Pick a scholarship that is suitable for you

by Katie Bell
Ramstein High School

It’s about that time again ― the end of the school year. As high school seniors are preparing to go off to college, several of these students may find that they are still in need of financial support.

Over half of college undergraduates are receiving some kind of financial aid to help pay for their tuition. The truth is, there are millions of scholarship dollars available to the average student every year. All you have to do is apply.

The following is a list of scholarships that are suitable for the average student:

Weekly Three Sentence Essay:
Deadline: End of every week. Amount: $1,000.
This award is available to all U.S. high school and college students. Simply follow the link and submit a three sentence essay for a chance to win. Every week a new prompt is provided and a new scholarship is given out. To apply, visit www.zinch.com/scholarships/weekly.
 
Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship ― Spring:
Deadline: July 31. Amount: $1,000.
This scholarship is available to all high school, college or graduate student or anyone planning to enter school within the next year. Must be a U.S. resident. To apply, submit a short answer essay, in 250 words or less, on one of the following topics: “Why do you deserve to win this scholarship?” or “Describe your academic or career goals” or “Any topic of your choice.” To apply, check www.zinch.com/scholarships/gen-and-kelly-tanabe-scholarship.
 
WiseChoice $2,500 “Find the Right College” Scholarship:
Deadline: Tuesday. Amount: $2,500.
This scholarship is available to students 13 years or older who graduate from high school in 2011, 2012, 2013 or 2014. Applicants must register at Wisechoice.com and complete college planning tasks online to earn eligible points. Applicants must provide an original, creative answer to the scholarship question: WiseChoice wants students to thrive and succeed at college, so we use dozens of factors to rate the fit between students and colleges. What do you think is important when it comes to finding a college that fits? To apply, go to www.wisechoice.com/scholarship?sid=ssl.
 
Do-Over Scholarship 2011:
Deadline: June 30. Amount: $1,000.
Applicants must be 13 years of age or older at the time of application. Applicants must be a U.S. resident currently enrolled (or enroll no later than the fall of 2017) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. To apply, submit an online short written response (250 words or less) for the topi,c “If you could give any celebrity or famous person a ‘do-over,’ who would you give it to and why?” To apply, go to www.scholarshipexperts.com/apply.htx#do-over.
 
Giving Soul Scholarship:
Deadline: End of every month. Amount: $550.
Applicant must be a high school or college student (two awards are given out each month to each academic level). Applicants must submit an essay regarding what you want to change in the world and how you made a difference. Required minimum GPA of 2.0. Visit www.givingsoulscholarships.com to apply.
 
Discus Award Scholarship:
Deadline: Last day of every month of the school year. Amount: $2,000
The Discus Award Scholarship focuses on all of a student’s achievements, not just their grades. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal residents who are students currently attending high school or a comparable program in ninth through 12th grade to apply. Applicants must demonstrate significant achievements in three of 10 attributes provided on the website. Applicants must support these attributes with three short essays, pictures, videos, etc. At least one outside reference that can speak toward these achievements is required. Winning the Discus Award looks good on college applications, and puts applicants in the running to win the $2,000 scholarship. To apply, go to www.discusawards.com.
 
Courage to Grow Scholarship:
Deadline: End of every month Amount: $500
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and a high school senior or college student with a minimum GPA of 2.0. To apply, simply go to their website and submit an essay of 250 words or less explaining why you believe you should be award this scholarship. Visit www.couragetogrowscholarship.com to apply.
 
BG Scholarship:
Deadline: End of every month. Amount: $400
Applicant must be a high school or college student with a minimum 2.0 GPA. Applicants must submit an essay about goals and how applicant impacts their school or community. To apply, check www.bgscholarship.com/scholarship.html.
 
AdmissionScholarship.com Scholarship:
Deadline: June 30, Dec. 31. Amount: $1,000
Applicant must register online and create a profile detailing their academic and extracurricular achievements. Applicant must be planning to attend a previously unattended college or university. Scholarship is awarded through random drawings to give each applicant an equal chance of winning. Award must be used within five years of receiving the money. Visit www.admissionscholarship.com to apply.
 
1800Wheelchair.com Scholarship:
Deadline: Postmarked by June 30. Amount: $500
Applicants must be 16 years of age, in their undergraduate level or final year of high school, and enrolled in a high school or college in the U.S. with a GPA of 3.0. A 500 word essay regarding the following question is required: “What would you do to make your campus more inclusive for people with disabilities? Feel free to talk about social activities, physical improvement, etc.”
There is no requirement in terms of disability.

All applicants are welcome. Fax and e-mail applications are not accepted, nor are applications sent by express mail. Visit www.1800wheelchair.com/scholarship for more information on scholarship criteria. To apply, send all materials to
1800wheelchair Scholarship, 320 Roebling Street, Suite 515, Brooklyn, NY 11211.
These are just a handful of the available scholarships. To learn about more specific scholarship opportunities available to you, register at www.Careersandcolleges.com.