If you're looking to get scholarships. I have the solution. Well, not quite. But I'm sure I can help you out with some tips that I learned this summer.
1. Scholarships are hard to get (obviously). (So do things you know you can do.)
Oftentimes, very very hard. Kind of like flossing your molars.
There really is no such thing as an easy scholarship. And the ones where you just sign up and hope for the best really don't make the cut.
Getting scholarship money should be of your own merit. Merit that you have already discovered. To avoid much pain and suffering, I suggest you attempt said merit before whole-heartedly dedicating yourself to it.
Ex: A close friend and I came up with an idea to enter an amateur video scholarship. The only problem was, we were pre-amateur (if that's even possible). But with a month of hard work and humiliation, we crafted up a little video. Of course, it may have been easier to begin, AFTER we got a video camera. And learned how to use editing software. Which is actually coming up this joyous week. Headaches galore.
2. Try local.
Big sites like Fastweb may help you find some big ones, but I suggest going local. See if your school has a list of local scholarships that you can enter. Local usually translates into less competition and greater chance of winning, which means good for you.
Local scholarshps are pretty out there too. I recently found one that gave you a scholarship for writing an essay about the importance of a perfect smile from, big suprise, The Orthodontists Association. I didn't even know there was an Orthodontist Association.
3. Corporations Rock. Sometimes.
Corporations have scholarships to help promote something about community outreach. You are the community. They are out-reaching. Go for it. My suggestions, search up a store (grocery store, fast food restaurant, pet food store, you name it) and scholarship. Chances are, there's going to be some kind of scholarship avaliable for you to take advantage of.
4. (Your State) University or University of (Your State)?
So many more options for you! Hooray! Chances are, there will be some government programs which promote in-state schools that offer scholarships to YOUR school! The schools themselves have plenty of opportunites for you. Just ring them up on their websites or contact them for information.
Ex: 21st Century Scholars in Indiana: Pledge your allegiance to go an Indiana state school and bingo, you've got some cash opportunites.
