The Scholarship

Scholarship preparation can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few years, depending on how much time and energy you have to commit to the process. If you are truly serious about savings thousands of dollars on college tuition bills, then the more time you can spend preparing for the scholarship process, the better chance you have of receiving a scholarship that can significantly reduce the cost of college. Whether you’re a high school freshman or a senior, you can begin preparations to increase your chances of being awarded with a scholarship.

Starting With Your Grades…
One of the first things most scholarship committees require and pay careful attention to is your grade point average. The grade point average represents the cumulative grades received in all classes you have taken while in high school. Some high schools will weight classes differently depending on type and difficulty level. For example, a calculus class may be given greater weight than a health class. All high schools have a maximum achievable grade point average. Most common is the 4.0, representing straight A’s. However your high school decides its grade point averages, it’s important to keep your grades up in school. If you’re a freshman, give yourself a good start and try to attain the best grades possible. If you are further along in your high school career and have received average or marginal grades, try to boost them up. Even a couple points on your grade point average can mean the difference between qualifying for a scholarship and just missing the required criteria. Many colleges and scholarship committees like to see improvement over a student’s high school career. If you haven’t done as well as you’d hoped, don’t give up now. Work even harder and show the scholarship selection committee you are motivated and enthusiastic about higher education.

Don’t Skimp on Standardized Test Scores
Another very important number scholarship selection committees take into consideration is the standardized test score. The SAT score is the most commonly used and often required for many college and scholarship applications. Unlike grade point averages, which may be weighted differently at different high schools, the SAT is a test given to all students applying to college and gives the selection committee an idea of how applicants score against one another. If you have done very well in high school and have a great grade point average, don’t start slacking now. Your SAT score can put you out of the running if it’s too low. Similarly, if you’ve received marginal grades and do not have a stellar grade point average, your SAT score can be your savior. Students receiving perfect or very high SAT scores are often given high consideration even if their grade point average is low. Study for the SAT. Take practice tests, consult with friends who have taken the SAT or take an SAT prep course. While it may seem like you’re contributing a lot of time or money for a test that lasts only a few hours, the thousands of dollars you could save by winning a scholarship based on your high SAT scores would be well worth it.

One Sport, Two Activities? What’s Right For You?
In addition to your grade point average and SAT score, selection committees like to see your commitment to an activity or sport that interests you. While students are often advised to present a well rounded application showing their involvement in many different programs, keep in mind that many other applicants will have done this very thing. Picking one or two activities or sports that you not only excel at but are passionate about can look much better on your scholarship application. Not only does it set you apart from the other applicants, it shows your dedication and motivation to activities that interest you, and such ambition is an important quality to scholarship review boards.

The Rewards at the End
Preparing yourself for a scholarship is not an easy task, and will often feel very stressful or unrewarding. Don’t forget why you are taking the time and effort to prepare yourself so well. All your time and energy now could mean a significant savings during college, and can mean less stress on you and your finances.

Source:

http://www.scholarshippreparations.com/its-never-too-early-for-scholarship-preparation