Bon Voyage- Set Sail on a ScholarSHIP

The beginning of the year is the best time for seniors — and even some juniors — to start looking for colleges and scholarships of interest. While it can be a daunting task, there are many resources out there, especially on Greenway’s campus, that can help get you on the right track.

A great first step is just to explore your options: this is an easy way to ease into the large task and discover new outlets. For example, many people are unaware that there are more scholarship opportunities than just sports and merit. There is a range of scholarships depending on one’s ethnic background, medical history, hobbies, family, etc. Even if you don’t have top tier grades or an athletic background, there is guaranteed an aid for you somewhere. Depending on where you live, you might have more opportunities.

The next step would be to explore some school options and get an idea where you might want to go. Remember, there is no harm applying wherever you like just to keep your options open. Many scholarships are school specific, so make sure to check up on what certain schools offer.

“When I started to apply for scholarships, I was a little lost, but I started with simple applications first, and then moved on to bigger things that took up more of my time.” Senior Leah Williams said. 

When you actually begin to apply for scholarships, just like the schools, it is better to apply for as many as possible because you might end up earning more than one, meaning you earn more money. We even have some great resources here on campus. If you are feeling lost in the process, you can take a trip down to our college and career center and ask Ms. Moreno some questions. 

“You can start acquiring scholarships as a Junior. It does take some time, so we explain to the students it’s kind of like a part time job to search and apply for the scholarships,” Ms. Moreno said.

Another step would be writing your scholarship essay. There are lots of options that don’t require essays and are simple, but many larger aids make this mandatory. Most schools leave the prompt very general so they can really get a sense of who the person is through their writing, so it is best to try and show your personality while also keeping things professional. In your essay, it is best to talk about important things or inspirational things you have learned in your academic career up to this point in your life, as well as who you believe you are as a student. Colleges don’t just care about you as a student though, you should also inform them of who you are outside of school, like what hobbies and extracurricular activities you take part in. It is also important to keep in mind that they don’t need to know every detail. Most essays are only around 500-650 words so keeping it concise is key.

On top of everything else, it is important to remember that college is for your benefit, even though it may feel like a burden sometimes. Keep in mind that there are many resources for decreasing the stress of applying ready at your fingertips!