Why you should apply for scholarships

 

As discussed earlier, after completing the FAFSA, you will receive your EFC (expected family contribution) result. Colleges use this number to determine how much financial aid to give to you. Once you receive your financial aid package, any amount of money that is left after subtracting your financial aid from the total cost of attendance is called your "out of pocket costs." This number is in actuality how much your family will have to pay for you to attend that college.

 

Scholarships will help to reduce the out of pocket costs that are placed on your family. Remember, scholarships are FREE MONEY! Applications do vary depending on the scholarship, but it is well worth your time to complete any and all applications for scholarships that you qualify for. Check in your school's guidance office to see what local scholarships are available. The best time to start applying is in late December and early January. Keep your eyes peeled for any upcoming scholarship deadlines, as there is not an option to turn in your application late.

 

How to find scholarships

 

For starters, always check with your school's guidance office to see what local scholarships are listed. There are always many great local scholarships available across Pennsylvania through different clubs or organizations, such as Dollars for Scholars. Check with your guidance counselor on what local scholarships are available for you!

 

There are also many useful scholarship databases online:

1. Fastweb

2. Big Future / The College Board

3. Scholarships.com

4. Chegg

5. I'm First

6. US Scholarship Guide

7. Career One Stop
   
    

Avoiding scholarship scams

 

As you can see from the list of scholarship databases above, there are many different places where you can search for scholarships. However, not all scholarships sites are beneficial or useful for you. Here are some tips on ways to avoid scholarship scams:

 

1. Never give credit card information to use a database. You should never have to pay money in order to receive money, thus there should never be an application fee.

2. If you are unsure if a scholarship offer is legitimate, research the foundation or program to see if it is a credible scholarship.

3. It can never be guaranteed that you will receive a scholarship. If this is advertised on a database, use caution.

4. Be careful if a site claims to have exclusive scholarship listings.

5. Always put in your own work in completing scholarships. Do not apply for a scholarship that "does the work for you."