{"id":4427,"date":"2024-08-13T14:39:06","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T21:39:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/?p=4427"},"modified":"2025-12-15T14:23:27","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T22:23:27","slug":"how-to-apply-for-scholarships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/2024\/08\/13\/how-to-apply-for-scholarships\/","title":{"rendered":"How to apply for scholarships"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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It can be easy to think that college scholarships are out of your reach. Maybe you\u2019re not sure if your grades are good enough, or you think you haven\u2019t done enough extracurricular activities, or you\u2019re unsure whether you\u2019ve started looking earlier enough, for one reason or another. Maybe you\u2019re concerned about the money you\u2019ll have to pay back after you graduate.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But like grants (which are funds distributed based on financial need), scholarships give you money for school that you don\u2019t have to repay. And there are many kinds of scholarships. There are scholarships for community service, for first-generation students, for students with musical or athletic talents, for students from underrepresented backgrounds, for students who want to go into the health professions, for students from particular towns or counties and many, many more opportunities. The odds are good that you\u2019ll be both eligible and competitive for some. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sallie Mae\u2019s How America Pays for College 2023<\/a> study found that more than half of families with someone in college paid for school using scholarships. Typical families covered nearly a third of the cost of college with scholarships and grants. And 65% of those families received a scholarship of about $8,000 from the college or university itself; other scholarships received came from state governments, non-profit organizations and companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some tips for applying for college scholarships and setting yourself up for success: <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t start with searching for scholarships\u00a0\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Instead (if possible, before your senior year in high school):  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about your goals for college\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Think about what you want to study and what the knowledge you gain will allow you to do after you graduate. Consider the experiences you bring with you to college and the insights they have given you. Do a little bit of dreaming<\/strong> about the opportunities you would like to have in college, including taking on leadership positions in student government or clubs or taking part in community service activities.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make notes. <\/strong>Writing these aspirations and reflections down will make them easier to remember, whether you need encouragement during your first finals week in college or need inspiration for essay questions on scholarship applications.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“To stand out, I think everyone should understand what their ‘why’ is,\u201d <\/strong>recommends Lau Nasilai Miller, \u201824, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and received a $18,000 scholarship from the Dutra Group. \u201cHave a purpose for everything that you do. If you join a club, what’s your why<\/em>? If you pursue a degree in your field, what’s your why<\/em>? Always have an intention and ensure that your actions align with your goals.”   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pursue your interests\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Both your academic achievements and extracurricular activities tell scholarship award committees about you and give indications of talents and good habits that will likely bring success in college. Keep track of these experiences\u2014make a list <\/strong>of your achievements and interesting experiences and add to it as time goes on.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Join activities and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Scholarships often are looking for experience and leadership. List awards and previous scholarships you’ve received if able to. Sometimes the things you think unimportant are the ones that pique a board’s interest,” says Morgan Bates, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and received a $7,500 scholarship from ACEC-California. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, remember that your quirkier interests are a good thing<\/strong>. In the long run, you’ll be happier if you study a subject that interests you and do work that you find engaging. Exploring your interests before you get to college shows award committees that you are invested in yourself and finding your place in the world\u2014and hopefully makes high school more fun, too.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Develop connections with people who could write recommendation letters for you<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Think about the adults in your life who have watched you work hard and attain goals. This could include teachers, coaches, pastors, school counselors or others. These people are invested in you and your future<\/strong> and will probably be willing to help you.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want them to write recommendation letters for you, be sure to ask as early as you can<\/strong>\u2014at least a few weeks before the deadline. Writing recommendation letters takes time. Asking for letters before you need them will give these adults more time to write your letters than if you asked at the last minute, and it will make your letter-writers less stressed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They might also have suggestions of scholarships you could apply for or other advice about applying for college or things to think about once you get there.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, be sure to express your gratitude<\/strong> for the help and guidance you receive.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to find college scholarships<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most common way to find scholarships is to use a scholarship database like one (or more) of these:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n