Those Crazy, Wacky, Weird, Scholarships
Do you fly fish? Are you a snowboarder? An optimist? A vegetarian? A dwarf? A bowler? Are you a guy who’s over 6’2” or a girl who’s over 5’10”? Did you wear a duct tape outfit to your prom? Can you come up with a creative sandwich made with Jif peanut butter?
Believe it or not, all of the above questions relate to college scholarships ranging from $100 to $50,000. Most people think scholarships are based solely on academic performance. Not so. Scholarships are awarded for all sorts of reasons and funded by a variety of businesses, non-profit organizations and foundations.
Now I’m not saying that you can find money to completely cover four years of tuition, fees, room and board but there IS money available and all it takes is a bit of work on your part. Most college aid comes from the federal government and college endowments. But if you do some research online and spend some time completing forms, maybe doing a video, submitting artwork, or writing an essay, you may be able to find some book money for a semester, cover your gas driving from campus to home or pay for your copying fees for the year.
First, contact your high school guidance counselor and the financial aid office at the college you will be attending. Check out the scholarships they have available. High school guidance offices are often a clearinghouse for local scholarships. In Holliston, for example, the deadline for applications is Tuesday, April 15 and you can find the application and list of available scholarships on the high school’s website. Cover those bases first; then search for the crazy, wacky, weird ones.
There are web sites that are dedicated to scholarships. Sites such as Fastweb.net, scholarshipsgrants.us, Collegetoolkit, scholarships.com, collegeprowler.com/scholarships, moolahspot.com and many others list hundreds of scholarships. Some require that you complete data forms to gain access to the scholarship listings.
Just be careful as you search for scholarships because there are scam artists out there. Rule of thumb: money flows to you, not the other way around. Reputable scholarships are free to apply and don’t require any money from you. Also guard your personal information. Once you begin completing application forms you will see what the funding organizations are looking for. Bank account numbers, social security numbers and answers to security questions are NOT what you should be sharing.
These are just a few tips and guidelines related to college scholarships. I’m offering a free, one-hour scholarship workshop if you want more ideas. I’ll be at the Gilman Room, Holliston Library, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2014. Join me. College is a huge expense and finding and applying to some of the local and national scholarships that are available may make your college loans a bit lighter and save you some money.
Joanne Clary Apesos is the owner of College Pursuits, a college counseling service in Holliston. She has advised high school students and their families in planning their college experience for many years and has presented HEF (Holliston Education Foundation) workshops for students and parents about the college selection process. Prior to assisting high school students she worked in higher education for 20+ years as an admissions counselor, adjunct faculty member, and director of student activities at both public and private colleges and universities in the Northeast. She holds a master’s degree in Higher Education from Columbia University and is currently enrolled in UCLA’s College Counseling Certificate Program.