SCHOLARSHIPS - Five Steps to Success

You want to go to college but don't know how you will pay for it. Do you think that scholarships are only for smart people who have 4.0 GPAs? Not really! Although most scholarships are based on academics, many others are based on financial need, ethnicity, club affiliation, community service or your goals for the future.

Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Make a list that defines who you are such as activities, interests, ethnicities and goals; write down accomplishments that might impress a scholarship committee.



2. Tell people that you are serious about finding scholarships. Tell teachers, guidance counselors, coaches, ministers, friends, and librarians.



3. Before you apply for any scholarships, make sure you are a good match! Keep in mind that you are competing against other students and you're wasting your time if you don't match the criteria.



4. Double-check all of your scholarship materials for spelling and grammatical errors. Ask a friend, counselor, parent or teacher to proofread your work.



5. Apply for scholarships before the deadline. Start early so that you will have enough time to write your essay, get letters of recommendations, transcripts, etc.