The busy back to school season also signifies the beginning of the college scholarship application process. The complex system of applying for scholarship money necessitates that parents and students keep careful track of deadlines and other pertinent information. Here are four ways to help your child win scholarships:
Do Not Delay
Procrastination is the enemy of any scholarship search. The deadlines will come up a lot faster than you might imagine. Do not wait for your child’s senior year to start looking into scholarship opportunities. By that time, many of the deadlines for the application may have already passed. Taking the time to look into options during your child’s junior year and creating an organizational system to keep track of the specifics will pay big dividends down the road.
Related: FastWeb
Empower the Student
It is essential that parents allow the child to own this journey. You can achieve this sense of ownership by equipping your child with the tools needed to stay on top of the academic game. Central in this knowledge is always being aware of the GPA. You can help your child calculate their GPA so that they are always cognizant of where their academics stand.
Related: GPA Calculator
Harness Multiple Resources
With so much scholarship money available from a wide variety of organizations, it makes sense to keep your options open when looking for suitable scholarships. In addition to leveraging the knowledge and expert experience of the high school guidance counselor, your student should also look to sources such as your local civic groups, churches, philanthropic organizations, and businesses. By harnessing multiple resources, you will be more likely to be granted the scholarship opportunities.
Related: Clark Howard
Make it Easy
As a parent, you can help to make the scholarship application process a lot easier by helping your child to organize the essential pieces of paperwork. By having copies of the pertinent information always ready, you can equip your child with the organization needed to make this process as easy as possible. Items to have on hand include copies of your student’s official high school transcript, a well-written personal statement that can be easily edited to fit various applications, and a variety of letters of recommendation.
Although this time can be a stressful time in your family’s journey, a little organization and research can go a long way in lessening the burden and ensuring that your student makes the most out of their opportunities. By allowing them to learn and grow on their own, they will rise to the occasion and become even greater in time.