The core idea of a scholarship is that groups awarding them want to find exemplary students and provide support to help build wonderful futures. The first thing a lot of students think when they look at a big scholarship, such as the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship (we’ll break that one down soon), is that it’s too much work, there are too many pages, and it seems really, really competitive. What’s the point? 

There are a lot of different types of scholarships, some big and some small, but remember there are recipients every year of all different kinds. There is no reason to think you can’t be one of them. So how do you get there? Follow these six golden rules.

Rule 1: Have the right mindset 

Asking strangers to pay for your education may seem like a very foreign concept. But each institution has a clear goal in mind when they offer these programs. Once you understand what it is they are trying to accomplish, you’ll feel less awkward about positioning yourself as the right candidate for each program. 

If you’re looking at going to school in a foreign country and having that country pay for it, there are programs in over 160 different countries, with many programs tailored to U.S. students. Paying for housing, classes, books, food, transportation, and more while managing a full-time class load is harder than it should be -- many scholarships will pay you to go to school and get good grades. 

If you have good grades now, and especially if you’re involved in community outreach, there are many scholarships that will give you anywhere from $1,000 to a full-ride. There’s no question that the bigger scholarships are very competitive, but the activities you will do to apply for one will overlap with your activities for your college application anyway. This is worth the effort, so take it seriously.

Rule 2: Research what’s available

If you’ve been reading our posts, you’ll notice there is a big “research” or “prepare” component for almost everything. This means “time.” You need time to do this right. Don’t jump at the first scholarship that you find, because you may find something that suits your needs better down the line. Do research now so that you don’t waste time later. This doesn’t mean weeks of research. You can start by looking at the scholarships we have posted both for studies in the U.S. and abroad, then supplement it with some additional searches. Spend maybe an hour a day for a few days until you have a good sense of what is out there. Make sure the scholarships you find provide you with assistance that you think is worth the effort (even if you don’t get them).

Rule 3: Choose a scholarship that is right for you

With many options out there, it is important to remember that you can’t realistically apply to an endless number of scholarships. You will need to prioritize ones that match not only your needs but also what you’re doing for the rest of your college application. What is most important to you? Is it about getting a full ride, prestige, or going abroad? Think about what it is you want to get out of the scholarship and whittle down your options. Next, think about the requirements and what your current situation is. A student heavily engaged in community outreach with strong grades would choose an option different from someone who has a lot of volunteering-related activities that aren’t necessarily tied to academic topics. Same goes for someone with strong grades and no activities. In the end, it is about picking the right scholarship for you, instead of simply aiming for the biggest, most competitive options. 

Rule 4: Benchmark winners or model applications 

First, look at students who have received the award if their previous applications are available online. If you don’t have access to winning applications, the site will have a very large section devoted to a breakdown of the application process and many videos explaining the common difficulties. Compare how long you think it would take for you to do the work for each part. Double it because you’ll need some extra padding. Now you have an exact idea of the work you need to do and a rough idea of how long it would take you to do it. 

Rule 5: Stick to your timeline

Once you have a schedule, really stick to it. No one is going to push you to go to college for free. Say that out loud and remember it. This means it will not be easy, but you have a chance. It’s a goal worth aiming for. Good grades and community outreach are great things to have in high school for both top-tier school applications and full-ride scholarships. Make realistic goals and milestones for yourself to keep track of where you should be in the application process and stick to them. You’ll need a lot of self-discipline since there is no sense of immediacy and it is not guaranteed, but if you’ve decided you want this, you will be the only one who can get yourself over the finish line. 

Rule 6: Build a solid college application package

What would be the point of having a fantastic scholarship application with grades that don’t meet the minimum requirement? Most organizations are looking for smart, driven students with ambitious goals. It may seem silly to aim for a major scholarship on day 1 of high school, but this approach will actually go hand-in-hand with building a solid college application package. Juniors will have a much better idea of whether or not their package should be submitted for a scholarship, but remember, it’s freshmen and sophomores that do the planning to make all of that possible. Streamline your college prep, and chances are, you will have done a lot of work for a competitive scholarship application as well.