Maximizing Your Scholarship Potential as a First-Year Student

It's no secret that paying for college is not exactly a cheap endeavor. In fact, it might be one of the most costly things you or your parents might have to pay for in a lifetime. But the great news is that you don't have to bear this cost alone, thanks to a plethora of college scholarships that you can tap into. 

If you're a first-year student looking for financial assistance, you're probably wondering how to maximize your odds of winning a great scholarship. This blog is here to guide you with the right know-how, so read on for more! 

1. Tidy Up Your Social Presence

Have you ever thought about Googling yourself? If not, it's high time you do so. The search results that appear on the first page say a lot about you, as well as your many other social media profiles. 

You might need to tidy up your social presence a little before you start applying for scholarships because this is where scholarship board members will get a feel for who you are. This might look like removing any offensive images or posts, etc. 

It's also a good idea to create professional profiles of yourself, using platforms such as LinkedIn. Starting a blog will stand you in good stead as a way to display your writing ability and knowledge. Remember, cleaning up your social presence is about adding as much as it is about removing. 

2. Get an Early Start on the Application Process 

The earlier you begin preparing and applying for scholarships, the better. If you can think about what would make you a desirable applicant for a scholarship, early on, you could have a better chance down the line. You might need to start making changes or preparing for a scholarship as early as your senior year of high school, or during your undergraduate studies. 

While each scholarship program has its own unique set of criteria, you can better your chances by:

• Securing good grades
• Building good relationships with teachers and professors
• Participating in extracurricular activities that boost your image and skillset 
• Broadening your language and writing skills

Do some research on your preferred colleges early on and get to know their scholarship programs, as well as the eligibility criteria.  

3. Search for Private Scholarships (Locally)

While you might want to apply for a scholarship program, specific to your preferred college, there's another great way of maximizing your scholarship chances. And this is to apply for private scholarships first, which come from private entities, independent of the college. 

This is a great option if you want to reduce the amount of competition within the application pool. Private scholarships are generally less well-known and tend to accept fewer applicants. For example, a private scholarship program might only consider 12-15 applicants. Whereas some larger, well-known scholarship programs put your chances at one in a thousand. 

If you're an undergraduate, you can begin your search in high school. Search your school website for listed local scholarships that you could apply for and chat with your guidance counselors for pointers to improve your success. 

You can also search college websites for a list of local organizations offering scholarship programs.

4. Prioritize Eligible Scholarships 

It's important to have a plan of action before you apply for scholarships. This includes a clear understanding of what you're actually eligible for. Applying for scholarships that don't align with your eligibility is pointless for you. 

Your eligibility might hinge on factors such as the award amount -- how much the scholarship covers. Or, the amount of effort involved in the actual application process. You can repurpose written portions of your application, i.e., the essays, in order to save you time if you want to apply for more than one scholarship that suits you. Make sure to prioritize these types of scholarships. 

The key to applying for more than one eligible scholarship is to work smarter, not harder. 

5. Search for Scholarships Beyond Freshman Year

If you're not accepted for a scholarship in your freshman year, that doesn't mean you have to give up your search. Tuition funding throughout subsequent years in college can still make a huge difference. 

The great news is that scholarships are available to college students at any age and at any stage in their college career. Set aside some dedicated time and effort to search for scholarships each year -- you never know which year could be your year. 

6. Clearly Understand Award Criteria and Eligibility 

This is a similar point to understanding your eligibility. But if you know exactly what a scholarship program looks for in a college student, then you're already one step ahead. Doing some homework on award and eligibility criteria, ahead of time, can do wonders for boosting your odds. 

More important than eligibility is the award criteria -- basically, this is how you can win the scholarship. Do thorough research for each specific scholarship and what they look at. For example, if they require letters of recommendation, find out how many and from whom, don't just guess at random. 

Do research on all the essay topics. Reading the essay prompt is not enough, you need to understand each topic clearly and write to the best of your ability. The more writing experience you have, the better. 

Set aside some time and effort to learn about the scholarship itself. Who awards the scholarship, who funds it, and who are the type of people they grant it to? Doing some research on those who've received the scholarship in the past could help you more than you know!

Paying for College With a Scholarship: It Is Possible

If you feel like the odds are stacked against you when it comes to paying for college and you have no chance of you ever winning a dream scholarship -- think again. It is 100 percent possible to earn a scholarship, even if you have no idea where to start. Hopefully, this blog points in the right direction. 

If you're looking for scholarship opportunities, professional guidance, and a huge network of the right contacts, Honor Society is your go-to. Learn more about the scholarships the Honor Society Foundation offers and how you can earn one!