Scholarships

Scholarships - A google sheet on many local & national scholarships (Please note, there are literally hundreds of scholarships available - This links focus is mostly on Local & Statewide scholarships.

• Scholarships = FREE Money, You Do Not Pay Back! 

• Remember if you only took an hour to apply to a scholarship, yet you win $500, how much $ did you make in an hour??? Anytime you spend is well worth the potential reward!

• Any hard copy of applications will be scanned & posted within their Class of 20XX in Google Classroom

• Check out the bulletin board within the College and Career Counseling Center for local/state opportunities

Additional Search Engines - You should NEVER pay for a Scholarship Search Engine - All FREE resources

1.  MCIS Students will  need to log into their account & under the Education tab on top, go to MT Scholarships - literally hundreds  listed based upon major, interests, clubs/organizations & future plans. For Parents, create an account or contact Mrs. Gaston-Smith for a general log-in.

2. College Board BigFuture  - Find specific scholarships based upon specific colleges, nationwide applications

3. Fastweb - Register to receive college and trade scholarships that fit your specific profile

4. Reach Higher MT  - Sign-up to receive a listing of MT Only Scholarships; trades, 2-year & 4-year programs

5. Going Merry - Create a personal profile and get matching scholarship offers

6. Scholarships - Sign-up to be sent unique opportunities - under Directory - you can specify by any & all categories (for example - Financial need, Race, Religion, Employer, Artistic, Age, Major, and so many more)

7. Appily - Sign-up to receive specific scholarships based upon your profile

Strategies for helping you complete any application and/or essay.

A.   Scholarship application deadlines are specific for a reason. If you turn in anything after the deadline, you have missed your opportunity.  

B.   Pay attention to your use of punctuation, grammar and spelling. Good rule is to have someone read it over for fluency & if you are answering the specific questions being asked. 

C.  Prepare letters of recommendation in advance. See the Student Profile Sheet, Parent Brag Sheet & Resume as excellent resources to than share with those you are asking to complete a recommendation - a guide for them.  

D.  When completing any essay, let your individual personality come through. Organizations are not just looking for scholastic achievement. Make sure to include your involvement in any clubs and sports within your school, volunteer and community service, honors and/or achievements, specific financial need, personal stories or valuable lessons learned.

E.  Have an answer prepared for frequently asked Essay Questions:

•  What are your short and long-term goals?

•  Describe a personal or family circumstance that has affected your achievement in school?

• What work experience do you have & are you involved with any outside school clubs and/or activities?

•  What experiences have you had related to the field of study you want to pursue in college?

F.  Good rule to keep copies of everything you submit for each scholarship & if it requires a separate Username & Password, make sure you have those!

G.  If you receive ANY scholarship, it is always appreciated to send a thank you note to the specific donor.

H.  The more scholarships you apply to, the more likely you have a chance of obtaining some. 

(Adapted from the Federal Student Aid Website.)