Scholarships

Scholarships are financial awards given to students by colleges, universities, or other organizations. A scholarship is an opportunity for students to reach their educational goals and save money on their educational expenses. There are many different types of scholarships, and many different places to look for scholarships. Be aware that scholarship applications have deadlines and may require an essay, recommendation letters, and various other information, so make sure to start early, read carefully through all requirements, and stay organized.

Start at the colleges you are applying to. Scholarships from individual institutions may have the highest return since one application is typically used for all scholarship money.

• Go to your college/university website and search for "scholarships" 

Merit Based: Scholarships that are awarded based on a student's academic qualifications with no consideration for financial need.

Need Based: Scholarships that are awarded based on financial need. Students may have to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for some need based scholarships. 

Athletic Based: Scholarships that are typically only given out to high performing athletes who show great promise in their specific sport. 

Ethnicity Based: Scholarships that are awarded to students of specific minority groups or students of a specific ethnicity. These scholarships may also have academic or financial need requirements.