The World Wide Web has changed quite a bit since the graphical internet was born in the mid-90s — and since many of today’s parents may have been searching for money for college.
Today, students can conduct a free scholarship search and acquire information on scholarship and grant opportunities from myriad sources in a matter of minutes.
Scholarship databases are larger and more efficient than ever, because they are managed by people who personally vet opportunities, check details and compile information into a user-friendly format. Students can do away with the tedious scholarship manuals and enormous books their parents may have used and instead receive an individualized list from their computer, cellphone or tablet.
Here are some ways these online scholarship resources make the hunt for money for college different from in parents’ days.
[Avoid making four common scholarship search mistakes.]
1. Accessibility: Students are on the move today, and most scholarship search sites are keeping up with them through mobile sites and apps. However, the websites’ desktop versions are typically more robust than the mobile apps, which provide a faster but often less comprehensive search.
With greater technological convenience, life can be a little easier, and some scholarship providers even offer scholarships — such as the $5,000 Experian Data Quality Scholarship — for students who write an essay about how tech and data have improved their lives.
Security and privacy rights go hand-in-hand with the internet. Students can weigh in on the importance of internet security and earn up to $2,500 through The ExpressVPN Future of Privacy Scholarship.
[Know what to do before, during and after the scholarship search.]
2. Immediacy: Students can get scholarship information and opportunities at lightning speed. Within moments of completing a personal profile, students are matched to scholarships that coincide with their background, demographics and interests.
Although they can apply more quickly, students should bear in mind that scholarships have strict deadlines and providers will almost certainly discard late applications. Take time over the summer to begin applying for scholarships.
If you want to become more financially literate and also enter for a chance to win one of five $5,000 scholarships or one $20,000 scholarship, apply for the U.S. Bank Scholarship Program and complete their Financial Genius tutorials by Sept. 30. If you have interest in and can write an essay on alternative medical treatments, apply for the monthly $1,000 James “Rhio” O’Connor Memorial Scholarship.
3. Compatibility: A good scholarship search engine will only generate scholarships that match a student’s profile. This means the site uses an algorithm to display only the most relevant information and not general or random scholarships.
Scholarship forms usually should have a clear and concise description of the scholarship — including but not limited to the deadline, award amount and a direct website address for applying. Scholarships are also often targeted to a very specific audience, rather than open to every single student attending college. This means if you qualify that your chances for winning are greater.
For example, scholarships like the Endowment for South Asian Students of Indian Descent Scholarship Fund are specifically designated for South Asian Indian medical students who are also Pennsylvania residents. For the artistically inclined, the We The Future Contest allows students of all ages, from elementary school through college and grad school, to create a marketing plan, speech, video, song or technology project on topics surrounding the U.S. Constitution.
[Check out other high-dollar scholarship opportunities.]
4. Tech-savvy friendly: Since many people, especially young adults, spend several hours a day on their phones, why not apply for social media-related scholarships? Although parents may not be quite up to date with technology, millennials definitely are.
Use your time on your phone to voice an end to cyberbullying via the Delete Cyberbullying Scholarship. Or if you have solid design skills, create an infographic showing how apps are helping students learn outside of traditional classroom settings and apply for the AT&T Internet and Education Scholarship.
5. More resources: Students and parents should never pay for a scholarship search. And many scholarship search tools offer additional resources beyond scholarships.
Whether it is college and high school news, financial and federal aid information, grants and college tips or any number of related topics, students can look to these reliable sources to help them prepare for or continue a successful college education as well as stay aware of current events in higher education.
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5 Ways Scholarship Searches Benefit From Technology originally appeared on usnews.com
