How do scholarships work?? Help!

<p>Hey everyone! My first child is about to start the college hunt and i went to college in a different country where it was all different. So i am wondering how you receive scholarships. Are you awarded them or do you have to search and find them and then apply? And if so, how do you find them?</p>

<p>There are all kinds Scholarships…private, through the schools, thru states, some depend on test scores and or grades, some are based on other achievements, some are like contests, like the intel science one, </p>

<p>One way to get some good money is score well on sat or act tests and PSAT test, and have a good gpa</p>

<p>There are scholarships at schools you accepted to you apply for and some you are just considered for through your application</p>

<p>There are essay contest that give scholarship dollars, etc</p>

<p>There are some great books out there with more information.</p>

<p>First it’s important to know what you are looking for when you say scholarships. Some are need-based (determined by your finances) and some are non-need based (determined by merit, other factors such as grades, test scores, leadership, etc.)</p>

<p>If you are looking for merit scholarships, the best ones are awarded by the schools themselves. Some require a separate application, others do not. </p>

<p>Provide your student’s stats (GPA/ACT/SAT/PSAT) and school interests (major, etc.) and we can point you to some schools possible merit scholarships.</p>

<p>Sounds like you’re talking about private scholarships. </p>

<p>Those are often a waste of time if you’re looking to help pay for FOUR years of college. Private scholarships are usually ONLY for freshman year, they are for small amounts of money, they often have a “need” component or some other hook requirement, and they are VERY hard to win.</p>

<p>Since your screen name suggests that you want merit scholarships to pay for NYU, then your best hope is a a scholarship FROM the school. NYU does give some merit scholarships for students in CERTAIN majors/colleges who have TIPPY TOP test scores and GPA. </p>

<p>Again, since private scholarships are usually ONLY for freshman year, the money wouldn’t be there for the other 3 college years. </p>

<p>There are essay contest that give scholarship dollars, etc</p>

<p>^^
the above is an example of a scholarship that likely is only a small amount for one year only.</p>

<p>Your child might win a few local scholarship and cobble together a couple thousand dollars for freshman year ONLY, but will that be enough? Or are you looking for scholarships to help pay for all four years of college?</p>

<p>Scholarships for ALL FOUR years of college are usually given by the SCHOOL. </p>

<p>If your child doesn’t have TIPPY TOP test scores and GPA or isn’t applying to on the NYU colleges that gives large merit scholarships, then you’ll likely be expected to pay for most/all of NYU yourself. </p>

<p>What is your situation?</p>

<p>What state are you from?</p>

<p>What are your child’s test scores and GPA?</p>

<p>how much can you pay for college?</p>

<p>Does your child have a non-custodial parent? </p>

<p>Are you low income?</p>