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Scholarships Aren't Just for 'A' Students

girl sitting on steps Many students aren’t aware of the numerous scholarships that may be available to them. Those that are aware can be overwhelmed by the amount of information, the early deadlines, and specific qualifications.

Scholarships are available to students of all disciplines, backgrounds, and academic levels. Consider these:

You don’t have to be the class genius to qualify. Good marks help, but they are not always part of the criteria.
Don’t shy away from scholarships which are lesser in value than others. Apply often, and for as many as you can – even if you don’t think you meet the criteria. Being awarded multiple lower-value scholarships is just as beneficial as getting one big one! You may find that you qualify for several awards, and keep in mind that new ones are added every year.
Community involvement, talent, hobbies, leadership skills, or athletic ability are just some of the other factors that may be taken into account.
Many awards are available to students who are members of a specific club or organization. There are also several awards available to students whose parents or other family members (such as grandparents) belong to, or are employees of, specific clubs or organizations.
Make sure you continue to investigate scholarship opportunities year-round, every year, as many are created specifically for students in certain years of study.
Don’t limit your search to online. Check out everything from bulletin boards and school newspapers to student lounges for scholarship information. This includes checking with the Awards Office at school, and your faculty.

While you may be automatically considered for some scholarships, you will have to apply for others. Your main concern is meeting early deadlines. Even if you haven’t decided which school you’d like to attend, or whether you’ll be attending at all, begin investigating potential awards a year before studies begin (if it’s already past that date, then start now!). Sometimes you’ll be asked to write an essay or to provide information you will need to request by mail, such as transcripts. Many students miss out on financial help simply by waiting too long to start their scholarship search. In fact, many scholarships aren’t awarded at all because no one applied!

Awards are available from schools, employers, and organizations interested in encouraging education, like the government. Here are a few places you can look:

Ask your parents if their employer or union offers a scholarship program.
If your parent is a veteran or a child of a veteran, you may qualify for money from a veteran organization.
Talk to your school guidance counsellor or the financial aid office of the school you want to attend.
Visit the website of that school or even of another school that offers similar training. Often they’ve done a lot of the searching for you, and have scholarships categorized by program.
The Internet has a lot of scholarship information and scholarship-finding search engines. Visit the links at the bottom of this article to get you started.

Once you’ve located potential scholarships, read the qualifications very carefully. Only apply for those where you meet all the necessary criteria. Then take the time to carefully write the essay, or gather the required information, or fill in the application. Don’t put off applying and never assume you won’t get the award. Some awards are even renewable as long as you continue studies at a satisfactory level.

Advanced Education and Literacy

Scholarships Aren't Just for 'A' Students

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