The high price tag attached to most colleges and universities is enough to make anyone quake in his boots. The reality is that very few people actually have the means to afford the cost of college. National and local companies, organizations, and foundations recognize that the price of college is, well, ridiculous, and that no one should be turned away because they can’t write a $160,000 check. So people all across the country have set up scholarship funds to offer intelligent, motivated youth the chance to attend college.
The way scholarships work: you demonstrate your academic prowess, leadership skills, community involvement, and desire to grow intellectually, mentally, and emotionally, and any number of national and/or local organizations will give you money (ranging in amount from a couple hundred dollars to the full cost of tuition) to pay for college. The catch? There isn’t one. You do not have to pay back any of the scholarship money you get. Scholarships are one of the best options for paying for college because you do not have to return the money that is given to you.
How do you find scholarships? Scholarships are offered by national, state, and local organizations. Obviously, it is wise to apply to as many scholarships as you can; keep in mind, however, that sometimes national scholarships are very competitive (as they may have upwards of ten-thousand applicants), while state and/or local scholarships may be less competitive because they will have a smaller applicant pool. Suffice it to say, don’t just apply to the big national scholarships; take a look at what organizations and foundations right in your community provide scholarships. Don’t be discouraged if a scholarship only offers you $1,000 because every penny counts! The money will start to add up if you apply to lots of scholarships. Very few people get a single scholarship that covers their full tuition.
Google is a great place to start looking for scholarships. People have lots of money to give; your job is to find it! Beware, however, of scholarships that sound too good to be true. They probably are. Just like other opportunities in life, some scholarships turn out to be a scam. Fastweb (http://www.fastweb.com/) for instance, is a website that gives you information on scholarships based on a personal profile you complete. More often than not, many of the scholarships on Fastweb are not as great as they appear to be. This is not to say Fastweb is a bad place to start, but it would be prudent to read the fine print on the scholarship applications. Merit Aid (http://www.meritaid.com) on the other hand, is a great website to look at for more reliable, merit based scholarships. Merit Aid allows you to search by college for academic and merit based scholarships. Merit Aid is also a great way to learn about the schools on your list. Below is some more specific information about a few local and national scholarship opportunities. Please check this site frequently for additional scholarship information and feel free to contact me (Ms. McKenna: emckenna@memphisprepprogram.org) if you’d like to schedule a meeting to discuss scholarship opportunities!
The Gates Millennium Scholars Program http://www.gmsp.org/
Deadline: January 11, 2012
Scholarship Amount: Full tuition
The Gates Millennium Scholars Program will select 1,000 talented students each year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. We provide Gates Millennium Scholars with personal and professional development through our leadership programs along with academic support throughout their college career.
Visit https://nominations.gmsp.org/GMSP_App/Default.aspx to see the eligibility and application requirements and to begin the application process.
Bonners Scholars Program http://www.bonner.org/campus/bsp/home.htm
Deadline: Varies at each of the 27 participating colleges/universities
Scholarship Amount: Varies
The Bonner Scholars Program was created with the belief that college students engaged in service have unique gifts and talents that bring energy, creativity, and hope to individuals and communities. It is based also on the belief that colleges and universities can and must be a telling presence in their local communities.
Please view this list of the 27 schools that participate in the Bonners Scholars Program and visit each school’s website for information about applying to the program.
Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Scholarships
Deadline: March 25, 2012
Scholarship Amount: up to $20,000
Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) is a company-sponsored employee network dedicated to supporting the continued growth and development of black employees at Microsoft Corporation.
Visit http://www.zinch.com/scholarships/blacks-microsoft-scholarships to see the eligibility and application requirements and to begin the application process.
Ron Brown Scholar Program http://www.ronbrown.org/apply/ApplicationDownload.aspx
Deadline: January 9, 2012
Scholarship Amount: $10,000 per year for four years
Established in 1996 by the CAP Charitable Foundation, the Ron Brown Scholar Program began awarding college scholar- ships to outstanding African American students to honor the legacy of service of the late Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown. As the first African American to serve in the cabinet as Secretary of Commerce and the first to serve as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Ron Brown was a figure of global prominence, respected for his intelligence, political savvy and leadership. In April of 1996, he died in a tragic plane crash during a trade mission to Eastern Europe. Since 1996, the Ron Brown Scholar Program has evolved to provide Scholars with more than just academic opportunities, fostering both the strong commitment of service and dedication to future leadership that Ron Brown helped embody.
