Entering my senior year soon, and I'm really trying to ease my future student debt. Can anyone clue me in on the most common scholarships available for high school seniors?
Absolutely! It's a smart move to start looking into scholarships. There are a wide variety of scholarships available based on diverse criteria. Here are a few of the most common categories:
1. Academic Merit: These are scholarships based on high academic performance, and they're quite common. They might be tied to your grades, class rank, or standardized test performance. An example of this is the National Merit Scholarship, where students are selected based on their PSAT scores.
2. Community Service: If you're an active volunteer, you might want to look for scholarships that recognize community service. These typically require you to write an essay about your volunteer work and its impact.
3. Career- or Major-Specific: Some scholarships are available for students planning to pursue a certain career or major. For instance, future teachers might find scholarships just for them.
4. Athletic: If you're a top athlete, you might qualify for scholarships from colleges or organizations that recognize athletic talent. Keep in mind that these can be highly competitive.
5. Company-Based: Many large companies offer scholarships to the children of their employees. If your parents work for a substantial corporation, it might be worth asking them to look into this.
6. Underrepresented Student Scholarships: These scholarships are aimed at supporting students from various marginalized groups, such as underrepresented racial or ethnic groups.
Remember, this is just a starting point. There are many more options out there, and a lot of scholarships are local, so make sure to look at scholarships provided by local organizations and foundations in your area as well. I also recommend taking advantage of online search tools which can help match you with scholarships that fit your specific qualifications. Good luck!
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