Scholarships
Why Scholarships?
Apply, Apply, Apply
The only way to have a shot at winning scholarships is to apply for scholarships. You’ll hear it time and time again – apply early, and apply often.
It’s worth it
Say you spend 3 hours writing an essay for a scholarship worth $1000, and you end up getting that scholarship. You just made $333/hr
Kindergarten Confidence
Don’t get discouraged
Student story:
Sam Lim: 87 scholarships applied to, 16 received. Over $250,000 in scholarships. 4 out of 5 times he was rejected
Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
Common Scholarship Criteria
Scholarship Databases
The Community
Avoiding Fraud
Never pay money to submit a scholarship application
If they ask for sensitive information (i.e. credit card info, mother’s maiden name), it’s likely a scam
No one can guarantee you a scholarship, especially if you never applied
Application Components
Degree Audit - To determine freshman or sophomore status
https://www.public.ctc.edu/DAStudentWeb/Login.aspx?col=230
(Not 100% accurate, please still do a degree audit with an advisor in LYN)
3 important Questions-Sound Familiar?
Work smart, not hard
A lot of what you write in your personal statement to university can be reused on a scholarship application. Prompts will typically ask…
Tip for Writing
SHOW: This is more effective
As the first person in my family to attend college, I had to convince my brothers and sisters that higher education was a worthwhile pursuit. Although my brothers made fun of me for attending community college, I never wavered in my dedication to succeed.
TELL:
I’ve overcome a lot of obstacles in life
Misconception
“There are no scholarships out there for me” → Not True
The top criteria for scholarships are:
A lot of scholarship money goes unawarded/they don’t get as many applicants as expected
There is a scholarship out there for everyone
Using the right words
Outdated scholarship issues?
You may find on your search that some scholarships have deadlines that aren’t up-to-date. For example, it’s January 2019 and the scholarship says it’s deadline is March 2018.
Most scholarships are annual which means they offer it again every year
Be proactive. Email them to double check!
What could an email look like?
This is an email that I sent to a scholarship provider:
They responded the next day and within two weeks the scholarship info was updated on their website
Always say thank you
Template
Hi,
My name is _______ and I’m calling/emailing about the _____ scholarship. I’m interested in applying and would like more information about the application process, eligibility, and deadlines.
Thank you very much for your help. I look forward to submitting my application.
Best,
(Your Name)
Know your deadlines
Scholarship applications open months in advance. They (usually) expect all materials to be ready by the deadline
Make a list, chart, to-do list...whatever works for you!
Scholarship Name | Deadline | Materials Needed |
WSOS | Feb 28th | Application form Transcript Essay FAFSA/WAFSA |
Anderson Sobel | June 28th | Application form Letter of Rec |
| | |
It will take time, but it will pay off. Literally.
Small scholarship amounts will rack up.
Schedule some time to do it. You won’t do it otherwise
Ask someone else to keep you accountable
Questions?
WA State Opportunity Scholarship
WA State Opportunity Scholarship
Let’s walk through the application:
EdCC Foundation Scholarship