3 Tips for Your Scholarship Search

Now that my college applications are all, finally, submitted, I am beginning to consider that second half of the college selection process: financial aid. Affordability is, in the end, what will determine the college I attend. As I begin to receive merit scholarship notifications, I am developing a better sense of how much I will truly be expected to pay for my college education. Though I am lucky enough to have already been offered a number of very generous scholarships, I am finding that there are still gaps in my projected college expenses which I will be expected to fill. I think the best way to patch up those holes is to take an active role in my own scholarship search. 1. Fastweb As most Fastweb members know, this website is a treasure trove of scholarship opportunities, many of which, if won, do not require you to attend a certain school or major in a certain subject. Now that I am finished with my applications, I will have more time to apply for some of the Fastweb scholarships which fit me best. 2. Guidance Office My guidance counselor recently distributed a packet of local scholarship opportunities for high school seniors. I plan on applying for a number of these, as I am more likely to win among the smaller pool of local applicants than I am among the ocean of world-wide-web applicants. 3. Individual Colleges I know of many colleges and universities which offer merit scholarships to high school students who participate in competitions or contests. I plan on searching for these kind of scholarships among all my top college choices.