situation that you want to assume that you don’t need to complete the FAFSA, even if you aren’t relying on financial aid to pay for college. 

Find Local Scholarships

Not only are there scholarships online, but there may be local opportunities that you don’t even know exist.  Check with your high school guidance counselor for a list of local scholarships. Some school alumni associations or school districts will offer scholarships to graduating students. Local scholarships are usually for a smaller pool of students, and the fewer the applications, the better your chances to win if you meet all the eligibility criteria. If you do qualify,  you don’t want to miss out on these opportunities. 

Don’t be shy, be vocal and ask parents, teachers, mentors, and coworkers about possible scholarships they know about. Look for local scholarships with your church, place where you work or volunteer, local chapters of groups or organizations, where you or your parents may have a membership or affiliation, and even check where your parents/guardians work. 

Scholarship Sites Online

If you go online and search for college scholarships, you will get pages and pages of results which can be too much to filter through. This search can be overwhelming, but there are a number of scholarship data bases and search sites like our site, StudentScholarshipSearch that can speed up and streamline your hunt by asking you a few questions that will match you to prospective scholarships. 

Try to update your profile yearly, as your qualifying factors may change. By having the most current information, these sites can pull relevant scholarships to help you apply for the ones you have the greatest odds of winning. 

Part of your scholarship strategy should be to mix up the types of scholarships you apply to, as far as effort. While there are some scholarships that require essays, while other scholarships are simple, sweepstakes based, and don’t require an essay. For example, the sweepstakes-based scholarships we offer through ScholarshipPoints.com. ScholarshipPoints allows you to earn points to enter into scholarships. Every month ScholarshipPoints has three $1,000 scholarships, and one $2,500 scholarship. 

 Applying for a Scholarship

After you have identified the scholarships that you want to apply for, the best strategy for success is to get organized.  It’s a good idea to make a file or spreadsheet for your scholarship quest and organize entries according to due dates. Set your own due dates for each scholarship and try to give yourself an extra week or two to submit. If the scholarship entry page is open, you don’t have to worry about being too early. 

Try to keep copies of all your documents in case they are lost or corrupted. To stay on track with your scholarship search, you might also want to print out the scholarship application and cross off each portion as you complete it. Applications may require a variety of different items in your submission. 

Many scholarships may request the same information or documentation. It’s helpful to have the following items organized and available for easy access, to move more quickly through the application process:

• ACT/SAT test scores 

• High school transcripts (have copies of both official and unofficial transcripts)

• Personal Resume

• Awards

• Best previously written essays to help write future essays

• At least two individuals who have agreed to write you a letter of recommendation 

Writing a Scholarship Essay

Students are often looking for easy money and frequently skip over scholarships that require essays. Scholarship essays are usually kept to 500 words or less which roughly equates to two double-spaced pages.  

It’s not uncommon for scholarship essays to cover similar topics allowing you to use portions of your previous essays when possible—but be sure to modify your writing based on the scholarship prompt, audience and add some level of customization. For example, you may have two scholarships with the same essay prompt, “What is your greatest strength/weakness?” Well, you just happened to be a talented musician and athlete. One scholarship your soccer coach told you about and is offering $1,000 by your county parks and recreation department, while the other you heard about from your piano teacher which is $1,000 being offered by the state piano association. While you can use the same strength and weakness, you should be customizing each essay for your audience—discuss how you used your strength to overcome your weakness to help you become a better soccer player for the parks and recreation department, and the essay for the piano association should discuss how it made you a better musician or prepare for a performance. 

Before you hit the submit button, think about doing the following checks to make sure your submission is the best it can be: 

1.      Re-read your essay aloud and correct your mistakes

2.      Give yourself some space away from your submission and let your writing sit for a day or two before re-reading it

3.      Come back and review your writing to try and find points missed or areas of confusion

4.      Find a trusted adult to look over the essay prompt and your response and give you final feedback

Once you have written your essay(s), filled out the application and uploaded requested information, you are ready to submit your documents.  Before turning in your application, check it against the given requirements while paying close attention to details such as due dates and essay word counts. This will ensure your submission meets the minimum requirements and you are eligible to potentially win. 

Winning a Scholarship

The early bird gets the worm and the same goes for scholarships. If the scholarship entries are open, there is no reason why you can’t apply before the deadline. Remember, it’s best to give yourself some extra time before all due dates. You don’t want a computer being corrupted, or a late letter of recommendation knock you out of the running for an application. 

Some colleges and states may have scholarship opportunities on a first-come, first serve basis. (Remember to double-check to see what applications are needed to apply!) If your school is known to offer merit scholarships, they may have limited funds. If you are required to submit a FAFSA for merit aid from your school, it’s recommended that you complete your application as soon as it opens—Oct. 1 for all terms that start the following July 1. 

More>>>FAFSA Deadlines

If you don’t receive a confirmation response upon submission of your scholarship application, attempt to reach out after 7-10 days to verify the scholarship provider has received your submission. They may not get back to you with a response depending on the number of applicants. Don’t be discouraged, as this follow-up email is just to show that you are on top of your scholarship game and keep your name visible to the scholarship decision makers. You want to convey to them just how eager you are to win.  

