While many students look forward to attending college, there’s one thing they never look forward to: paying for it.
That’s where scholarships come in. Scholarships provide financial assistance for students, reducing educational expenses and allowing them to focus on their studies with less financial stress. Receiving scholarships can also enhance a student’s resume, opening doors to various educational opportunities and jump-starting paths to finding their passions in life.
Although applying for scholarships can be daunting, FCHS Counselor Morgan Duncan has created an FCHS Scholarship Resource Bank where students can find all sorts of scholarships.
“Scholarships are important because they are a way for students to gain additional money for college or vocational school, without the requirement of paying back the money. They can cover the cost of books, school supplies, school tuition, and room/board, depending on the amount and perimeters of the scholarship,” said Duncan.
The FCHS Scholarship Resource Bank provides an organized list of scholarships, where students can easily read and browse all sorts of scholarships, plus sort them by nation, state, and school. The list is updated weekly, sometimes even daily. The list gives the scholarship name, website, requirement information, grade level, and deadline, and allows students to easily read and discover which scholarships they qualify for, as well as discover schools that appeal to them.
FCHS sends out messages on the Remind app, via school emails, and sometimes In The Know, to encourage students to review and apply for scholarship opportunities.
“We know that attending school after high school can be expensive, and we want our students to have every possible chance to lower the cost of their attendance,” Duncan said. “Scholarships are a great way to help lower costs, and I wish I had applied to more when I was in high school. There’s so many great opportunities out there, and having help when it comes to paying for college/trade school is definitely not a bad thing,” she added.
Though the idea of writing essays for scholarships can be daunting, it may not be as bad as many students would think. When asked for tips about writing applications, Duncan suggested students not try to “reinvent the wheel,” noting that some essays that students write for their college applications can be tweaked and customized to create a scholarship essay.
The same can be said for letters of recommendation. If you get a letter of recommendation for a college, you can often ask recommenders to update it to be used for a scholarship application. You should also make a list of all the activities and extracurriculars you are involved in, as it makes it easier to include them on scholarship applications. Finally, making a checklist of requirements and deadlines for each scholarship you are applying for can save time and keep you on track for submitting applications.
“I think that students should apply for scholarships, because who doesn’t love free money? I know that some applications can take some time, but generally, the application is worth the effort,” said Duncan.
