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Tag: Scholarships

  • Alternatives to Essay-Based Scholarships

    Alternatives to Essay-Based Scholarships

    Does it ever feel like your life is spent writing essay after essay, filling out application after application? Applying for scholarships can be frustrating and time-consuming, and may not seem worth it when you don’t see results. It’s true that many scholarships require quite a bit of effort—worth it if you have the time and energy to apply, but certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. Luckily, studentawards.com can help you find many alternatives to essay-based scholarships.

    There are tons of opportunities for students to win money for school through contests and draws. These are easy to apply for, and don’t usually have strict eligibility criteria. The downside is that because they require a minimal amount of effort for a big reward, lots of people enter to win. But even if the odds of winning are low, there’s really no downside to applying. It barely takes any time or effort; usually all you have to do is register to be entered into the draw. And someone’s always going to be the lucky winner, so why couldn’t it be you? Studentawards.com enters students into draws for registering with the site, for filling out surveys, and for participating in different contests throughout the year. You can also find other student contests by visiting your mailbox to see your personalized list of awards.

    Another alternative is to look for any awards that you might be eligible for simply by belonging to a certain group. You may have a part-time job with a company that offers scholarships for employees, or you may be eligible for an award through your parents’ jobs. There may be awards for members of your church, your community group, your bank or a club that you or your parents belong to. There’s usually a lot less competition for these awards, because they have quite narrow eligibility criteria. Make sure to apply for these awards when you see them in your studentawards.com mailbox.

    But with all that having been said, essay-based scholarships are still a good option. Given all the great opportunities, you should only apply for an award if you actually have an interest in the subject matter. Your passion or disinterest will be reflected in your writing. All too often students think that they’ll have a chance of winning simply by writing a few sentences without really answering the question. Your odds of winning will be much better if you do your best to answer one scholarship’s questions well than if you apply to ten scholarships without making an effort.

    You’re the best person to decide what kind of award you should apply for. You know your strengths, how much time you have to put into applications, and how much effort you’re willing to make. Whatever kind of awards you decide to apply for, studentawards.com wishes you the best of luck!

  • Are Scholarships Just for Brainiacs?

    Are Scholarships Just for Brainiacs?

    You often hear about all of the scholarships received by the students who are at the top of the class or all-stars on their team. Entrance scholarships, academic excellence scholarships, and Dean’s list/Honour Roll Awards are prevalent in conversations surrounding student awards. What many post-secondary applicants do not know is that there are a numerous awards available for the average student. There are awards that recognize skills and accomplishments beyond athletics and academics. Examples of these include scholarships based on financial need, volunteer work or extra-curricular activities. Just because you do not consider yourself a “brainiac” does not mean there are not grants and scholarships out there for you!

    You should always start your scholarship search with the college or university you plan on attending. The financial aid office or the school’s Awards and Financial Aid website are good places to start looking for internal scholarships. While you are searching for scholarships, consider looking into bursary opportunities as well. Applying for many of these scholarships and bursaries is as simple as filling out an application form and submitting it to your financial aid office (in-person or online). However, some applications require more time and thought. For example, some may ask you to provide references, a writing sample, or a letter explaining why you are a great candidate for this scholarship/bursary. Many students are not willing to put in the extra effort to apply to these scholarships, but if you are willing to put in the time it could greatly pay off.

    In addition to scholarships through your school, be sure to research scholarships within your community and/or through your parents’ or guardians’ workplaces. Many community organizations or clubs in your area may have scholarships that go unadvertised and you did not even know about. For example, 4-H Ontario has a webpage designated to grants and scholarships available for 4-H members and the general public, so check out your local associations’ websites or talk to someone you know within the club. Many workplaces also offer grants or scholarships to children of their employees. Just ask your parent or guardian to check their newsletter or their company’s website to see if there may be scholarships available to assist you with paying for your education. Every little bit helps!

    After you look at your internal school scholarships and community clubs and organizations, consider looking into more general scholarship websites. Some scholarship websites offer a wide variety of general scholarships from private donors looking to make a difference. Websites such as studentawards.com provide many different scholarship opportunities relevant to your interests, program or location. It is important to remember that the more time and effort you are willing to put into the application, the easier it will be for the donor to get to know you as a person – not just an applicant. There is a scholarship somewhere suited to you, even if you are not a brainiac. Talk to your guidance counsellor or financial aid office for more specific information about scholarships.

  • Doing Scholarships the Right Way: Tips on Application

    Doing Scholarships the Right Way: Tips on Application

    Like getting a ton of free money? Of course you do!

    Those lines might sound like the beginning of an un-reputable online advertisement but the truth is there are plenty of scholarships aiming to do just that; hand you free money to support your education.

    So how do you score some of this free cash? Start by applying to any and all scholarships you can.  The more you apply to, the higher your odds of receiving an award.

    If you’re not sure of your eligibility for a scholarship, apply anyway.  Many scholarships are not given out due to lack of applicants. Even if your eligibility is hazy you may be the lucky winner by default.  This was the case when Sandro Rocco, Niagara College Photonics alumni, applied to the Walker Technology Grant.

    “I wasn’t entirely sure if I qualified but I thought why not give it a shot, a lot of people don’t bother,” he commented.

    “Turned out I was the only person to apply for the scholarship so I won. The award was really helpful and got applied directly to my tuition” Sandro continued.

    Some students shy away from scholarship applications because they feel their grades aren’t high enough. However, plenty of scholarships are handed out as a result of achievement in other areas including extra curricular involvement, athletics or charity work. Financial aid and area of interest are also taken into consideration when handing out scholarships.

    Lara Muldoon, Relationship Manager with StudentAwards.com noted, “There are scholarships available that have nothing to do with academic performance or volunteer experience.  We have awards for everyone, from people of specific ethnicities to people that are tall ”.

    Take time out of your schedule to make great applications. Prioritize and spend time on scholarships that are most applicable to your skills and experiences.

    When asked what differentiates a successful candidate from an unsuccessful one Lara responded, “the number one thing is to be really passionate about your subject, pick applications that really speak to you, most providers are looking for students not with great marks necessarily but with a path in life that they are really passionate about”.

    Remember that scholarship application is not limited to your first year of studies.  Many students stop applying after their first year thinking that the majority of scholarship funding is reserved for new students.  This is not the case; many awards are reserved for students in their second, third and fourth year of studies.  StudentAwards.com commented that while the majority of their application pool stems from grade 12 students, their user demographic spans between 13 and 30 years of age.

    Students are sometimes intimidated by the amount of work involved in applying to scholarships, but by using an incremental approach and developing decent time management (yes, it is possible) you will be able to handle the stress and hopefully reap the benefits of scholarship application.

    Many online scholarships allow you to save your work in their own word processors, making it easy to finish one or two parts of the application at a time.

    Having a stock application template done in advance is another easy way to save time and minimize stress while scholarship hunting.

    Have a thorough list of your skills, past experiences, awards and academic achievements on hand as part of your application template.  This go-to list will make a world of difference in the quickness of your application process.

    Also, prepare a general, but flexible essay that highlights your personal qualifications and can be tweaked to fit specific scholarship criteria.

    Keep your audience in mind when filling out applications.

    If you are applying to an academic scholarship be sure to use academic language and keep the tone of your writing as professional as possible.

    In contrast, some scholarship review panels are looking to see a more personal response.  For these, don’t be afraid to use a less formal language and be sure to highlight your own opinion, giving judges a better understanding of your personality.

    Just like that summer job, it is never too early to start the search for scholarships! So good luck and happy applying!