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Help! Where do I find Scholarships?

Updated: Jan 22

Every year, students ask me for help finding scholarships. Sadly, there is misguided marketing that makes it seem easy to win scholarships. Part of this stems from the huge discounts that less competitive private colleges use to encourage students to enroll.


Colleges know that if they offer a named scholarship (e.g., Presidential), the family will see it as prestigious, even if the net cost remains high.


True Story: My daughter was awarded over $2 million in scholarships by applying to performing arts (audition-based) colleges with a relatively strong academic profile. Every college offered her a discount (think Kohls' coupon) because many less selective private colleges inflate their prices and offer discounts in the form of scholarships to students they want to enroll to meet their institutional priorities. Some offer discounts to all students.


In North Carolina, the best "scholarship" is often in-state tuition. Once a student leaves our state or chooses a private college, costs tend to go up.


NC In-State = Relatively Low Cost, but not a lot of Merit Scholarships

North Carolina public universities have a relatively low cost of attendance compared to many states, but they also don’t award much merit aid beyond the big-name, uber-selective scholarships:

  • Morehead-Cain/Robertson (UNC Chapel Hill)

  • Park Scholars (NC State)

  • Levine Scholars (UNC Charlotte)

  • Brinkley-Lane (East Carolina)

These are incredibly competitive—think of our brightest and most accomplished students. If you are one of these students, research and apply early. They tend to have extensive applications with multiple essays and often an interview.


Additionally, if you’re cost-conscious, check out the NC Promise schools in the NC Promise – UNC System, where tuition is low for in-state and out-of-state students:

  • Western Carolina University (WCU)

  • UNC Pembroke (UNCP)

  • Fayetteville State (FSU)

  • Elizabeth City State (ECSU)


    Other affordable options include UNC Greensboro, which offers some merit aid, and Appalachian State, which tends to be less expensive than UNC or NCSU.


Tips for reducing college costs:

  • Create a balanced college list.

    • Include in-state public options that are affordable even without scholarships.

    • Consider colleges where the student is in the top 15% of the applicant pool.

      • Some schools award merit scholarships based on GPA/test scores.

  • Run net price calculators on college websites. They’re a directional starting point, not a guarantee. Some are old, and costs are going up.

  • Understand where the money comes from: Less than 7% of college funding comes from outside employers and outside scholarships. 

  • Note: Less selective private colleges “discount” an average of 55%, but rarely bring costs down to NC public levels.


“But where do I find more free money?”

First, remember, there is no magic scholarship piñata that a student hits and drops lots of free money.


Beyond the discounts or auto-merit you get from a college, applying for scholarships takes time, effort, and essays. Most are looking for leadership, service, and high academic performance. Many have specific requirements.


Specific Scholarship Tips:

  • Create a scholarship-only email to manage your search and alerts.

    • Most free scholarship search engines sell your info—expect spam and loan offers.

  • Check out this podcast, Outside Scholarships: What You Need to Know - Your College-Bound Kid, and sign up for 1-2 search engines.

  • Be realistic; if it is a no-essay scholarship, it is likely a lead generator.

  • Shop for local and personal scholarships.

    • Start where you already have connections: family’s church, employer, bank, credit union, major, and/or student-specific activity.

• Local civic groups or foundations.

• NC community foundations (my local favs):

  • Major specific/use Google: "NC female in STEM scholarship.”

• Let your high school counselor know you’re applying for scholarships.

  • Review your school’s scholarship bulletin. 

  • Many North Carolina high schools (like Leesville and Milbrook) offer excellent curated bulletins.

  • Apply for scholarships at the college you plan to attend—these tend to be larger and more impactful.

    • Continue to apply while in college; some offer scholarships to current students.


Warning: Avoid Scholarship Scams

You should not pay to apply for a scholarship or give out your SSN. ( Imagine Scholarships is an exception; it is a reputable company that does not sell your info.)


Every year, I have students who successfully reduce their college costs by applying wisely to targeted scholarships that fit their profiles. Often, a parent does the research, and the student applies to a few every few weeks. Below are a few of my favorite scholarship resources.


Good luck!


Resources:


Scholarships take time, energy and essays!
Scholarships take time, energy and essays!

 
 
 

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