Have you seen high schools that boast that their graduating class received thousands of dollars in scholarships and thought...where did these students find this money? Where should I be looking? Is there a secret I don't know about?
There is not a secret stash! Most of those reported savings come directly from scholarship money offered by the school - some based on merit and some based on financial need. Private (and expensive) colleges often offer thousands of dollars of schoalrship money, but $20,000 off of a $60,000 tuition cost is still a large price tag. Still, it is worthwhile to apply for scholarships and see what is offered. Many students receive several small awards that can add up. If you're looking to save, here are some suggestions of where to start your search. And scroll to the bottom for a list of scholarships with fall application deadlines!
1. Start with the website of the college or university you'd like to attend
Most of the money that students receive is from the college or university that they are attending. Some of these scholarships are awarded to families who demonstrate financial need, and some of them are merit scholarships, awarded based on academic record, GPA and test scores. Some schools offer automatic merit and they publish these awards clearly on their website. For example, the University of Kansas has a chart for merit awards based on GPA for both in state and out of state applicants. An in-state student with a GPA of 3.5 or above will receive $5,000 per year. So your first step should be to check the school's website for scholarships! Be aware that many colleges require you to submit scholarship applications by December, so if you are a senior, don't wait too long to apply.
2. Your high school website's counselor's page.
Most schools do a wonderful job of listing local, regional or state scholarship deadlines with links. Some of these scholarships are only available to students from your high school, and others are available to local or state students. Your chances of winning these scholarships are much higher than national scholarships offered from large companies or sweepstakes-type entries from scholarship sites.
3. Scholarship Search Sites
If you're ready to start looking further, here are the best sites to search.
Here are a few scholarships with fall deadlines:
Due October 17 Heisman High School Scholarship
Must be a student athlete with a 3.0 GPA
Due October 22 Top of the Mountain Scholarship
In order to be eligible for this $5,000 scholarship, a student must be a high school senior or undergraduate student who has worked, interned, and/or volunteered in environmental causes. Preference is given to STEM majors, but it is not required to major in STEM to apply.
Due October 31 Voice of Democracy Scholarship
Any high school student between the grades 9-12 can apply for this $35,000 dollar scholarship. There are additional, smaller value scholarships that applicants can be awarded as well.
Due October 31 US Bank Student Scholarship
Due November 6 Ayn Rand Essay Contest
The Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest is open to high school seniors, undergraduate, and graduate students. You must write an essay of between 800 and 1,600 words on one of the three topics listed on the sponsor's website in order to be considered for this award. Cash award up to $10,000
Thursday November 9th at Chicken and Pickle A Night With K-State Engineering Scholarship (just for attending)
Representatives of K-State engineering will lead interactive presentations for students interested in pursuing an engineering career.
K-State engineering will also award one $1,000 scholarship at each event to a high school senior or transfer student in attendance.
Due November 13 Elks National Scholarship Program
The Elks National Foundation will award 500 4-year scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $7,500 per year.
Eligibility:
- Current high school seniors who are citizens of the United States
Due November 13 Eric Fisher Academy Counselor Referral Scholarship
This $1,000 cosmetology scholarship is available for high school students who are referred by their counselor. If you plan on applying, please let your school counselor know so that we are able to recommend you.
Due November 13 Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards
In order to be eligible for this scholarship, students must be enrolled in high school and graduating in spring 2024. Students must also enroll in an accredited higher education institution in 2024-2025 and be of Hispanic heritage. Additionally, students must have a minimum unweighted 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Due December 1 Rudd Foundation Scholarship
Must be a Kansas resident and qualify for in-state tuition.
Demonstrate financial need (Pell-eligible).
Will attend either Emporia State, Fort Hays State, Kansas State, or Wichita State Universities.
Due December 15 Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
You can receive a scholarship of up to $40,000
(up to $10,000/year) towards an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science and an offer to complete a summer internship at Amazon!
Due Decemeber 31 Delete Cyberbullying Scholarship
The Delete Cyberbullying Scholarship is available to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. To be considered, you must submit a maximum 500 - word essay on one of the following topics: "Why is it important to work to delete cyberbullying?" or "How has cyberbullying personally affected you?" Selection is based on the written essay and focus on commitment to the cause of deleting cyberbullying.