pay the way
10 tips for finding scholarships
6
CHECK WITH LOCAL FOUNDATIONS.
TIPS FROM A MILLION
DOLLAR SCHOLAR
Through the Military: Kenneth Levens, a recent
graduate of Prattville High, was also able to rake
in over $930,000 in scholarships. How did he do
it? “I started applying for scholarships the second
semester of my junior year,” he said.
Kenneth knew he wanted
to go into the Navy after
graduation, so he began
looking at scholarships
offered at various military
academies. He was offered
$400,000 from the U.S.
Naval Academy, $350,000
from West Point, plus
an $180,000 ROTC
scholarship, even though
he did not take ROTC in
high school.
He was evaluated through academics, a medical
screening and a fitness test. “I made a 26 on the
ACT, but I ranked 2nd in my class so that helped,”
said Kenneth.
Kenneth is spending his summer training and
plans to attend the U.S Naval Academy. He says
he’s just an average guy, and he hopes “people will
look at a story like mine and be inspired.”
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It never hurts to ask. See if charitable foundations or groups
in your area offer scholarships. Many foundations do, and
since they are typically only awarded locally there is less
competition.
SEARCH THE WEB! An internet search for
scholarships will yield many diverse options. There are
several scholarship-specific search engines that make finding
them that much quicker. While you’ll find more scholarships this
way, there’s also a lot of competition for most of them.
8
BE SPECIFIC! When searching the web, it is
important to look for scholarships that apply directly to
you. Typing “scholarship” into google will give you many
options, but you’ll probably only be eligible for some of
them. Try searching for scholarships based on your field of study,
your area, your state, your gender, etc.
9
DON’T FORGET NON-ACADEMIC
SCHOLARSHIPS. If your grades aren’t perfect,
there’s no need to worry. Scholarships aren’t just for students
with a high GPA. Non-academic scholarships are available to a
wide variety of people. They can be based on community service,
leadership, extra-curricular activities and many other things.
10
DON’T GIVE UP. Finding scholarships can be a long, time-
consuming process, but it is worth it. To
win a lot of scholarships, you have to apply
for a lot of scholarships. Many scholarships
even require the same material, so saving
materials from each application can be a
huge time-saver.
DID YOU KNOW?
There’s a scholarship for every student – not just the jock athlete or valedictorian. For instance, in Alabama,
the CollegeCounts program awards scholarships to individuals with an ACT that is 26 or below or, go to the
prom wearing a duct tape dress or accessories and you can qualfiy for a scholarship.
THE SECRET – apply, apply, apply.
HERE ARE SOME GREAT RESOURCES FOR FINDING SCHOLARSHIPS:
• AIDSCHOLAR.COM
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• SCHOLARSHIPHUNTER.COM
• SCHOLARSHIPS.COM
www.potentialmagazine.com
• CAPPEX.COM