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Scholarship Tips: from someone who has already been through it! Opportunities are endless and it would be difficult to exhaust all the possibilities but, try as hard as you can! Remember, this is free money. There are many kinds of scholarships which fall into two categories: general scholarships offered for a major or area of study, and special scholarships awarded for some defining characteristic of your own such as ethnic background or gender. Both types are available on school-specific, cooperate, local, regional, and national levels. Here are some general and specific ideas which may pertain to you, as well as some examples of each: General Scholarships and Special Scholarships Scholarships exist which overlap both categories. For example, there is a scholarship offered by the Association for Women Geoscientists which is available only to females who are interested in a variety of applied science (i.e. engineering, geology, physics, etc.) professions. When you are looking through the list we have provided and when you are conducting your own scholarship search, be sure to look at each scholarship carefully for details which put you at an advantage. Don't overlook general scholarships because you think the competition is too stiff. There are many scholarships listed in these areas with clauses that may make the scholarship perfect for you. At the University of Washington, the schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy offer scholarships and/or loans which are specific to the department. You will need to contact these schools individually, or any other health science schools which interest you, to find out about funding for which you are eligible to apply. Many of the schools require admittance to the University before applying for their financial aid. In applied sciences, there are also school specific scholarships. Again, contact the department of interest for further information. The College of Engineering reserve some of their scholarships for minority and women students only. In all fields of interest there are scholarships offered through independent groups such as the Washington Floricultural (study of flowers) Association. These can be small treasures or gold mines and often times passed over by the scholarship hunter. Pay special attention to these sometimes large and often competitive scholarships. Merit scholarships can be publicly or privately offered and are based on a student's academic achievements, personal attributes, references, experiences, and sometimes a writing sample/essay and/or an interview. Need-based scholarships can be judged on any or all of these criteria yet include financial need as a basis for award. See page five in "Paying for College"; there is an explanation of "Need Analysis" in the lower right hand corner which may be helpful in understanding need versus merit. So, you say, this free money is all great, but where do I find additional information? Here are some ideas: High School or College Counselor- It is one of the counselor's or career center specialist's jobs to know about and help you discover college and career options as well as to assist you in finding ways to pay for school. Make an appointment and get started early. High School Information Drawer- Most high schools have a designated place where they keep information about colleges and available scholarships. Spend some time flipping through the files. You never know what you'll find. Get On-Line- Find a computer with an on-line service (A computer-based collection of information with access to national and/or international programs and services. Information is current and up-to-date.); contact your school, a public library, a friend, or even a local college or university for access. Check for a scholarship service or look for money by area of interest. Three helpful programs may be:
FAST WEB Scholarship Search: This site provides a free, comprehensive, independent, and objective guide to financial aid. It is maintained by Mark Kantrowitz, author of The Prentice Hall Guide to Scholarships and Fellowships for Math and Science Students, and is sponsored by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).
How
much will it cost? How will I pay for it?"
