Scholarships - searching for them

[adventure_woman]

I am going to be searching for scholarships for my nephew to apply for. Any tips/websites/etc you have found helpful?

 

[tvguy]

1) Employer of the child's parents....especially if owned by a larger corporation.
2) Local businesses like your local grocery store chain.
3) Local service organization, Elks, Moose, VFW, Kiwanis.
4) Your church.
5) Trade or Professional associations or unions parents may belong to.
6) The college the child plans to go to. A few years ago the IRS cracked down on colleges that were sitting on billions in endowment money, and not handing it out.
7) If the child is of a specific culture or ethnic group, there are social groups that give scholarships

 

[TLuvsD]

There are many search sites, fastweb.com is one of the largest.
Check the counseling office at the high school, or the high school website. Sometimes the school district website publishes a list (ours is called an Academic Bulletin, so search around).

Local groups can be very generous--our D received $2000 from the local Elks.

A through resume of activities is your first step. Accurate GPA/Test Scores/Extra Curricular activity/Volunteer commitments is needed for almost all the applications.

 

[katiee37]

In my area most of the elementary and middle school PTA/PTSA offered scholarships to former students

 

[njmom47]

Is there any hope if ds has average grades?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Scholarships for what? Summer Camp? Private secondary school? College?

 

[crisi]

Is there any hope if ds has average grades?

Depends on the scholarship. Average grades won't hurt too much if the scholarship is for "sons of DISBoard members named njmom47." In other words, there are some scholarships that have very few applicants.

I got a full ride my senior year off a scholarship that was given to three people - only five applied - and probably less than 20 qualified to apply. It wasn't grade based, it was for student leader volunteers.

 

[brymolmom]

IMO - local ones are the way to go (local churches, credit unions, employers) - because you might have a decent chance since they limit the field to local kids. Back in my day (20 or so years ago) - they had these huge binders in the library and you could SNAIL MAIL applications to all these random scholarships (as in - if you have red hair and were born on a Tuesday you can qualify for this one, etc.). I spent hours and hours and $$ on stamps and applied to just about every one for which I had the qualifications. And I got NOTHING, no responses, no money, nothing. And I had well above average grades and well above average need.

And back in that day I'm sure about 1/1000th of the number of people actually took the time to do library research and send in stamped mail. So in today's environment, I'm guessing that there is such little chance statistically that it is likely not even worth it in the vast majority of cases (exception possibly if you are part of a unique classification that might make you qualify for one that a very small number of the total population would also qualify).

 

[ashley23]

Back in my day (20 or so years ago) - they had these huge binders in the library and you could SNAIL MAIL applications to all these random scholarships (as in - if you have red hair and were born on a Tuesday you can qualify for this one, etc.).

They still have those today! I found one for blond hair and blue eyes. And that is totally me! So I applied and you had to send a photo to prove you are really blond and blue eyes. I guess I didn't read it close enough, but it was some sort of white power group or something. Anyway, I won the scholarship which was $500 each semester as long as every semester you signed a purity pledge. My mom said not to do it, but it was $500 every semester.

 

[erincon23]

Several local groups - VFW, DAR, etc - are saying that there are years where NOBODY applies for their scholarships. A friend's son was approached at a Chinese restaurant (his parents were there) by someone asking if he was in high school, he said yes, and they gave him a flyer about their group's scholarship (a legitimate organization). My DS got a scholarship from a local family who had one in honor of their mother -- very few people know about a lot of these.

Fastweb.com, zinch.com, and scholarships.com have lists. You can enter specific criteria - have a family member who was ever in active military? Belong to specific ethnic groups or nationalities (one friend's three kids ALL got the same Italian group's scholarships)? Have a family member with certain diseases or disabilities? Have talent in songwriting, video graphics, etc? Scholarships available.

And some private colleges - Columbia in Chicago, for one -- will match any outside scholarships received. We're just beginning this search for DS17! And yes, there are LOTS of scholarships available to average academic students. Good luck!

 

[dznyacct]

Is there any hope if ds has average grades?

Our experience with scholarships for DS for college. DS graduated 3rd in his class with a 4.07 GPA. He wasn't a jock, but was in many academic and service groups. He applied for ~30 scholarships spending hundreds of hours on applications. in the end he got a one time $1,000 from our local Walmart and $1,500 from our local Knights of Columbus (a Catholic fraternal club). I was pretty disappointed that 12 years of incredible hard work resulted in $2,500 . Thankfully he was able to live at home and commute to a Big Ten university (Purdue), graduate in 4 years with a major in Physics and a minor in Astronomy with no debt (I work there and get a 50% tuition discount). He applied to grad school in physics and received three full ride offers (tuition waiver and a teaching stipend). No need to seek other scholarships, yay !!

 

[Eastern]

Also tell him to check his school's website (if they have one). Sometimes the guidance department will provide all locally available scholarships on the website. Ask him if his school uses Naviance.

I agree that you can spend hours and hours filling out these apps and not get very much scholarship money. Make sure you thoroughly review each college's website as that is where you will find the scholarships that are available through that particular school, and they are often much more worthwhile. My son only applied for one small local scholarship, but a couple of schools (that he applied to) offered him full tuition. So take a look at colleges you might not ordinarily consider, and fill out your school applications very carefully.

College Confidential is an excellent web source for all things college-related.

 

[Debbie7452]

Not to rain on any parade, but the myth that there is all the unclaimed scholarship $$ laying around is really persistent. My DD(with great grades, leadership, etc.) approached the scholarship hunt as a job and spent many hours sending off apps. She got a one time $1000 scholarship from Burger King. You will get the most and best money from the schools themselves, not from outside awards. Try to have a plan B in place if your scholarship efforts are unsuccessful.

