Studying alone to achieve the perfect GPA for your dream college is daunting enough as it is and then comes the other question of covering your tuition fees. College News have teamed up with the COO and Co-Founder of OneClass, Kevin Wu, to spill the tea on the different types of scholarships, the best student resources, interview tips and most importantly the secondary perks of scholarships.
What steps can students make to help reduce the costs of attending college?
Don’t limit your search to scholarships, bursaries and grants provided by your school. There are countless available that you can find on the web and the only cost to you is your time. Make sure to perform well academically so that you’re presented with greater scholarship opportunities as you move along college.
While in school, search for side-hustles that don’t require regimented time commitments. That is, jobs that grant you a flexible schedule. Jobs like driving around for Uber, Lyft, becoming a note-taker. You don’t want to place yourself in a position where a job takes precedence over your studies.
What different categories of scholarships are available to students?
There are enough categories of scholarships to run the gamut of possible student segment in college. Of course you can always find scholarships in the primary categories: needs-based, merit-based, school-based etc., but you can also find scholarships for athletes to scholarships for those pursuing studies in a field related to the grocery industry. There is no shortage of scholarships available.
Are there any scholarships that cover the entire cost of tuition fees?
There are scholarships that cover the full tuition of a student for a year; some even cover the tuition for all four years in college. The Cameron Impact Scholarship is one of them. Keep in mind, however, these are the most sought after scholarships, so competition will be high. They’re also commonly rewarded to the most academically driven students that are able to tie academics with extra-curricular activities while maintaining top-of-class credentials.
What are the perks of an athletic scholarship?
College athletes awarded with athletic scholarships commonly enjoy partial to full tuition coverage. The benefits don’t stop there: meal stipends, room and board coverage, student fees exemptions, physiotherapy coverage and college admissions are lenient for student-athletes in some cases. According to NCAA, more than 150,000 student-athletes receive $2.4 billion in athletic scholarships each year from NCAA member colleges and universities alone.
If you’re not a fan of being on the field, how can an esports scholarship benefit your years at college?
If forfeiting late-night gaming for academic success wasn’t ever in a student’s game plan entering college, it could be a good idea to make the most of your choices by applying for an esports scholarship and lean on some that partially cover your tuition. The average esports scholarship averages $4,800 in tuition awards according to the National Association of Collegiate Esports. As esports continue to grow, scholarship funding will only increase and more scholarship options will become available.
How can students assess the long-term financial impact of different colleges?
Students should seek out a college budget template and fit in expected expenses and extrapolate those figures across all four years to get a clear understanding of how much money that will come out of their pocket by the time they’re done for every school. This will also give them a good idea on how much they will be expected to pay back in student loans. Tuition plus expenses will vary depending on the school and the location of the school, so check with your school’s website to get exact figures.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
No. There are only two things that can stop an applicant from applying for scholarships: a lack of trying or a desire to do something else. Stay motivated and keep applying because billions of dollars in scholarships are unclaimed every year.
What are your recommendations for keeping track of applied to scholarships?
Keeping track of the scholarships you applied for doesn’t have to be fancy. All you need is a calendar marked with upcoming dates of every deadlines, interviews and announcements after every application. It would be wise to reserve time on your schedule for interview preparations as well.
What are the best resources for finding scholarships that are applicable to you?
The best method of finding suitable scholarships for you are to search for scholarship directories. We put together some of the most well-scholarship directories here.
When searching for the right scholarship for you, make sure you are aware of scams out there. Here is an extensive guide to scholarship scams to help to you avoid them.
Do you have any tops tips on preparing for scholarship interviews?
Be mindful of what qualities the scholarship committee is looking for in their scholarship recipient. From there you should wrap the narrative of your biography and accomplishments to be coherently aligned with those qualities. Your presentation should be personal. Don’t be afraid to allow your idiosyncratic qualities shine because scholarship committees like students who naturally embody the highest standards in the qualities they look for.
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See Also:
The Dos and Don’ts of College Interviews
