Many students will base at least part of their college decision on the financial aid packages their prospective schools award them. However, if your top school’s
offer isn’t everything you’d hoped for, there are a few other sources of revenue to consider.
Your high school
Many high schools have their own caches of scholarship funds to give to their graduating seniors. The types and criteria of these scholarships vary; one might be awarded for volunteer work while another celebrates student musicians. Some are also limited to members of certain clubs or organizations.
My senior year I received a scholarship from my high school’s Spanish National Honor Society, of which I was a member. I wrote an essay in Spanish and submitted some of my work from my AP Spanish class. I had worked hard at Spanish during high school and had genuinely enjoyed it, and it showed.
While some of your classmates will try for all scholarships for which they’re the teensiest bit eligible, I recommend putting extra effort into the applications you can really make shine.
Your community
Various organizations exist to serve the local community, so why not let them serve you? A community group will often give scholarships to students who meet certain criteria relating to its activities and mission.
My senior year of high school I received the Italian American Community Center (IACC) Scholar-Athlete Award (try saying that five times fast). I gave the IACC confirmation of my Italian decent, a letter of recommendation and an essay explaining what I had learned from being on my school’s tennis team, and it gave me $100 and dinner at its awards banquet.
These types of scholarships are a win-win: the organization gets to take credit for playing a part in your future success, and you get some extra cash for school. Just make sure you carefully read through the criteria before applying, as these scholarships are often very specific. No use wasting your time trying to get a scholarship for which you’re not eligible.
Your employer (and other corporations)
Many commercial organizations like to give back, too. Best Buy awards $1,000 annually to 1,000 high school students with volunteer experience. Pepsico awards scholarships to students in select urban centers, while Google has scholarships for students studying computer science or engineering.
Companies also frequently award scholarships to their employees and children of their employees. I received one from my dad’s employer, Johnson & Johnson, and a couple of my friends received ones from their employer, Wegmans (aka the best grocery store ever, for those who aren’t lucky to have one in your neighborhood). The nice thing about these scholarships is that they can usually be renewed annually, unlike others that are a one-time deal.
So if you’ve pinched every penny out of your choice college, don’t forget your other options.
Good luck!
