One of the biggest mistakes I made when figuring out how to finance my education was not checking out scholarships very thoroughly. I applied to a few of the big ones offered by my state which didn’t require much in the way of an application, were very competitive and of course, turned me down despite the fact I was a good student. Most of my friends did the same and got the same results- we all used loans (and whatever grant money we could get from the FASFA) and are now broke after graduation.
One friend, however, spent hours during his senior year applying for literally hundreds of scholarships. Some required only a simple form, others asked for more time-consuming things like essays and recommendation letters. He applied for any he was eligible for, bugged his teachers for letters and spent time writing essays (though he was able to use both the letters and essays for multiple applications). The scholarships tended to be small, usually anywhere from $100 to $1,000 one-time, but $500 here and $200 there quickly adds up. Because not a lot of people took the time to apply for these small beans, his chances of getting them were greatly improved and get them he did. This friend, through these scholarships and state financial aid, paid for four years of college, room and board, books, and then some at the same university as me.
So if you’re in high school or the parent of someone in high school, check these out. A few hours spent now could save you thousand of dollars later.
