Calling all Seniors! Steps to Scholarship Success!
You might see a screen similar to this one when applying for scholarships. Image provided by Ekaterina Andren.
There are a lot of scholarships to apply for, whether they are for academics, sports, or military related. The first step to applying to scholarships is to simply look for them. After being accepted to a college, the college provides scholarship resources on their website. But make sure you pay attention to if the scholarship is designated for in state applicants, or if it is open to all students. Furthermore, you must qualify for certain other requirements depending on the scholarship you are applying for. Requirements are usually based on either a students GPA, SAT/ACT score, student involvement, and even a combination of all three. For more competitive scholarships, they require a students specific volunteer hours, letters of recommendation, and essays. Here are ten tips for applying to scholarships.
- Have a good GPA
- Maintain good study habits.
- Turn in all your assignments.
- Study for the SAT or ACT.
- If taking a prep course, test yourself on what you learned.
- Get a good score on the SAT or ACT.
- Get enough sleep the night before.
- Bring a calculator.
- Bring water! Stay hydrated!
- Contribute to the community by volunteering.
- Make sure you put in hours every year.
- Have some work experience.
- Best time to work is over the summer and winter.
- Make sure to write every essay that the scholarship application provides you.
- Meet the word count.
- Allow yourself enough time to apply for the scholarship.
- If the deadline is November, start preparing in the summer.
- Be aware of the deadlines.
- Make sure you know when scholarships are due and prepare for them.
- Ask for letters of recommendation ahead of time.
- Ask two months ahead of time.
- Don’t wait till the last minute or you might not get a recommendation.
- Create a resume ahead of time to show your teacher, so they can write about what you do outside of school.
- Be prepared for interviews.
- For certain scholarships there may be interview.
A personal congratulations on your final year of high school, and good luck from the Gig Harbor Sound staff!
Hello, I am Ekaterina Andren and I am a senior. Some fun facts about me are I am going to have eight varsity letters from water polo and swimming, and...
