Scholarship Tips for High School Students

Start Your Search Online

Scholarships are a great way to help you pay for college, so that you can keep your potential debt down when you graduate. There are many scholarships available, and the Internet is a great place to start your search both locally and nationally.

Look for either general or major-specific scholarships and start applying today. Check out these five scholarship sites to start:

• Collegeboard.org
• Scholarships.com
• ScholarshipMonkey.com
• Chegg.com
• SuperCollege.com

Check out Iowa Student Loan's Scholarships

Essay Writing

If you're applying for scholarships, you will undoubtedly have to write some essays. Take your time and do it right to help improve your chances.

6 Tips for Writing Your Essay:

• Don't delay; ne mindful of deadlines.
• Gather information and your thoughts; then draft an outline before writing.
• Stay on topic, but showcase your creativity and personality.
• Pay attention to word count requirements.
• Have parents, teachers and peers review your essay.
• Rewrite until you are satisfied.

Nail Your Application

While you may be ready to write a scholarship essay, make sure you don't miss small details that may or may not make you ineligible.

Check for requirements such as:

• Essay length
• Most recently completed grade level
• Specific colleges/universities, or types of colleges/universities
• Minimum grade point average (GPA)
• Specific major or career field
• Additional Materials, such as photos
• Additional steps, such as registering online