Your Scholarship Opportunities

Based on your responses, I have created personal recommendations for you. This plan will help you receive the maximum financial aid for college. Enjoy!

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Entrepreneur (business owner) Scholarships:

About: Many students pursue a degree to seek employment in a large corporation or other organization. They often gain some years of experience before leaving the corporate environment to open their own business. Those students who wish to open a business immediately following graduation are a minority and that gives them an advantage when it comes to scholarships. If you know early that you are pursuing an entrepreneurial lifestyle, there are scholarships that may support your endeavors.

How to Apply: The first step is to select a college or university that has a major in entrepreneurship. Some colleges do not have such a unique major. Some colleges to consider include Syracuse University, Ohio State, North Carolina, Purdue, Brigham Young, Yale, Northwestern, Duke, and MIT.

Helpful Links:
15 Scholarships For Entrepreneurs
Scholarships For Entrepreneurs
Best Schools For Entrepreneurs

Fraternity and Sorority Scholarships

About: If you’re planning to apply to a fraternity or sorority, you may have the opportunity to receive some scholarship money! There are many types of fraternities and sororities. Some are within the Greek system, while others are based around a specific area of study such as engineering or music. The requirements for scholarships are as diverse as the fraternities and sororities themselves. Some of these scholarships are offered to high school seniors while others are awarded for specific activities or accomplishments during the college years.

How to Apply: Most fraternities and sororities have a process for admission. This may involve your choice of major, your academic accomplishments, a “rush” process of getting to know you, and the payment of dues. If you are accepted into the organization, you may have the opportunity to pursue scholarship money. Check with the chapter or the school for details.

Helpful Links:
Sorority Scholarships
Fraternity Scholarships
Sigma Kappa Scholarships

Army National Guard Scholarships:

About: The Army National Guard requires one weekend of training each month plus a two-week training period each year. All National Guard members must complete 10 weeks of Basic Combat Training. For some, the Guard involves local and regional service which allows you to maintain a career or continue your education; however, you may also face oversees deployment if the need arises. Educational benefits include federal assistance of up to $4,000 per semester. In addition, they provide State Assistance of up to $9,000/year. Reserve soldiers are capped at $4,500 per year.

How to Apply: Before speaking with a recruiter, be aware that once you join, you are required to serve. See the links below or speak with a local recruiter for additional information.

Helpful Links:
National Guard Scholarships
National Guard By State
Guard Scholarships

Community Service Scholarships

About: Are you the type of person who inspires others through their commitment to community and service? Do you work hard to help people to learn, grow and prosper? Do you work as a tutor or a mentor to share your expertise with those less fortunate? If so, a community service scholarship may be the reward that you deserve. There are thousands of awards for volunteering. Some are highly competitive or involve essays. Others are focused on average students who have worked hard in their community.

How to Apply: If you are currently serving in a volunteer capacity, speak with your director about possible scholarships. If you are looking for an opportunity to serve, see the links below.

Helpful Links:
Community Service Scholarships
Scholarships for Volunteering
13 Volunteer Scholarships

Lower-competition Scholarships

About: The scholarships that are the most well-known are the ones with the largest financial awards. Of course, this usually means they also receive the most applicants. This tip all comes down to the odds of success. Would you rather have a 5% chance of winning a $500 scholarship or a 0.002% chance of winning $25,000. Small scholarship can add up and very few people apply for those between $250 and $500.

How to Apply: See the link below.

Helpful Links:
Community Service Scholarships
Easy scholarships
Less Competitive Scholarships

Employer Tuition Reimbursement

About: Tuition reimbursement plans involve a corporate employer reimbursing you for approved college courses that you have completed successfully. These plans vary by employer but may be available to both full time and part time employees. Plans differ, but some pay as much as 80% of the tuition cost, often based on the employee’s final grade in the course. The total amount may be capped, but the median reimbursement is $5,250 for undergraduates. Be aware that receiving reimbursement may impact other financial aid awards.

How to Apply: If you are currently employed, speak with your manager or a Human Resources representative. Otherwise, search for companies in your area that offer tuition reimbursement programs.

Helpful Links:
Tuition Reimbursement Companies
Part Time: Starbucks Education
Chipotle’s Education

Hobby Scholarships

About: Although these scholarships are typically smaller awards, they may also have lower levels of competition. If you have a hobby or specific area of interest, there may be money available for you. Many of these unique scholarships may require other selection criteria such as financial need, membership in an organization, academic achievement, or participation in a specific event. For example, the “Unicycling Society of America Leadership Scholarships” are restricted to unicyclists who will attend their annual convention.

