Grants, Awards, and Scholarships–Oh My!
College is expensive. There it is, out in the open–the truth that we all know, and no one wants to talk about in detail. Going to college definitely has a lot of barriers, but cost is one of the biggest. Financial Aid, the FAFSA, and university scholarships are all helpful… but what do you do when there is still some cost that is uncovered?
Third-party grants, awards, and scholarships may seem very intimidating at first, but the good news is: you never lose. A true scholarship won’t ask you to pay for anything, so you can only win when applying! However, the application process can seem really overwhelming at first. That’s where I hope this post can help you–navigating the world of third-party scholarships effectively and stress-free.
Your first step should always be making sure that the University has done as much as it can for you. Remember, the Office of Financial Aid wants to see you succeed and wants to help you as much as possible. If you are still seeing a large number after your original aid, you can always reach out to your financial aid advisor. Don’t know who your advisor is? Based on your last name, you can find their name and contact information here. From there, they can guide you to where you should look next, which could be options like Federal Work Study opportunities, appeals, internal university awards, etc. You never know what might be available to you without looking to third parties for help.
But what if you still have a balance, even after all of their help? That’s normal, and that’s okay. You still have options! There are plenty of databases and websites to help you find the awards, grants, or scholarships. Finding one is the first step! This listicle has 9 databases linked that are the “best” to find that extra money you need. I suggest making an account for each of these and inputting any and all information that is relevant about yourself into their search software. Some of these things could be: your ethnicity, your sexuality, your collegiate status (year, are you a first gen. student, etc.), your GPA, your interests, any clubs you are a part of… anything is okay to include. Heck, there are scholarships for people who are tall!
Once you have made your account and input all of your information, the databases will find scholarships that fit your specific demographics–AKA scholarships that you are eligible to apply for. Some of these are designated as “no essay” scholarships. For these, the applications are extremely short–but they may also be less likely to pan out due to the high number of students applying for them. Some will ask for your GPA or transcript, both of which are easily accessible in SelfService. Some will ask for an essay, and it is up to you to decide if you have the time and energy to put towards writing a thoughtful essay. Some might ask you to answer a series of questions. Some will just want basic information! Either way, they are all worth an attempt–I personally believe that there’s no reason not to at least try!
There are also awards available through the University that you can apply to. Currently, there are essay awards available for application through the Office of the Provost that are very easy. Information about these writing awards–like the Maimon, LeClair, and Blecher awards–can be found in your email! Most require an essay following a specific prompt, but some can be applied for using an existing essay that you already wrote. It’s nice and easy for you!
Now, sometimes, even financial aid and all of these opportunities are not enough to cover your balance. Again, this is normal and while it can be very stressful, taking out a loan responsibly is something that many students end up doing at some point in their education. Talk to your financial aid advisor or a trusted adult about loans to get more information and understand how they work.
College is expensive. Arcadia does a really good job with their aid and scholarships, but there are still times when students have to look to third parties for assistance. I hope this piece was helpful in guiding you to some resources that can provide insight and aid where you may have some gaps. Good luck!
