How do Scholarships work? How do you apply?

Hello!

Apologies if this is a rather, dumb question to ask.
As a high school student, I have honestly NO clue as to how I can apply for scholarships.

Is there a specific website I can go to or… just, how do I get started?
My counselors always seem to be busy, so I cannot get a hold of them as well.

Thank you so much for your help!

The best and most money comes directly from each university.
The easiest way to access that money is to fill out an application called the
FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA).
https://fafsa.ed.gov
It comes out each year after Jan 1. Always make sure That the website ends in .gov

In the Spring of your senior HS year, you and your parents will fill it out with their income and tax information.

The government sends that form to your schools that you’ve listed on that form.

Depending on your income, you may qualify for some federal programs and loans. The larger monies come directly from the universities themselves, and usually for all 4 years, if you qualify.
Each university is different in how they fund students, so ask! Go on the websites. Look at the scholarships they offer to their students. Don’t be afraid to ask, just like you did on this forum!

The first thing you need to know is the difference between Financial Aid (FA), which is need based, and scholarships (which are often strictly merit-based or are based primarily on merit but have a need-based component that can determine the amount of the award.)

Financial need is, as @“aunt bea” says, based on the FAFSA. Note, however, that the FAFSA will become available as of October 1st this year - not Jan. 1st as is has been in previous years. (I believe the idea is for the financial aid component to be more in sync with the application cycle). In any event, your parents will have to help you with this process, as it is based on their income and assets as well as yours. Many of the private schools also have their own way of assessing need that is done through the CSS Profile. The Profile goes into greater depth about assets than the FAFSA does. All schools are supposed to have a Net Price Calculator on their websites which will tell you how much you can expect to pay at that school given your financial picture. It is generally more than you can afford.

With respect to most merit-based scholarships, these are determined by the Admissions (not FA) Departments, and often do not require a separate application. Some scholarships will require essays; others might require visits, interviews, etc. Some are strictly based on stats (test scores, GPA, National Merit, etc.) and are automatic.

The first step is to talk to your parents and figure out how much (if anything) they are able (or willing) to pay and go from there. What are your instate (public) options? These are often cheaper than private schools, although they tend to not give as much FA as private schools do.

There is a wealth of information on this site, but for help to be meaningful, you need to give people as much information as you can about your situation.