Finding Scholarships
Scholarship books may not have the most current information or awards. The Internet has more different scholarship listings as well as many types of information. Each website may contain links to additional sources. NOTE: No scholarships are guaranteed. Never send money in order to apply for a scholarship. Be careful about sending any personal information like your social security number or bank account number. Any personal information that you provide, including email address, may be shared with others.
Start now! Use your junior year to find out about schools and locate potential sources of scholarship and grant aid, summer internships, and jobs as well. One problem is finding a good way to keep track of potential awards.
Good Starting Points
• Colleges and Universities: each school has a variety of awards, some specifically for freshman students, others that relate to specific majors, etc. Check the school’s own website, and the admission and financial aid offices for awards. Remember to follow application deadline dates.
• Major area of interest: engineering, nursing, education, etc. Check with scholarship databases and with the department of your major area of academic interest. Don’t forget to use www.google.com
• Parents’ employment, military service, organization memberships: Check with the HR at the parent’s place of employment, contact veteran’s groups (for parent or grandparent who was in service), business associations, labor unions, parent’s membership in civic and business organizations.
• Groups in your community: Kiwanis, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, boosters clubs, PTA, fraternal groups. You can obtain information about local scholarships/grants from the Guidance Office at your high school. Applications for local awards are usually submitted in the senior year in high school.
• Student’s own clubs, interests and activities: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, FFA, athletics, music, special interest clubs, volunteer groups. Contact club officials and check www.google.com.
• Competitions: creative arts, poetry and essay contests, and music competitions. Note: music auditions or portfolios of artwork may be required. Contact schools and organizations. Use www.google.com to locate opportunities in your area and in surrounding communities.
• Students with special needs and disabilities: contact the HEATH National Resource Directory on Post-secondary Education and Disability at www.heath.gwu.edu or call 1-800-544-3284 to learn how to locate and contact local, state and national advocacy groups. Also check individual databases.
• State of Ohio: state grants, Ohio College Opportunity Grant, Ohio Academic Scholarship, state loan programs, Ohio Choice Grant, etc. Call 1-888-833-1133 or see www.regents.oh.us/sgs
General Information Websites
• www.act.org: ACT Home Page, information for students, adult learners, college and career planning, ACT test samples, and test registration; promotes ACT publications & programs.
• www.collegeboard.com: SAT samples and test registration, planning tools, college search, paying for college, PROFILE form on line, promotes College Board Publications and programs.
• www.noche.org: Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education, information about 25 colleges and universities in 13 counties in northeast Ohio.
• www.ohiomentor.org: Ohio college information, campus tours, financial aid information, online apps. – public and private schools, 2 year programs, 4 year programs, and graduate schools are included.
• www.oplin.org: FREE test preparation programs, ACT, SAT 2005, ASVAB, GED, Civil Service, Nursing, and more, free skills improvement tests; tests graded and correct answers and tutoring provided
• www.students.gov: US Government links to FAFSA, scholarships, grants, loans, military funding, health professions, links to information sources
• www.u101.com accesses the web sites of nearly all colleges/universities in U.S.A. and Canada.
Criteria
There are millions of dollars in private scholarships available. Some selection criteria to consider are:
chosen college artistic ability union membership
chosen major leadership parents’ place of work
grades (GPA) athletic ability parents’ organization affiliation
gender economic need military background in family
race religious affiliation special needs & disabilities
Scholarship Searches
• www.google.com: The most comprehensive source. It will search over 8 billion web pages very rapidly and usually notes too many sources. Start out with a general listing and then add modifying words like ‘freshman’ or ‘Ohio’ or ‘minority’ or ‘female’ to narrow the search.
• www.lib.msu.edu/harris23: (courtesy of Jon Harrison, Michigan State University). The website is an outstanding way to learn about scholarships. A short description of each award, eligibility criteria, deadlines, and an Internet link is provided. Information is checked and updated frequently. After opening site, go to Grants Resources, then to Grants Individual. Scholarships, grants, internships are listed by academic level, by population groups, and by over 50 major areas - many web links and resources.
• www.cspohio.org: lists programs, scholarships and assistance available from Cleveland Scholarship Programs. Also consider working in the CSP Resource Center, open six days per week, additional on-line materials, databases and personal assistance are available.
Sponsored / Dedicated Scholarship Websites
There are many sponsored websites. These large websites include sorted information about available awards. Sponsored sites often require the student to register and supply personal information such as name, address, telephone number, email address, etc. A sponsored site may also have reference materials or services for sale. Be very careful about any personal information you supply. The sponsored websites listed include many better-known and frequently used sources.
Each person has a unique ethnic heritage. Check into yours…African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, Polish, Irish, Italian-American, Pacific Rim, etc. Gale’s Encyclopedia of Associations contains contact information for all types of groups. When the term ‘minority’ is used it may have a variety of meanings. Many awards are related to major area of study.
There are also dedicated sites to promote post-secondary education for specific population groups.
• www.apaics: scholarships: (Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies)
• www.brokescholar.com: database of awards, all levels, many majors, must register information
• www.collegeboard.com: database with many sources of funding, must register information
• www.collegefunding.org: (Native Americans)
• www.collegeview.org: (African American, Hispanic, HBCU’s, Christian Schools)
• www.fastaid.com: scholarship database for private schools, must register information
• www.fastweb.com: general scholarship list, must register information
• www.fedmoney.org: lists over 130 federal government programs - grants and loans
• www.gmsp.org: (Gates Millennium Scholars – all minorities)
• www.hsf.net: (Hispanic Scholarship Fund -Hispanic students)
• www.jackierobinson.org: Jackie Robinson Foundation – minority students)
• www.jacl.org: (Japanese American students)
• www.nul.org: (National Urban League – African American Students)
• www.ocanatl.org: (Chinese American and Asian American Students)
• www.pdsoros.org: (Paul & Daisy Soros - Scholarships for New Americans)
• www.ronbrown.org: (Ron Brown Scholar Program – minority students)
• www.scholarsite.com: search for awards by field of study
• www.scholarships.com: free scholarship search, many different matches, must register information
• www.scholarshipsforhispanics.org: (Hispanic students)
• www.uncf.org: (United Negro College Fund - African American Students)
As you can see, there are many, many potential awards. Finding one requires time and Internet access.
Use one of the computers at:
Cleveland Scholarship Programs Resource Center
200 Public Square in the BP Tower (lowest level)
Cleveland, OH 44114 (216) 241-5587
OPEN: Monday -Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 9am-1pm
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