Three Scholarship Tips to Remember

01Mar
by Yvette Torres

Now that college applications are in, and your application for financial aid has been submitted, it’s time to focus on scholarships. We all know that the cost for college might look scary, but don’t let the price tag stop you from pursuing your dreams for higher education. There are hundreds of dollars available through scholarships to help you cover that cost. Below are a few tips to remember.

  1. Reuse your college application essays

Let’s face it, you spent a long time perfecting your personal insight questions and personal statements, it’s ok to reuse them. In reality, many scholarship applications will ask similar questions to those you previously answered. With some careful editing, you can save yourself from writing an entirely new essay.

  1. Apply for different types of scholarships

Yes, applying for scholarships can be a bit intimidating, but remember there are different types of scholarships you can apply for. Some might be a bit more time consuming and require multiple essays and letters of recommendation; these are usually the scholarships that offer more money. But there is also smaller scholarships, such as those where you can text in a code word to be entered, or those that do not require more than one essay. By diversifying the different types of scholarships you apply for, you can increase your odds of obtaining one.

  1. Apply to Local Scholarships

These types of scholarships usually go unnoticed by students because they are not publicized on scholarship websites, which means fewer students are applying for them. Check with your counselor or your college and career center for local or community scholarships. There are plenty of organizations that want to support students in their community and offer great scholarships ranging in size. While they might not be as big as other scholarships, you can use these local scholarships to cover small cost such as books, parking passes, or other deposits.

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Yvette Torres

Yvette Torres is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants and the first college graduate of her family. Growing up in Lynwood, she witnessed many friends fall victim to the obstacles of first generation students, but with the help of her teachers was able to reach her dreams of attending a four year university after graduation. She obtained her BA in Educational Studies and Psychology and Social Behavior from UC Irvine. With a strong love for her community and her passion to assist low-income students reach their college dreams, Yvette joined the Lynwood Alumni Association. She began by helping plan their annual College Conference and two years later took the lead as the Conference Chair. Previously she worked as the High School Coordinator for Be A Leader Foundation- Pico Rivera and mentored students through the college application process. Her love for helping students has taken her to the classroom and is currently working as a substitute teacher for her former school district, Lynwood Unified. Concurrently she is working on her Masters in School Counseling at Concordia University Irvine. Her dream is to return to Lynwood High School as their College and Career Counselor and help the students in her community.

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