By Sarah Ostergaard
Is someone you know considering college? Higher education does not have to break the bank, but it does take academic focus, participation in extracurricular activities, and a bit of essay-writing to earn scholarships.
First, students and a parent should complete the FAFSA, the federal Free Application For Student Aid. The form is online. From here, colleges determine the financial aid package that can include need-based grants (money that does not need to be paid back), subsidized student loans (money borrowed from the U.S. Dept. of Education that needs to be paid back in installments after graduation; interest begins to accrue at graduation), unsubsidized federal loans (money borrowed from the U.S. Dept. of Education that needs to be paid back in installments after graduation; interest begins to accrue when the loan is accepted), and/or work study (an on-campus job).
But those are not the only ways to pay for college. There are scholarships (money that does not need to be paid back) available and they take a little more work to earn. The work begins early in a student’s high school career: maintain the highest grades possible and get involved in extracurricular activities. Both are essential. High grades can show that the student knows how to work hard. Extracurricular activities demonstrate commitment, time management, and interests. Whether participation in sports, leadership in a school club, community service, activities through a civic organization like Scouts, and/or employment, pursuing something outside of school hours shows that the applicant is well-rounded and can manage his or her time. High grades and time management are clues that the applicant might survive college and suggest the scholarship money will be put to good use.
Where to find scholarships? The student’s school counseling office maintains a list of scholarships, so it is wise to start there. Next, a focused internet search will also provide options. Be wary of sites that take contact information to simply send spam – this is why a focused search is needed. There are scholarships for all sorts of situations.
First, look for local ones even if the amount seems small compared with the cost of tuition. Every $1,000 helps and the applicant pool is smaller. These are offered by local civic groups and the volunteers who provide them are thrilled to help local students pursue their dreams. For example, the Irmo Rotary Club, St. Andrews Woman’s Club, the Irmo High School Education Foundation, and Seven Oaks Plant Shop offer scholarships for students attending our specific high schools. In addition, does the student’s place of worship offer scholarships? A parent’s employer?
Next, look for state-level awards of funding. The SC State Fair Ride of Your Life scholarship provides fifty (50) $10,000 scholarships to SC high school students planning to study at any college, university, or technical college in the state. There are also scholarships based on planned major. For example, SCDNR partners with a statewide nonprofit to offer a $20,000 scholarship to students studying environmental / natural resources, etc. at a college or university in SC, an $8,000 scholarship for students studying journalism / media / communications in SC, and a $2,000 scholarship for students studying law enforcement / criminal justice in SC.
For students who have maintained high grades throughout high school, there are SC lottery scholarships for use for higher education in SC: Palmetto Fellows, Life, and SC Hope scholarships. These are determined solely by a student’s GPA and/or class rank and a minimum SAT or ACT score – no essay required. Note that every 11th grader in SC has the opportunity to take the SAT or ACT during the school day at no cost, but the student has to (a) sign up and (b) take the test seriously. There are also fee waivers available from a student’s school counseling office to retake the test.
Colleges and universities may offer additional opportunities to apply for scholarships specific to their schools based on the student’s application. Students have to be on top of emails during the application period to make sure they don’t miss an opportunity.
There are national scholarships, but also many websites that simply send spam. This is not intended to dissuade anyone from applying for the larger awards; the student’s school counselor can point him or her to the best sites for national scholarships.
Deadlines creep up quickly. Many scholarships are due at the end of January and yet others aren’t yet added to an organization’s website. Keep checking back or send a polite email inquiry as needed. A student should have a trusted friend, teacher, or family member review the application for typos and completion. Sometimes a student discounts an activity that should be included. For example, if a student has limited extracurricular activities because the family needs him or her to work or babysit siblings, include that in the application. The application should provide a well-rounded picture of how the student spends his or her time.
