As college applications have come to a close, current high school seniors are at the cusp of watching their dreams become a reality– from acceptance into their dream school to beginning their future and flourishing their careers. Now is the time for daunting anticipation and endless hope. However, it is also the time to seize opportunities. Graduating high school and entering college is a huge milestone, but it could also bring about financial pressures due to tuition costs. Many of you may get into your dream school, and many of you will experience those pressures, but thankfully, scholarships are abundant and can ease those burdens– you just need to know where to look and how to apply.
![](http://<img src="https://nc211.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/private-scholarships.jpg" alt="Record-breaking 72,000 applicants seek Opportunity Scholarships - NC 211"/>)
Local Scholarships
Starting in Riverside County, the Santiago High School Scholarships website provides 37 scholarships due by February 7, 2025, at 3:00 pm. These scholarships range from the PTSA and Key Club scholarships to women’s and arts-based scholarships. Additionally, a newly added scholarship opportunity was provided by the Nemat family– The Adam Nemat Memorial Scholarship— where one student will be awarded $3000 for their community impact. Outside of Santiago, several scholarships for Corona residents are distributed on Campusreel. These scholarships go up to $15,000 to eligible students, with no essay required. Scholarships without essay requirements can be a lottery ticket, but applying doesn’t hurt. On Fastweb, you can search for scholarships within your area using a simple engine search. Like these two sites, many of you have heard of Niche, which is often advertised on TikTok– Although there are many applicants and no essay requirements, it is still worth applying to. Niche can match students to opportunities of up to $50,000 in scholarships; applying is definitely worth it, but be sure to focus on smaller scholarships as they will be less competitive. Local scholarships should be first on your checklist. You can find local or broader scholarships on each of these sites, yet the deadlines will vary, so it is essential to check them if you are interested in applying.
Broader Scholarships
Looking into state, national, and international scholarships is essential if local scholarships seem scarce. Of course, the more extensive the scholarship is, the more competitive it will be. However, some are easier than others.
Broader scholarships like the Be Bold Scholarship ($25,000, Due Feb. 1), ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship ($50,000, Due Jan 29), and Scholarships360 “No Essay” Scholarship ($10,000, Due Jan 31) take less than 2 minutes to apply.
Some other easy scholarships to apply to are:
- Niche $25,000 Scholarship ($25,000, Due Mar. 31)
- Faith-Based College Scholarship ($2,000, Due May 31)
- No Essay Scholarship by Sallie ($2,000, Due Jan. 31)
Some new scholarships worth applying to are The Future is Now Scholarship ($1,001, Due Jan. 31), the 10 Words or Less Scholarship ($1,000, Due Apr. 15), and the McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship giving away $100,000 (Due Feb. 6).
Some other new scholarships to apply to are:
- Apply Easy Money Scholarship ($1,000, Due Jan. 31)
- Dolly Parton Songwriters Award ($20,000, Due Jan. 24)
- Tillman Scholarship ($40,000, Due Feb. 1)
Other scholarships to consider are:
- Edison Scholars Program ($50,000, Due Jan. 23)
- Josephine De Karman Fellowship ($25,000, Due Jan. 30)
- eQuality Scholarships ($12,000, Jan. 31)
- Princeton Prize in Race Relations ($1,000, Jan. 31)
If you want to be ambitious and search for more scholarships, be sure to visit:
- https://www.questbridge.org/apply-to-college/programs/national-college-match
- https://studentscholarships.org/
- https://www.scholarships.com/
- https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search
- https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
- https://goingmerry.com/
- https://www.sallie.com/scholarships?dtd_cell=SMPLSHDCOTDOBOOTOTHOTHRR010000&utm_source=slmcom&utm_medium=web
Overall, scholarships can unlock many opportunities and relieve significant financial burdens on college students. Whether a scholarship is worth $100 or $100,000, any amount is invaluable to any student as it can be put toward purchasing books or paying tuition. That is why all graduating students must consider every scholarship they come across, seizing every opportunity to build a better, less stressful future.