 

[njmom47]

My employer does award scholarships but I think it's for GPA. I will definitely look into it though.
FWIW, ds is blond with blue eyes....maybe I need to look into that one! I have heard about scholarships for specific, albeit, unique qualities.

 

[a1tinkfans]

local library has a section on scholarships...they can help you to decide which would (books/binders) likely be most helpful...they usually have a binder with the local school listings as well....they get local businesses and corporations that have their own scholarships, which many kids ignore (to your advantage for applying) and money is just sitting there waiting for someone to apply...seriously...
my son got money thru the pta at school, and ultimately was provided with a four year academic scholarship at the university ...so the effort of both the students hard work and applying for those Xtra scholarships pays off....that money is spending money..!!

Best of Luck.....................to the graduate

 

[honeybunches]

One thing to keep in mind is the criteria they are looking for. If your ds has avg grades but a very well rounded history of public service, for example, that is a plus over someone who has a 4.0 but never does anything else. Good luck!

 

[eeyorethegreat]

They still have those today! I found one for blond hair and blue eyes. And that is totally me! So I applied and you had to send a photo to prove you are really blond and blue eyes. I guess I didn't read it close enough, but it was some sort of white power group or something. Anyway, I won the scholarship which was $500 each semester as long as every semester you signed a purity pledge. My mom said not to do it, but it was $500 every semester.

So you sent them a photo and signed a white purity pledge for a white supremacy group. In turn you get $1000 or maybe $1000 every year. I don't know, seems to me that this may come and bite you in the butt later down the road. They have your name, your photo and your contact info. That is a lot if information to be giving a group of that type. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this has the potential to be a bigger deal that just hey I got $1000 for having blond hair and blue eyes. Could be a big mistake even if you are ok with aligning yourself with a white power group. As for me there is no amount of scholarship that I would be ok compromising my values for and I would be absolutely disgusted if one of my children was willing to do so. I hope you were just

To the OP I agree with looking in the guidance office at the high school, using the websites people mentioned and keeping you eyes out for any local scholarships that might be announce in the news papers. Your sate may even have a website that can link you with scholarships that are specifically for for students in you state. Call the college financial aid offices and ask for an application for any scholarships that they may offer students. And have your nephew write the essays and then proofread them for him and give him advice on how to make it better. They really do put thought into how well the student presented themselves in essays.

 

[ashley23]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this has the potential to be a bigger deal that just hey I got $1000 for having blond hair and blue eyes.

I got $4000 for having blond hair and blue eyes. And that is all it was. 2 years later there has been no contact, other than a Linked In request from the guy I dealt with. I'm not a dentist so I didn't see a reason to have him as a Linked In contact. I'm not sure what you are implying with it being a bigger deal, but it was a scholarship with an odd requirement. That was it. If you are saying I did "something else" for the money just because I have blond hair you need to get your mind out of the gutter.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

I got $4000 for having blond hair and blue eyes. And that is all it was. 2 years later there has been no contact, other than a Linked In request from the guy I dealt with. I'm not a dentist so I didn't see a reason to have him as a Linked In contact. I'm not sure what you are implying with it being a bigger deal, but it was a scholarship with an odd requirement. That was it. If you are saying I did "something else" for the money just because I have blond hair you need to get your mind out of the gutter.

Well Ashley23 my mind never reached the gutter. You said this scholarship was from what you believed to be a white power group. Generally those groups are not exactly friendly kinds of groups. I have never heard of a white power group that did not have strong prejudices against anyone who is not white or in this case also blond hair blue eyed. You had to sign a purity pledge which from what I understand of them refers to agreeing that you will only associate with people who are white, blond hair blue eyes. From your post it sounds that you were willing to agree to those terms so that you could receive scholarship money. You said all you had to do was sign their purity pledge to get that money. If you didn't believe in their terms, you were willing to sign a paper saying you did anyway to get the money. I could not in good conscience accept any money scholarship or otherwise if it meant to me aligning myself with a group of such prejudices. If my children were offered scholarship money from a white power group or any other kind of group that seeks to exclude others based on pedjudice I would be disgusted that they would be willing to accept those prejudices in return for money. As to what I meant about it having it cause issues for you later down the road, many scholarship foundations publish the names, towns and if available photos of past recipients. Sometimes they also use this information in flyers for their scholarships or in flyers about their group. You signed their papers which meant in essence you agreed to whatever it was they wanted you to pledge to. If this white power group as you called it were to sometime publish that information and an employer, friend or community member became privy to it, it would not reflect well on you. If you said well I don't have any of those prejudices, I just wanted the scholarship money so I signed their pledge, well then it makes it appear that you would be willing to compromise your values, beliefs whatever you want to call it if the price was right. If you had just left your original post saying it was a scholarship for people with blond hair blue eyes I would have thought it was an odd scholarship. We've applied for many scholarships so I know there are some strange ones out there. YOU mentioned that it was from a white power group and YOU also mentioned you signed their pledge. And you added That is what made me think you might be because I personally would not be proud of accepting money from such a group.

 

[Green Tea]

They still have those today! I found one for blond hair and blue eyes. And that is totally me! So I applied and you had to send a photo to prove you are really blond and blue eyes. I guess I didn't read it close enough, but it was some sort of white power group or something. Anyway, I won the scholarship which was $500 each semester as long as every semester you signed a purity pledge. My mom said not to do it, but it was $500 every semester.

I hope you don't have political or corporate ambitions.