How to Get a College Scholarship

Learn how to obtain a scholarship and make your college dreams a reality.

Finding a Scholarship Fit
If you want to secure those scholarship dollars, you've got to track them down-and this means starting early. Many scholarships have December deadlines, so you should start your research the beginning of senior year, if not sooner.

Know Your Strong Points
Applying for scholarships means competing with a lot of other students. What sets you apart from the rest? Figure this out, and then target the scholarships that are relevant. Are you artistic? Athletic? A strong student? A frequent volunteer?

As you make your list, don't just limit it to your skills; also consider your heritage and anything else that sets you apart. For example, are you a part of a minority group? Are you the child or grandchild of a veteran? Do you intend to pursue a unique career path?

Think Locally
Many college-bound seniors make the mistake of focusing all of their attention on national scholarships. If you're serious about getting money for school, you also need to look locally. Local scholarships receive far less attention and entries, which translates into better odds for you. Where should you look?

Try you parents' employers, your employer, clubs and organizations that you belong to, clubs and organizations that are active in your community, local businesses and even your own high school. Let everyone know that you're looking for scholarships, and you may be surprised at the opportunities that surface.

Get Organized
As you research scholarships, you're going to accumulate a lot of paperwork and deadlines to keep straight. To make your work easy, dedicate a single folder for all of your scholarship materials and post application deadlines on your calendar. Worried you'll let a deadline slip by? Set up a reminder on your computer a couple weeks before it's due, and you'll have plenty of time to get your application together.

Grab That Scholarship
Once you've made a list of scholarships that you want to apply for, it's time to impress. Here are several tips that should help you to grab that scholarship:

• Follow the application directions carefully. If you want to show off your creativity, do it in the essays, not in the way that you fill out the application. This means typing if it says to type.
• Choose your references carefully. You want to use people who will speak highly of you and who can personalize their letters with specific memories of you.
• Be yourself. If the contents of your essays bore you, chances are they will bore the judges too. Use your essays as a chance to show the judges who you are, not who you think they want you to be. Saving the judges from having to read another cookie-cutter essay could just be your ticket to scholarship dollars.
• Proofread and proofread again. You only get one chance to impress a scholarship committee, so don't let typos and grammatical errors hold you back. If you don't trust your editing skills, ask someone else to give your work the once over.
• Get it in on time. A missed deadline is a missed opportunity. Note the deadline on your application, and then get it in early.
• Customize every application. Think the same tired application package will work for each scholarship? Think again. Each application is different, and requires a different approach. Take the time to craft a unique package for each one, and you'll increase your chances of a "yes."

Obtaining a scholarship is as simple as putting in the work. Research those scholarship opportunities, and follow through with a carefully prepared application package for each one. Then sit back and wait for the mail to bring good news.