Found Money | Finding and Applying for College Scholarships in WNY

Welcome back to the Send Your Kids to College blog! As you may already know, students of Erie and Niagara Counties can officially apply for the 2022 Young Achiever's Scholarship! As certified college planners, we help students and their families better understand what they can be doing to financially plan for college. We can help to fill out important financial aid forms, or provide insightful tutoring for SAT and ACT testing.

Today on the blog we hope to help students better understand college scholarships and more specifically, a few best practices for finding and applying for college scholarships!

What Exactly is a Scholarship?

Unlike forms of federal student aid, a scholarship does NOT need to be repaid. Simply, a scholarship is a gift. Thousands of scholarships are available, offered for different groups and people from all different backgrounds. You may have thought that an athlete is the main candidate for an athletic scholarship, but academic scholarships can be extremely beneficial for a high-performing student. Many companies, employers, individuals, nonprofits, communities, religious groups, and other community or social organizations create these opportunities to help students get ahead of their college bill.

What Types of Scholarships Are Out There?

A scholarship may cover the ENTIRE cost of your tuition, or it might be a one-time gift of a few hundred dollars. It's ALWAYS worth applying! Any scholarship will help you reduce the cost of your college experience!

Many scholarships are based on merit or performance. Certain standards are set by a scholarship provider, and the award could be provided based on purely academic achievement or a combination of academic performance and a particular skill, talent, or trait. Some scholarships are based purely on financial need. Some scholarships are provided with a specific group of people in mind or created for individuals from a certain background.

Find Scholarships to Apply for

If you haven't already applied for the 2022 Young Achiever's Scholarship... Get on it! We have a few months of open season left! It's important when on the hunt for other available scholarships to ensure the provider is legitimate, along with the offer and information. You can find a lot of helpful information on scholarships from your school counselor, the college financial aid office, or perhaps even your employer. You can also check in on federal and state resources for scholarships!

If you are in the market for a college scholarship, but don't know where to begin, we are HERE FOR YOU! We offer a $1,000.00 scholarship to 3 students every year, but we can also help steer you and your child in the right direction for college financial assistance. We can help you save money on college by providing insight and experience that only a certified college planning specialist can! Thanks and remember to go over and "Like" us on facebook to stay in touch with updates and news!