<p>Hello. I feel like I have a dilemma: I'm looking at different scholarships and grants, but I don't feel like I'm qualified enough...I have a 3.333 GPA and a 31 on my ACT...So, do you think that there are scholarships available that could give money to someone like me?</p>
<p>Welcome to CC greatman! </p>
<p>First let’s define terms:</p>
<p>Financial aid (FA) generally refers to “need based” aid that is given by universities; this can include any combination of loans, work study and grants (sometimes called scholarships, but not to be confused with “merit based” scholarships). So, FA depends solely on you and your family’s financial situation (income, assets, number in family, etc.).</p>
<p>Merit scholarships can be either “institutional” (given by a specific college) or “outside” (given by various organizations and usable at any college).</p>
<p>Both institutional and outside scholarships can be based on one or a combination factors, including academics (gpa and test scores; eg. National Merit). Other factors might be talent, community service, athletics, ethnicity, etc.</p>
<p>For institutional scholarships, the key is to look for schools that offer such scholarships and where you’ll be at the tip top of the applicant pool, usually your safety or match schools.</p>
<p>For outside scholarships, you’ll want to do some internet searches and talk to your HS GC about local scholarships.</p>