How to Apply: Some of these scholarships may not be widely publicized. Check with the organizations that support your hobby or interest.

Helpful Links:
Hobby Scholarships
Scholarships by Interest
Unusual Scholarship List

Service for Scholarships

About: For many students, the opportunity to give back is an important part of their growth and development. If you would like to take a year between high school and college to serve others, there are financial benefits in addition to the chance to help. Members of AmeriCorps serve from 3 months to a year providing service within the United States. Educational awards are up to $6,195 for full time members with one year of service.

How to Apply: There are several service paths that you can consider including fighting poverty on a local basis or traveling the country as part of a service team. See the link below for details.

Helpful Links:
Americorps Scholarships
Americorps Education Award
Americorps Award Amounts

Religious Organization Scholarships

About: Religious affiliation is a highly personal area that often forms the basis of a person’s spiritual, family and social life. Those followers who choose involvement in a religious organization may find highly selective scholarship opportunities available to members of their faith. Religious organizations often have scholarships or fellowships available for their followers or deserving members of the community.

How to Apply: Requirement vary widely depending on the religious organization. Some may require active membership for a specified time. Others may require service obligations within the organization or community in order to be considered. Some scholarships will have a need-based component while others are based only on merit or service.

Helpful Links:
Religious Scholarships List
By Religious Affiliation
Religious Scholarships

Fellowships

About: In comparison to scholarships, fellowships are more commonly awarded to graduate students. These are highly competitive awards that often require a significant commitment to advanced study or service within a specific field. Before applying for a fellowship, you should be aware of the amount of work and the high expectations that are required if you are granted the award.

How to Apply: There will be a substantial amount of effort involved in securing a fellowship. Before applying, make sure the project is something that you feel passionate about. You will likely need an essay, a portfolio of your related work and positive recommendations from someone in the field. See the attached link for more detail.

Helpful Links:
Applying to a Fellowship
Fellowships Programs
How To Find Fellowships

CSS Profile Form

About: Many elite and private colleges use an additional financial aid form called the CSS Profile. This form allows students to apply for non-federal financial aid. Each year the CSS Profile provides access to more than $9 billion in financial aid. There are hundreds of top schools that require the CSS during their financial aid process. Use the link below to determine if your school is a participant. Be aware that the deadline for submission of the CSS varies by school but is typically between January 1 and March 31. There are benefits to applying early.

How to Apply: See the website for details. You will need significant financial documentation on-hand including current year income, tax returns, financial assets, W-2 forms, etc.

Helpful Links:
Apply with CSS Profile
Getting Started: CSS
Tour CSS Profile Overview

FAFSA Tip

About: FAFSA rewards those who do not procrastinate. The earlier you file, the more grant money you are likely to receive. In some cases, your financial aid award could be almost twice as much as those who wait until the last minute. For the 2020-2021 academic year, you may file FAFSA as early as October 1, 2019. The last day (deadline) for filing is June 30, 2021.

How to Apply: Have your documents in order (see link) and be ready to apply on the first day. Make sure that all your paperwork is complete and accurate, so you don’t have to update and refile later. Note that you’ll need your FSA ID three days prior to using it on FAFSA.

Helpful Links:
FAFSA Requirements
FAFSA Deadlines
What's the FAFSA?

Essay Tip

About: It’s a sad fact that most students will not write an essay to have a chance of winning a scholarship. If you’re one of the 10% or so who will do the work, your odds of success are significantly higher. Look back through your school work. It’s possible you already have one solid essay that could be a starting point. You can also use a single essay for multiple applications with only minor changes. Just make sure it really is your work. Even if you start from scratch and it takes you two hours to write, it’s still worth it. What other job could you get where you could make $500 or $1000 for two hours work?

How to Apply: Get their attention. Make it personal, not generic. Focus on the assigned topic. Watch your structure. Check for spelling, grammar and punctuation. Try to surprise the reader. Avoid negativity. Be passionate. Make it about real life. Inspire them.

Helpful Links:
Crafting a College Essay
Essay Scholarships
Essay Essentials

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This information is for educational purposes only and is not financial or professional advice. Be aware that each state and each college may have different requirements. Suggested links are provided as examples only. These links are not associated with CareerTest.com and we do not warrant their use. Please check with your CPA, Financial Advisor, or Financial Aid Officer to determine how this general information may apply to your situation.