Big Money for Big Personalities

For high school juniors, senior year and graduation are right around the corner. It’s important to start thinking ahead about financial aid options for college, which means it’s time to start searching for scholarships. The scholarship search is often tedious and overwhelming, especially if you don’t know where to start. The good news is, you have a great place to start – focusing on who you are and your involvement. There are so many scholarships out there that cater to the person you are, not just the grades you earn. 

Community Engagement 

If you are involved in sports, clubs, student government, community service, JROTC, or any other activity outside of your academics, you could potentially earn a scholarship. Many clubs and organizations for students have scholarship opportunities that they don’t always advertise, so you may have to do some research online or ask someone within your organization for more information. Both colleges and local communities like to see students get involved and develop their interests, and scholarships are big incentives for integrating themselves into their communities by channeling their passions and hobbies. 

Identity traits 

It is always a beautiful thing to see people embracing who they are – and it’s an even sweeter moment if you’re able to earn some free money while doing so. There are so many scholarships out there that cater to students with different kinds of identity traits. Race, gender, ethnicity, disabilities, mental or physical health, or any kind of major life challenge are just a few of the filters that students could apply when searching for scholarships. There are an endless number of people looking to financially invest in the futures of bright young students, and many of them often look to do so within groups or communities that they feel personally attached to or connected to. 

Everything but the Kitchen Sink 

Here, we like to say that during the scholarship search, we throw in everything but the kitchen sink, because it is possible to find a scholarship for just about any aspect of your personality and who you are. There are scholarships out there for people who are left-handed, for people who have lived abroad, for people who are interested in crocheting, and even for people who enjoy playing mini golf in their spare time. If you can name it, you can likely find a scholarship for it somewhere.   A great place to start is our 5k Scholarship Giveaway, which qualifying students could enter every month. 

The Bottom Line

There is clearly no shortage of scholarships available to students – the key is knowing how to search for them. It may be a good idea to sit down and make a list of everything you’re able to think of about yourself and then dedicate some time to searching for scholarships that fit the things on your list. Remember, there is no trait or quality too small or niche – anything and everything is worth trying. The better-known academic and athletic scholarships are extremely helpful, but it’s always a good idea to expand your scholarship search just in case.