Want the cold hard truth? Here you go - COLLEGE. IS. EXPENSIVE.
There is no denying it. With tuition increasing by the year and financial aid packages slimming down by the minute, lots of students are foregoing their chance of an education because of high costs. Socioeconomic status should not dictate your life; in fact, access to college should be something that everyone has, regardless of what FAFSA & CSS Profiles say.
Inevitably, though, not all people will get great financial aid packages, some might not get any money at all other than those dreaded student loans. BUT WAIT! How, then, does one pay for college (da da daah)?
SCHOLARSHIPS! You've probably heard of myths like, "I won't win this because it's too competitive" when people mention the name of scholarships. While that is partially true for big scholarships like Gates Millennium & Coca Cola, you will actually be surprised by the number of smaller and just as generous scholarships that aren't popular. In fact, some of these scholarship only get a few dozen applications! So you may be wondering now, "woah! Where are these scholarships!? SOS."
We've compiled the 5 best places to look for scholarships below! Browse through the sites, check them out, make note of their deadlines/requirements and just watch the scholarship money pour in.
1. Your local guidance counselor (okay this one doesn't have a website...)
You will actually be surprised by the number of local scholarships that are offered in your area. Many companies in your community or city often sponsor $500-$2500 scholarships only available to students in the residing district. Of course, since these scholarships aren't nationally recognized, you will most likely not find anything online about it. This is why you ned to go to your guidance counselor at the beginning of the school year and ask for a list of all available local scholarships to apply to! Some schools even publish an exhaustive list online.
2. CollegeXpress
This site has it all. From college search information to a database filled with scholarship opportunities, CollegeXpress is your go to destination for absolutely anything college admissions related. All you need to do is fill out a simple profile on the website and you will be given access to pages of scholarship opportunities. As an added bonus, when you register for a profile, you will automatically be enrolled in CollegeXpress' $10,000 scholarship! It can't get much easier than this, folks!
3. Unravel Education
Co-founded by Elizabeth Aguilar, a Questbridge Prep scholar and national finalist, Unravel Education aims to bridge the gap between high school and post secondary education by providing students with resources, including tips on the application process, summer enrichment opportunities and the college process in general. Even better? Unravel Education's Facebook page is constantly updated with "Scholarship Updates." Like their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/UnravelEducation, and you will be able to stay up to date on any and all scholarships that come your way.
4. Fastweb
Like they say themselves on their front page, Fastweb "has it all." Financial aid, loans and a HUGE database filled with scholarship listings and opportunities. You could literally spend hours on there, and you will find a plethora of scholarship opportunities to apply for. Enough said.
Attending college should not be determined by financial costs; everyone should have the chance to attend. Apply to as many scholarships as you can, and you will truly be surprised by how affordable college can be.
