College Scholarships Are Out There. Here's How to Find Them—Your Teen Mag (2024)

FAQs

How to find scholarships that no one applies for? ›

Other ways to find unclaimed scholarships include asking your specific college or university what they offer, using the library's recommendation section, reaching out to businesses in your field of study, speaking to your high school counselor, and asking religious organizations if they offer scholarships.

Over 1.7 million scholarships are awarded annually; however, only 7% of college students will receive a scholarship. On average, first-time undergraduates who receive government grants and scholarships at a 4-year college receive about $14,890 annually.

Another reason why scholarships are hard to obtain is the number of applications submitted for the same scholarship. Many scholarships receive hundreds of applications for an award that only has one winner. This means thousands of people could apply and not even be considered.

Try these free sources of information about scholarships: the financial aid office at a college or career school. a high school or TRIO counselor. the U.S. Department of Labor's FREE scholarship search tool.

Who is most likely to receive a scholarship in the U.S.? GPA (grade point average) can play a big role in the likelihood of getting a scholarship. But it's not as big a deal as you think. 30% of all scholarships in the United States are awarded to students with a GPA between 3.0 to 3.4.

What is the hardest athletic scholarship to get? Wrestling is the hardest athletic scholarship for men whereas for women the hardest athletic scholarship to get is volleyball. Wrestling has only a 2.7% chance of earning a scholarship and volleyball has a 3.9% chance of earning a scholarship.

Athletic Scholarships

An athletic scholarship may cover some or all of your tuition costs, depending on the school. Athletic scholarships are some of the hardest to receive.

What GPA is needed for most scholarships? For academic scholarships, most require a 3.0 minimum. However, there are scholarships offered for students with other talents, such as for the arts and athletics.

Start With Your College

Some colleges, especially private schools, automatically consider each applicant for a merit-based scholarship, which is awarded during the acceptance process. These types of scholarships are often the easiest to obtain, since they do not require a separate application.

What is the best place to begin looking for scholarships? ›

In fact, experts say some of the best places for students to search for scholarships include their school's financial aid office or academic department.

The main challenges of searching for scholarships are finding opportunities you are eligible for, as mentioned, and taking the time to search for scholarships. Though most students have a busy schedule, it can really pay off in the end if students can find the time to apply for a few scholarships.

Once your application is in, it's usually reviewed by a committee. This group of people, which could include teachers, administrators, alumni, or others associated with the scholarship provider, will go through all the applications and pick the most deserving candidates based on the scholarship's criteria.

Common types of scholarships for college are merit-based scholarships, need-based scholarships, and athletic scholarships. However, within these categories are sub-categories of scholarships based on specific eligibility factors.

But while submitting the FAFSA is an important financial step for any college student, applying for scholarships can be helpful too — according to our survey, though, 20% of college students have never applied for a scholarship.

Studies show that 1 in 5 students don't apply for scholarships or financial aid for several reasons ranging from myths leading them to believe scholarships must be paid back, to lack of information on how to apply.