It’s a common misconception that only students in higher education are eligible for scholarships. There are plenty of scholarships for high school seniors as well if you know where to look. We know you are busy with completing college applications, taking standardized tests and finishing school with a strong GPA, but as a high school senior you really should also set some time aside to apply for scholarships for high school seniors. They are an excellent way to supplement the cost of tuition, room and board, books and other expenses and the biggest advantage of course is that they don’t have to be paid back. EVER. That’s free money people,…why not take advantage of it?
Who is eligible and what kind of scholarships for high school seniors are available?
Anyone starting their senior year in high school is eligible for a variety of scholarships. The same as with higher education students, there are need based scholarships for high school seniors as well. Those are not the only ones though. There are plenty of merit scholarships you can apply for, provided that your grades and overall performance are up to scratch. not every scholarship for high school seniors is based on academic performance or financial need of course. There are minority scholarships, sport scholarships, scholarships depending on your location, your ancestry, field of study, extracurricular activities and a whole lot of others that you never even would have known about if you would not have looked at this list. Another great source for scholarships for high school seniors is unigo.com.
Still,the first place to check about scholarships for high school seniors is at your high school. Talk to your dean and ask if he or she can give you advice on how to get started. You will see that they will have a lot of valuable information to share. There is also your local community to check out. You can find scholarships in the most unexpected places, so you can really be surprised with your findings.
How to apply for scholarships for high school seniors?
The time to apply is between your junior and senior years. Don’t take your applications too lightly. There is a lot of competition from other students who also want to get their hands on scholarships for high school students, so unless you are applying for a need based scholarships (which is means tested and does not have much to do with your GPA or other academic achievements) you will need to make sure that you stand out from the crowd. You need to develop your writing skills and if they are not so great, call in the help of those you know with strong skills, your grammar needs to be immaculate or you will come across as sloppy and careless. Not something the board who decides to whom to give the scholarship too will be impressed with. A common mistake is when students write a big sob story. No one wants to hear! Your aim is to impress while keeping it light and without bragging. It’s great to use stories or anecdotes as illustrations. They really liven your application up. Don’t think that applying for scholarships for high school seniors is tedious and daunting. There are plenty of fun competitions especially for high school seniors that can win you a scholarship too.