Merit-Based
Scholarships
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For Scholarship Information at other Universities, Colleges, and Community Colleges in Washington:
UWIN- The University of Washington Information Navigator is available to faculty and staff at the University of Washington. Offered are news services, library access, catalogues, and reference tools. Turn to "Things To Do When You Visit" at the end of this packet for instructions on locating scholarships. Discover- Available at some high schools, colleges, and universities. This is a national job and college guidance information service. You can explore various careers and search for information pertaining to two-year or four-year colleges and universities. Instructions accompany the program. WOIS- Available at some high schools, colleges, and universities. It stands for Washington Occupational Information Service and performs many of the same tasks as Discover. Instructions also accompany this program. College Fairs- College fairs travel the nation bringing information from college representatives about specific schools. Go early, during your sophomore and junior years, so you can sign up to be on schools' mailing lists. This is one of the best ways to discover scholarships offered by specific schools as well as a good way to learn about the schools themselves. Beware that the mail can become overwhelming. Scan brochures for the word "scholarship" but never leave a brochure unopened. Another thing to know is that similar schools share mailing lists (i.e. all women's colleges), so you will receive more mailings than you sign up for. Department of Intended Major - If you've chosen a school and think you know what you'd like to study, contact that department for financial aid and scholarship information. College Campus Resources - There are often times scholarship and financial aid workshops on campuses. Contact the Financial Aid or Scholarship Offices on the campus of your choice. Another terrific resource on the U of W is the Office of Minority Affairs. They have some special programs for admission and financial help for minorities and females (these programs will be explored in more detail later in this packet). One more place is the women's information center libraries on campuses. There may be a place for women's scholarships in the libraries. At the U of W, this library is in Cunningham Hall. These types of programs may or nay not exist on other campuses, you will need to check for them upon arrival. Scholarship Books - In these books, someone has already done the work for you. The books can be purchased at various book stores, however they become obsolete quickly. A better bet is to look in your school or public library. These are often reference books and cannot be checked out, so bring a pen and pad to the library and plan to stay a while. You can go to the reference desk or ask a librarian for books pertaining to undergraduate scholarships, grants, and loans. This may seem like a lot of work, but keep in mind that filling out scholarship applications in high school is less of a burden than working many hours while in college. A majority of the applications are due early in your senior year, so they can be completed in the summer when you do not have any other homework. Furthermore, be selective. Ask yourself these questions before filling out an application: 1) How competitive is this scholarship? Don't be intimidated but consider seriously your competition. Remember that a national scholarship will be more competitive than a school scholarship. There will be a larger applicant pool and thus be more selective.
2) Do I have a legitimate chance of winning? Size yourself up with the criteria but DON'T UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF! 3) Is the dollar amount worth the effort of applying? Don't write a six-page essay for a $50 scholarship.
* Watch deadlines- anticipate how
much time it will take you to complete applications and plan
accordingly. * Value- place a value on each scholarship and fill out the most
important ones first. If you think you have a good chance of winning,
make sure you turn that application in by the deadline. * Look For Special Features of the Scholarship- watch for
scholarships which set you apart from other people interested in the same
field. *Apply For Scholarships Which Weight Heavily The Areas of Your
Strengths- where are you strong? • grade point average • SATs/ACTs- standardized testing • school involvement-sports, student government, etc. • volunteer work • leadership • community involvement * Be Realistic About Location- don't apply for a scholarship, even
a full ride, at the University of Timbuktu if you will not be happy
there. Think about distance and transportation expenses. Money does not
buy happiness. *Keep a Portfolio of What You've Done- start now and keep all
awards, records of participation, lists of hours spent on volunteer work,
etc. By the time the applications roll around, you may have forgotten
many of the things you've done. * Keep Important Documents Safe- designate a place to keep all
this paperwork. It all becomes extremely important for applications and
resumes. This way you will avoid wasting time looking for the required
information each time you need to work on an application. * Need Based- if you are eligible, go for it! If not, look for
scholarships in which no FAFSA is needed and need is not considered.
(Apply for merit scholarships in either case.) * Ask Questions- don't be afraid but ask your questions tactfully.
Educated questions show an interest and a friendly honesty. * Essay- when you are applying for several scholarships which
require essays, and give you options of questions to answer, pick
questions from exact scholarships that are similar. This way you may be
able to edit and alter essays to make only a few essays applicable to
several scholarships. *Pay Attention to Age Requirements- high school, undergraduate,
already in college, graduate, or number age restrictions. * Residency/Non-Residency- there are often more scholarships
available for people going to school in-state. Be careful that
scholarships you apply for can be put to use in the state you plan to
attend college. If you don't win a scholarship, don't give up!!! Apply for
numerous scholarships. Chances are, you will win less frequently than
you lose, but when you win, the awards can be high. |
Rural Girls in Science Program
rural@u.washington.edu
Imogen Cunningham Hall Box
351380
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195 (206) 543-7476 FAX (206)
685-4490