Knocking Down Scholarship Barriers
As the new school year begins, one concern rings on my mind, and the minds of students at universities all over the nation: Where will I get the money I need? All of the expenses that come with being in college crop up all at once: Books, tuition, supplies, the black-light you need for your dorm room, all hit you like a ton of bricks.
Financial aid through your school can offer some help. But most students end up taking out student loans that they will be paying back into their golden years. Now more than ever, looking for help from outside the normal financial aid system is crucial when trying to finance what should be one of the best times of your life. Why pay for your own education if you can get some else to do it?
One of the biggest problems you may have with applying for scholarships is not the application. It's the doubts you have about your eligibility, which end up becoming "walls," put up around the cash you need. Let me help you break down some of those walls by "keeping it real."
Barrier 1
"My family makes too much money"
Keep It Real: Not all scholarships are based on need! There are many scholarships that are need-blind. Many funds that use need as a component also look at a lot of other factors as well, and allow you to explain your situation as a part of the application process.
Barrier 2
"I have a low GPA"
Keep It Real: Most scholarships are not based on GPA alone. Some have requirements as low as 2.50, or none at all. While GPA is a good measure of student ability, judges know it is not the total measure of the student. Speaking with judges, I've learned that the "whole person" is taken into account, not just their grades.
Barrier 3
"I'm not a woman, minority, or an athlete"
Keep It Real: While there are some scholarships for these groups, know that these are the funds that get a lot of media attention. Most funds could care less if you can bench press an athletic 285 lbs, or can't claim minority status. These scholarships are where I was awarded a large part of my money for school.
I know what you're thinking. "OK, so there is cash, but where do I look for the money I need"? The Web is a good place to start.
Sites like WiredScholar.com, CollegeView.com, and FastWeb.com, are great tools for finding scholarships. They perform searches based on what you are into and want to do. Sites like these are where I found the money I needed to attend school.
The point of this story is that there is money, but you have to look and be willing to work for it. The key to scholarships is the fact that it is competitive. No one will just come up to you and say, "Hey, want some free money"? The ones who look are usually the ones who win.
Jose Vazquez, a marketing major at Western Illinois University, has been awarded 27 scholarships, amassing more than $100,000 in aid to date. He is the author of the book Free Cash For College: The Everyday Students Guide To Financial Aid, available at vazquezmedia.com. He can be reached at Scholarshipguru@youngmoney.com .
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