Five Steps to Encourage Your Student to Apply for Scholarships
We are heavy into scholarship season for seniors and you might already be at the point that they are... less than thrilled with scholarship applications and essays. After what was probably an intense and long application process and with a touch (or more) of senioritis, the last thing they want to do is fill out forms and write more essays. However, outside scholarships (not affiliated with an institution’s merit- or need-based aid) can make or break the opportunity for your student to attend their top choice school. College is expensive, and these are the scholarships that can make it more affordable. Help to encourage them to fill out scholarship applications and you and your student will both be grateful for it!
Help Them Understand
Every family structure is different in how much children are involved, or aware, of finances. Regardless of how your family does this, college is different. It’s important for them to understand the value of the colleges on their list, what is affordable, and which schools just aren’t doable financially. Students who have never held a job or aren’t involved in the family’s finances may not fully understand the value of money, let alone tens of thousands of dollars.
Be Honest
With helping them understand, you need to be honest. If you’re helping out with the costs of college, let them know what you have saved away, if anything, and what the family can afford to pay each year. This isn’t to scare them, but to help them realize why their “dream school” is over the family’s budget. (However, it’s important to work with a consultant to fully understand the amount of merit aid and need-based aid each school provides because each school is different! Two schools that have the same tuition may provide varying amounts of aid to students.) Don’t be afraid to be honest with your student about money!
Get Organized
You might need to help them out on this one if your student isn’t the most organized kid out there… but starting with some sort of process is imperative to scholarship success! I personally use Google Spreadsheets to track the scholarships my students are eligible for and the ones they have applied for. This way, the parents, students, and I all know which scholarships have been applied for and for what amounts. Part of getting organized is also setting up some sort of scholarship schedule with your student. Decide together - are they going to apply to two scholarships per month? One per week? Set up a schedule and…
Hold Them Accountable
…stick to it! Once the schedule has been set and a tracker has been created, hold your students accountable to following that schedule and filling out their tracker. You know what works best for your student, whether it’s incentives or consequences, but remember that this is their college education. Do they realize that they may not be able to afford the school at the top of their list if they don’t apply to scholarships? By helping them to understand the financial piece of this and being honest with them earlier in the process, holding them accountable to their commitment should be easier.
Be Their Biggest Cheerleader
This is a long and stressful journey for both you and your student. With the end in reach, it can be difficult for your student to find the motivation to apply for scholarships. Add in senoiritis, the stress of high school, and decision overwhelm, and this may be the last item on their list. But you are their biggest cheerleader, and you can help them through this! Knowing that you are rooting for them, proofing their scholarship essays, providing recommendations for required references, and helping them stay on track can make all the difference. You, as the parent, hold much more influence than you think.
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Applying for scholarships are not the most fun part of this process, but they can definitely make or break if a family can afford certain colleges. Maintain open communication and a positive relationship with your student and you can end this process on a positive note!