Visit http://www.ronbrown.org/Libraries/NewsletterPDFs/2012_Scholarship_Application_1.sflb.ashx to see the eligibility and application requirements and to begin the application process.
Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship http://www.jackierobinson.org/apply/programs.php
Deadline: March 30, 2012
Scholarship Amount: up to $7,500
The Jackie Robinson Foundation provides a multi–faceted experience designed to not only address the financial needs of minority students who aspire to attend college but also to guide them through the process of higher education, molding them into dynamic leaders with a commitment to public service and Jackie Robinson's humanitarian ideals. The award is given to outstanding high school graduates who plan to earn a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education. Since its inception, the program has attracted the support of hundreds of companies, philanthropic institutions and individuals. As a result of our efforts, increasing numbers of students are able to attend the colleges and universities of their choice — where they are poised to develop their academic skills and leadership talents.
Visit http://www.jackierobinson.org/apply/programs.php to see the eligibility and application requirements and to begin the application process.
Toyota Scholarships http://www.toyota.com/about/philanthropy/education/scholarships/
Deadline: Varies
Scholarship Amount: Varies
Toyota has long supported a wide variety of scholarship programs, many of which focus on students in diverse and underserved communities. We firmly believe in supporting those in pursuit of higher learning to help all individuals achieve their full potential.
Visit http://www.toyota.com/about/philanthropy/education/scholarships/ to see the eligibility and application requirements and to begin the application process for a number of scholarships funded by Toyota.
National Honor Society Scholarship
Deadline: January 20, 2012
Scholarship Amount: $1,000 to $13,000
NASSP, the parent organization of the National Honor Society, has awarded the NHS Scholarships since 1946, providing more than $10 million in scholarships to outstanding NHS members. Now in its 66th year, the program provides $200,000 annually in scholarship awards. State finalists receive $1,000 scholarships. State winners receive $1,500 scholarships, regional winners receive $3,000, and the national winner receives a $13,000 award.
Visit http://www.nhs.us/ScholarshipsandAwards/NHSScholarshipProgram.aspx to see the eligibility and application requirements and to begin the application process.
Writers of the Future Award http://www.writersofthefuture.com/contest-rules
Deadline: January 1, 2012; April 1, 2012, July 1, 2012
Scholarship Amount: $500 to $1,000
"A culture is as rich and as capable of surviving as
it has imaginative artists. The artist is looked upon to start things.
The artist injects the spirit of life
into a culture. And through his creative endeavors,
the writer works continually to give tomorrow a new form."—L. Ron Hubbard
Visit http://www.writersofthefuture.com/contest-rules to see the eligibility and application requirements and to begin the application process.
The Princeton Prize in Race Relations http://www.princeton.edu/pprize/
Deadline: January 31, 2012
Scholarship Amount: $1000
There is perhaps no greater challenge facing our country than increasing understanding and cooperation among people of different racial backgrounds. It is a challenge that every new generation encounters. We therefore believe that young people have a particularly important role to play, and hope, through the Princeton Prize, to recognize and encourage young people who have made or are making efforts to improve racial harmony. The Princeton Prize in Race Relations consists of 24 regionally awarded $1,000 cash awards as well as an annual symposium on race.
Visit http://www.princeton.edu/pprize/application/ to see the eligibility and application requirements and to begin the application process.
The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Scholarship Funds http://www.cfgm.org/Scholarships/AvailableScholarships/tabid/219/Default.aspx
Deadline: 5:00 pm on April 2, 2012 (deadline for Don Poier Memorial Scholarship: February 2012)
Scholarship Amount: Ranges from $500 to $2,600
The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis offers fourteen different scholarship to the youth of Memphis. Additional scholarships will be available after January 14, 2012.
Visit http://www.cfgm.org/Scholarships/AvailableScholarships/tabid/219/Default.aspx to see a description of each scholarship as well as the eligibility and application requirements and to begin the application process.
