SCHOLARSHIP TIPS

The largest scholarships are generally merit scholarships from the colleges. Here's what you need to know about merit scholarships:

o   Commonly based on academics (transcript, test scores and GPA)

o   Other talent: music, athletics, drama, debate, art …..

o   Private schools have the most merit aid.  Scholarships are often $5,000 - $15,000 per year.

o   Public school awards will be $1,000 to $3,000 – very competitive

o   Merit awards come from the admissions office and will precede the actual financial aid award letter.

o   The college’s financial aid website will also list additional scholarships through the school which may require an additional application.

 Internet scholarship searches can be helpful: 

 www.fastweb.com, www.finaid.org/scholarships

These are very large free databases that will generate e-mails informing you of scholarships you “may” be eligible for. The odds are smaller, but if you have time, it can’t hurt to follow up on these leads.

 www.collegeplan.org  This is a database of scholarships in the Pacific Northwest.  You are not required to  give any personal information to search this list.

www.thewashboard.org  New in 2010 - this is a database of Washington scholarships only.

 Never pay for a scholarship search, especially one that “guarantees” a scholarship.

Local scholarships:

This is your best bet. Start at the high school counselor’s office with the scholarship bulletin. Most bulletins are also posted on the high school website. Tip: look on other high school’s websites for their scholarship bulletins. In addition to the school counseling office, research your family’s connection to:

o   Employers

o   Credit unions

o   Fraternal organizations

o   Service organizations

o   Churches, synagogues

National Merit scholarships:

Students qualify for these prestigious scholarships by taking the PSAT exam in the fall of their junior year. If your student is a high achiever, I recommend studying for this exam in the summer before the junior year. This pays off! Colleges are looking for national merit scholars and some offer up to full tuition for four years. This is not a “need based” scholarship. Even state schools will offer smaller scholarships to attract these students.  If you want to attend an out of state public university, check to see if they offer in state tuition to National Merit Scholars.

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) scholarships:

This program involves fifteen western states. It allows students from Washington state to enroll at other state schools and pay substantially less than normal out of state tuition. There are restrictions on the number of slots at each school. Some schools do not open their entire curriculum to WUE students, but restrict slots to specific majors. You can find out more about WUE at www.wiche.edu/sep/wue. 

General tips: 

Prepare a “Resume of Outstanding Achievement” and include it with each scholarship application. This is a resume type sheet that lists your accomplishments, activities and interests. Update it with new information. You will save yourself a lot of time if you do this once. You’ll need the information for each application. Resume of Outstanding Achievement

Watch the deadlines! Many merit scholarship applications are due in advance of the regular admissions applications. Start in the early fall of your senior year and make a calendar of scholarship deadlines. Most of the local scholarship deadlines start in January and go through May. 

Other Helpful Resources:

www.collegeplan.org  Scholarship database

www.hecb.wa.gov/Paying/index.asp   Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board

www.hecb.wa.gov/paying/scholsearch/scholsearchindex.asp   More search tips

www.wiche.edu/sep/wue   Western Undergraduate Exchange 

www.nationalmerit.org   National Merit Scholarships