Scholarships
Scholarships are college life savers. Just a few quick steps and you could possibly be into free money for books, tuition, or any other expenses. Here’s how to find them, and how to apply.
Merit Scholarships:
- Are offered by the school; not applied for
- Given to “well rounded” students; i.e. has good grades, does extra curricular activities, and has strong recommendations
- Generally span all four years of college
- Can be lost due to inadequate grades
John and Abigail Adams Scholarship:
- Given by the state of Massachusetts
- Student must score “Advanced” on either Math or English ELA, and proficient in the other, or be withing the top 25% of scores in the state
- Only to be used at public universities, colleges, and community colleges
- Must be a legal resident of the state
- Spans all 4 years of college
- Must maintain a 3.0 GPA to keep the scholarship
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/adams.html
Athletic Scholarships:
- Awarded for excelence in a certain sport; “recruited” by the college either in person or online
- Can fully pay for tuition in some cases
- More money from more athletically competitive schools
- Larger scholarships for more popular sports
- Often lost because student is caught drinking
- Must maintain a certain GPA
- Spans as long as you are active on the sports team
http://www.athleticscholarships.net/
Art Scholarships:
- Given based on skill
- Require a portfolio
- Generally given by art schools or schools with art programs
- May be any type of art (Painting, photography, drawing, etc.)
http://www.youngarts.org/apply
FRC Scholarships:
Click here to access FRCS scholarship information:
FRCS_Scholarship_Application_2013
Other Scholarships:
The universe is full of scholarships for just about everything. There are tons of them out there, most requiring just a short essay about why you’re the most eligible for it.
Scholarships come in all sizes, from full tuition to just $50 for books. However, any money is helpful when paying for college. Applying for any and all scholarships possible is the best bet for students. Writing a ten-minute essay now is worth not having to worry over paying astronomical student loans later.
Keeping (or losing) Scholarships:
Scholarships often have conditions to them and many things can put scholarships in jeopardy. Most merit scholarships require students to complete their high school academics in good standing and maintain similar performance through graduation. The greatest risk to any scholarship is poor choices that compromise a student’s character or academic standing. In addtion, any criminal charges are likely to dramatcially affect scholaships. Drug and alcohol use are common causes to lose scholarships. Many students have everything they have worked for taken away, including their acceptance to the school, because they make poor choices in between being accepted and the start of freshmen year. Most colleges can access potential students’ Facebook and Twitter pages. This information can also reflect poorly on students so they should post content responsibly.