If the scholarship application didn’t indicate a decision date, be aware that scholarship committees typically make final decisions a month or two after the final submission deadline. You should ask for any feedback they have on your application and if there is anything else you can provide to aid them in the decision-making process. They might not respond to you, but any feedback can be useful for future applications. 

Be Mindful of Scholarship Scams

Scholarships are typically free, so be wary if there are costs associated with applying to a scholarship. Gift-aid usually doesn’t require you to pay money to receive money. If a scholarship seems too good to be true, it usually is.

A few tips to stay safe from scams are:

• Keep banking or credit card information private. 

• Be wary of an online scholarship matching or search tool that require payment to use.

• Look for spelling or grammatical errors on the scholarship website.

• Be cautious of winning a scholarship you never applied to or heard of.

More>>> Scholarship Scams and How to Report Them

Receiving scholarship money is a helpful way to financially cover the costs of college when federal student aid might not be enough. As you work hard to find and apply to scholarships, you may be discouraged when you don’t win right away.  Remember that each application gives you another chance of earning funds to help chase your dreams. It’s advisable that you make an effort to apply for scholarship funds throughout your college career and be on the lookout for resources to help you on your path to success. 

Get this article in your inbox.
Email This Article

Related Content

Apply for Free Scholarships for College
Edvisors Network
July 31, 2023
Free scholarships for college students can make college dreams come true. Check out Edvisors list of free scholarships and tools for making your scholarship search easier!
Read Article
College Scholarships for Kids
Edvisors Network
March 16, 2022
You don’t have to be an incoming or current college student to start the search for scholarships. Check out this list of college scholarships for kids starting at five years old!
Read Article
Scholarship Matching Services
Edvisors Network
July 31, 2023
There are several high-quality free scholarship matching services. Students should sign up for at least two of the free scholarship databases to make sure they’ve found all eligible scholarships.
Read Article
Could You Be Saving More?
Subscribe to Edvisors' Student LIFE Newsletter to receive up-to-date financial aid information and advice, explore scholarship opportunities, loan repayment options, and learn expert strategies on how to plan and pay for college.
Newsletter Form
By clicking "Subscribe" I have read and agree to the Edvisors' Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We strongly encourage you to read our Privacy Policy to understand how we use and share your information.
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
We care about your privacy

This website uses cookies to offer you the most relevant marketing and targeted advertisements which in some states may be considered a sale of your personal information. You may exercise your right to opt out by clicking on deny cookies. Please accept cookies for the optimal experience. You can withdraw or modify your consent for non-essential cookies at any time by visiting Cookie Settings page.

  • About Us
  • Websites
  • Careers
  • Team
  • Testimonials

  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Tools and Calculators
  • Video Resources
  • Financial Terms Glossary
  • Site Map

  • Edvisors In the News
  • Press

  • Help
  • Ask the Edvisor
  • Student Aid FAQ
  • Directions

  • Advertise
  • Become an Affiliate
  • Become a Contributor
  • Link to Us

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • General Website Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Notice at Collection
  • Cookie Settings
  • Your Privacy Choices Your Privacy Choices Icon

Better Business Bureau logo

Edvisors provides expert advice on planning and paying for college. On Edvisors.com easily compare student loan lenders, learn how to apply for financial aid, and discover scholarships. Learn about federal and private student loans for students and parents, how and when to apply to college, and more!

Edvisors (“Edvisors Network, Inc.”) provides independent advertising-supported platforms for consumers to search compare and apply for private student loans. Loan offers from participating lenders that appear on our websites are not affiliated with any college and/or universities, and there are no colleges and/or universities which endorse Edvisors’ products or services. Lender search results do not constitute an official college preferred lender list. Edvisors receives compensation from lenders that appear on this site. This compensation may impact the placement of where lenders appear on this site, for example, the order in which the lenders appear when included in a list. Not all lenders participate in our sites and lenders that do participate may not offer loans to every school.

Edvisors is not a lender and makes no representations or warranties about your eligibility for a particular loan or financial aid. Lenders are solely responsible for any and all credit decisions, loan approval and rates, terms and other costs of the loan offered and may vary based upon the lender you select. Please check with your school or lender directly for information related to your personal eligibility.

Edvisors has endeavored to provide accurate information. However, the results provided by lenders are for illustrative purposes only and accuracy is not guaranteed, as such, Edvisors assumes no responsibility for errors or omission in the information provided.

Copyright © 1998-2023 by Edvisors Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

All other trademarks and service marks displayed on Edvisors Network, Inc. websites are the property of their respective owners.

Edvisors Network, Inc. 350 S. Rampart Blvd, Suite 200, Las Vegas, NV 89145

Copyright © 2023 by Edvisors.com. All rights reserved.

×

Edvisors $1,000 Scholarship


Have you entered the monthly $1,000 scholarship?

 Hammer about to break a piggy bank

Don't break the bank just yet! You could win $1,000.


Enter Now