Tips for Getting Scholarships

1. Start with the colleges that you are applying to  

   Most scholarship money earned by students comes from colleges and you can usually apply for scholarships while you are applying for admission. Don’t miss the deadlines! 

2. Think local

   Local organizations and businesses have less students applying for their scholarships. They may be for smaller amounts of money, but you have a better chance of getting them!

3. Be specific

   Think about what makes you different from most students and find scholarships that are specific to you. Your heritage? Your desired major or career goals? Your personal characteristics? Your skills? (Academic, leadership, musical, athletic, etc.) Your life experiences?

4. Look at your connections

   Ask about scholarships at the companies where you and your relatives work, where you bank, organizations you or your family members belong to, and places you shop. Connections can make you more competitive for these scholarships.

5. Put in the effort

   If you apply to 0 scholarships, you get $0! Filling out some applications and writing a few essays could get you thousands of dollars for college. Keep track of deadlines and always edit your work. It’s worth it!

What can I do to be more competitive for scholarships?

• Raise your GPA
• Join clubs and be an officer if you can
• Perform community service
• Study and do well on the ACT and SAT
• Gain leadership experience

Local Scholarships

SMHS Scholarship List 2018-19

National Scholarship Search Engines

1. Scholly
   
2. College Board Scholarship Search
   
3. Fastweb
   
4. Scholarships.com
   
5. Cappex

 And many many more!