Scholarships for College Students
If you are attending or plan to attend college and have discovered how expensive secondary education is, you may wish to investigate scholarships for college students. The number and type of scholarships available is enormous. Some scholarships are awarded to students who meet certain financial criteria. Other scholarships are designed to help students who fall into a particular demographic group, such as an ethnic group or who are members of a particular gender. Some scholarships are designed to go only to students who attend a particular institution or go into a specific field of study, while other scholarships may be used at any accredited institution or for any major concentration. Corporations sometimes offer scholarships to the children of employees or members. Some scholarships are based not on financial need or who you are, but on merit and academic excellence. And of course, many scholarships are awarded based on a given skill or proficiency in an activity, such as talent at a particular sport. Given the wealth of types of scholarships available to college students, it is fair to say that with enough research and diligence, virtually everyone who wishes to pursue a scholarship for college will probably find at least one for which he or she qualifies.
Sports scholarships are perhaps one of the better-known types of scholarships available to students. Many now-famous sports stars, such as Michael Oher from the Baltimore Ravens (whose story was made famous by the movie “The Blind Side”), have attended college on athletic scholarships. In many cases, people who are awarded athletic scholarships are recruited by colleges who see athletic potential and who then help their recruits apply for scholarships based on athletic skill. In many cases, students who want to compete for a scholarship must hunt down scholarship opportunities, but many athletes have the scholarship opportunities come to them if they’re talented enough in a particular sport that is in high demand in the college arena.
Academic scholarships, on both a national and smaller-scale level, are another type of scholarship that students may wish to pursue. If a student has a history of academic excellence, he or she may wish to pursue a National Merit Scholarship (which is a national-level scholarship), or a less well-known scholarship from a smaller organizing body, such as a particular institution or company. Some of these scholarships, like the National Merit Scholarships, are available if the student takes a qualifying test; other academic scholarships require explicit application to the program, at which time all applications will be reviewed and considered.
Need-based scholarships are generally awarded to students who would have difficulty attending secondary education due to financial considerations. Often, application to a need-based scholarship requires not just an application and transcript, as many other scholarship applications require, but also documentation supporting the student’s contention that he or she is financially disadvantaged. Some need-based scholarships are national-level scholarships that can be used at any accredited institution, but others are contingent upon the student attending a particular college or university.
Scholarships can be awarded based on where you’re attending school (without regard for financial need) or what you plan to study while you’re there. Particular schools within a single university may offer scholarships; for instance, a nursing or business school within a university may offer scholarships solely to nursing or business students.
If you or your parents work for a company that offers scholarships, you may be eligible to compete for one of those. Some of these are need-based, but for others, you need only have ties to the company or organization to qualify for the scholarship.
And if you belong to a particular demographic group, often based on your gender, religion, ethnicity, race, country of origin, or age group, you may qualify for a scholarship based on these particular qualities. While it is illegal to discriminate against you on these grounds, it is entirely possible that, when seeking a scholarship, minority status will help your case.
Most scholarships, regardless of what type they are, have specific requirements for what scholarship money can be spent on. Many also have minimum requirements you must meet for as long as you’re eligible for the scholarship, such as maintaining a minimum GPA or living on-campus, for example. Some scholarships are small, and will only pay for a portion of your college education, either renewable each year or in a single lump-sum amount paid out only once per recipient. Other scholarships will pay for your entire education, including tuition, room and board, fees, books, and sometimes even transportation.
No matter what your background, your areas of expertise or special talent (such as sports or academics), your financial situation, or whatever else you have going on in your life, you will likely, if you delve hard enough, be able to find a college scholarship that will enable you to attend school at a reduced cost. Scholarships for college students are available for almost any student who works hard enough to find the opportunities available.
