<p>As a high school senior, my parents and I are trying to look for merit based scholarships </p>
<p>We have no clue where to look.</p>
<p>Searches, like on the collegeboard, seem to overwhelm you with Data, leaving you wondering where to even begin clicking.</p>
<p>How do you find scholarships to apply to?</p>
<p>A good place to start is fastweb.com. You can fill out a form to personalize the scholarships that you might qualify for.</p>
<p>You should also check with your high school counseling office. They should have information on local scholarships, which are often much easier to win, since there aren't so many people competing for them.</p>
<p>What schools did you apply to? This is the first place to look for merit awards.</p>
<p>Unless you have stellar credentials, then I would advise staying away from fastweb.</p>
<p>So you are saying that merit and stellar aren't wool from the same sheep? FastWeb is a great resource.</p>
<p>"So you are saying that merit and stellar aren't wool from the same sheep?"</p>
<p>--I don't know what you mean by this question. Yes, you are right---Fastweb is a great resource but mainly for those who have EXTREMELY high standardized test scores and gpas or the writing ability of Ernest Hemingway. I firmly believe that the average student should steer clear of fastweb for the most part. I admit, fastweb does offer some good scholarships, such as the Horatio Alger, Target, and Walmart ones. However, most of the scholarships/essay contests listed there are horribly competitive. If you do not believe me, then I will show you proof.</p>
<p>Actually I'd be very interested in seeing what proof you have. I've never really been a fan of Fastweb. It's too much advertising for the loan companies.</p>
<p>While Fastweb didn't do anything for us, I think it could be a good source for "niche scholarships" one might not be aware of. No one requires you to read the advertising.</p>
<p>vtoodler The reason that schools offer merit money is to bring to them high level/high achievers who would not otherwise do so. Of course high level and competitive seeking and gaining merit go together or as I said are wool of the same sheep. Smart kids getting OPM[other people's money]</p>
<p>My son's parochial HS doesn't have much of a guidance dept. and there is very little info on scholarships. Most of what they put out there for the kids are the need-based local ones, and the overwhelming majority of the students attend in-state schools. </p>
<p>When he was looking for merit scholarships, I tried searching the websites of some of the prestigious private schools in the area. In most cases, I found links to many scholarships that I otherwise would never have heard of. Some were need-based, but many were local merit-based ones or obscure ones that don't appear on Fastweb. Look for a search box on the home page of the private school and type in SCHOLARSHIPS, or look for a link to college info.</p>
<p>That is a great idea, Patsmom. Also, I just noticed that one featured discussion is "List of (mostly merit-) scholarship info websites".</p>
<p>Usually the best place to find merit aid is:
1. At the colleges themselves. If one applies to colleges offering merit aid, and one has stats that are in the top of their pool, one maximizes one's chance of getting such aid. Typically, this means that if, for instance, you have the stats to have a chance at a a top 12 college, you would have excellent chances of merit aid at tier 2 colleges and at colleges that are ranked around 30-50 in the tier one group.</p>
<ol>
<li>Local scholarships. Your GC would be the expert on this.</li>
</ol>
<p>patsmom, i posted a similar suggestion in a different thread. I backdoor. I know the name of a local scholarship and I put it into a search engine. Sites listing it come up, usually other schools in the area with better guidance staff or who know an opportunity no one else knows about. </p>
<p>For example I found a small high school in the northern part of my state that had a link to a community banking association scholarship. I could not find it anyplace else but on this single school site. The Community Banking Association gives out 1000 to 15 people in my state with only a 500 word essay and a meet and greet with a bank pres. Its on their web site but buried. </p>
<p>Another place is credit unions. A number have $. You just have to join. Go to the phone book. Get the names, See if you qualify and then go to their web site and do a search for scholarship. Rural Electic cooperatives also give out money or they do in my state. </p>
<p>Last suggestion is your county name, and "scholarship winners" in a search engine. You get names of winners and what they won. Sometimes you get a hit. </p>
<p>Good luck this is kinda fun...just a big puzzle.</p>