College Scholarships: Not Just for Geniuses and Star Athletes

To get free college scholarship money, you don't have to be valedictorian or most valuable player. With a wide variety of college scholarships out there, money for college is available to people with just about any special skill or talent, from ballroom dancers to future ornithologists. You just have to find the scholarships and apply.

College Scholarships: Where to Find Them

To locate listings of college scholarships, visit your local high school guidance office and check out the career section in your local libraries and bookstores. You'll find scores of books listing available college scholarships from independent groups and organizations across the country. In addition, colleges offer their own scholarships, so be sure to contact your colleges of interest, and request information about current scholarships available.
If you belong to any organizations, such as Phi Beta Kappa or the debate society, check to see if they offer college scholarships. Finally, don't forget to dig around on the Internet to locate the websites discussing how to pay for college. With a bit of time and effort, you can very likely find money for college through scholarships.

Awards Criteria for College Scholarships

The criteria for selecting college scholarship recipients vary widely and depend on the scholarship. Typically, college scholarships aim to further the interests of the scholarship donor, so each organization focuses the qualities it wants to reward when selecting scholarship recipients. Usually, college scholarships factor in more than one quality of a candidate.
To apply for a college scholarship, you may be asked to write a personal statement and to provide personal references. Give both of these requests a good deal of thought and as much time as you can, and you will more likely secure money for college.
Some college scholarships won't seem like they add up to much money, but go ahead and apply. Each little bit helps and can quickly add up to a substantial contribution toward the money you need to pay for college.

H.L. Staples teaches at Syracuse University in on-campus and distance learning formats. Her articles have appeared in The Boston Review, Denver Quarterly, The Georgia Review, and elsewhere.