High schools, by design, are meant to prepare you for college. It could be through lessons, ways of work, or difficulty of work, but it can also be through more direct means. Sending transcripts to colleges, helping students’ resumes with extracurriculars, or importantly, providing them with ways to receive aid to pay the sometimes expensive tuition.
Scholarships are by definition a form of financial aid. Unlike things like student loans, scholarships are provided to you as free money, with no need to pay it back. Scholarships can be local, regional, or national. They generally have guidelines or requirements for students applying for them, and can be based on GPA, heritage, what clubs/sports they’re in, or other qualities or features about the students, their family, or their experience. Scholarships can be difficult to find or obtain, and students may struggle to find reliable places to get them.
Prairie high school provides advice and sources for their students. “I always tell students to start with our scholarship list,” Career Counselor Jennifer Miller said in response to advice on where to get scholarships. “cause we have a list just for Battle Ground Public Schools, and the ones local are highlighted.”
Prairie specifically suggests its students to go from the bottom up(Local-Regional-National). Despite the lower amounts of money local scholarships would give you, it also comes with the benefits of going against fewer people, as the pool for eligible students is smaller, therefore increasing chances to win. It also suggests using its scholarship list meant for students, located on their website. It features many school exclusive scholarships and goes through many other ones as well.
Some Seniors are currently searching and applying for scholarships. “Start now,” Senior Caleb Harr said in advice to younger grades and students, “Start searching for Scholarships now. Work towards ‘em in your free time.”
Scholarships are one of many big ways students can save for college if they choose to go, and there are many ways to obtain them. It is generally smart to apply early, build up your resume, and see what scholarships or aid specific colleges provide for you. It is good to look Locally, Regionally, and Nationally as each have their own advantages.
