SC Tips

Template: Scholarship Central has a template already waiting for you to download and fill out yourself! Starting a scholarship tracker via excel sheet is one of the best ways to keep track of what you’ve applied for, how much it may be, and whether or not you’ve heard back about it!

Scholarship for Scholarship: One key point to this is tied to our Annual Success Award! In order to be eligible, you have to provide proof that you applied to 3 scholarships using our website. What better way to make that easy on you than by using the template WE created already!

Using the Cloud: By using our template and having already created a Gmail account, you can have this tracker with you at all times! Just be sure to make a designated folder so that you can find it as needed!

Add Ours: Scholarship Central already has a Google calendar ready for you! Each time a scholarship is added, their due date is immediately logged. This way, you never miss a deadline!

Look Often: Check back regularly, ideally weekly, to ensure that you don't miss deadlines but so that you also don't miss new ones!

Don’t Make This Mistake: A huge mistake many seniors make is seeing a scholarship with a lower award and skipping over it. These are scholarships MANY will overlook, leaving a better opportunity for you! Plus, adding together five scholarships worth $500 adds up to $2,500 before you know it!

What’s Your Why: Scholarship committees and college admissions will have enough applications pass through that would make it difficult to remember anything other than unique information! Many of the exact same GPAs, dozens of the same names even! What makes you stand out? Why are you applying to this scholarship or college and how will it help you reach your future goals?

What They Look For: One of the most compelling pieces of an application come from Volunteer work and Leadership skills. Find a way to add these in! If you haven’t volunteered at all, there are so many opportunities around you. If you haven’t any participated in anything to grow your leadership skills, ask your school counselor what your school offers!

Folders on the Cloud: Tip number 1 had you creating a Gmail account so that you could use their Google Drive. Using their folders to organize your different documents, trackers, or even applications is one of the easiest ways to always find what you need quickly!

Multiple Apps: Google Drive has multiple things you can use, like creating a Word Document, Excel Sheet, PowerPoint, Video, Form, and even your own Website (which is actually what Scholarship Central uses). You’re even able to upload your pictures or PDF applications to make sure you have copies!

Use Our Template: Scholarship Central has multiple resources, but one of the most beneficial sits under our Forms & Documents section. Filling out the brag sheet helps those who write your recommendation letters know all the ways to make your letter most successful!

Use Our Template: Last month, you learned about the Brag Sheets under our Forms & Documents. There’s also a template to fill out and start your own resume! This is a simple, yet professionally formatted design.

Stand Out: At the end of our Resume template, there are two sections that talk about Interests and Future Plans. These help you show how you’ll use their degrees, scholarships, or job opportunities to fit your strengths and dreams. Help the hiring and selection committees remember you as more than just a number.

Use Our Templates: Using a brag sheet, resume, and recommendation request can not only make your recommender's life easier, but it can also make the turn around time of receiving it back quicker!

Start Off Strong: Bring those filled out templates with you, or attach them to the email, when you request the recommendation. This makes it all even faster than trying to get it to them later when they ask for it, or if you forget to bring them with you.

Timing is Important: Asking someone for a recommendation within the same week can feel rushed. Ideally, you should ask the recommender about 1 to 3 months before the letter is due.

Digital Footprint: You may not realize it, but many colleges will look up your name to see what your digital footprint looks like. Think now – if your dream college was to find your TikTok, your Instagram, or something else, would you be nervous? If so, it might be time for a cleanse.

Start Early: Don’t wait too long, especially as an athlete. Many college coaches (and recruiters) make notes early on. If you wait too long to start your cleanse, you may already be on a “Do Not Contact” list. 

Don’t Stop Now: There are scholarship deadlines in May, June, July… really there are always deadlines! Just because you are close to graduating doesn’t mean you should stop now! Keep looking, keep applying, and keep fighting for that debt free degree.

Different Scholarships: Once you get into college, there are scholarships just for students in undergrad, in grad school, and even going for their doctorate! Just be sure to always check the requirements. Scholarship Central has an Adult Scholarship page to help you continue this journey!