Scholarships & Grants: Free Money!

Grants are generally _________________ while scholarships are generally _________________.

• need-based; merit-based
• merit-based; need-based
• free; require you to pay an application fee
• provided by the federal government; provided by the college you attend

If Ahmad is applying for a scholarship that is looking for students with "outstanding leadership qualities and academic excellence", which of the following should he highlight and expand upon in his application essay?I)
1. Member of the robotics team for the past 6 monthsII)
2. Section leader of the trumpet section in the school's marching band since his sophomore yearIII)
3. GPA of 3.5IV)
4. Volunteer experience from last weekend's festival where he helped set up tables

• 1 and 2 only
• 1 and 3 only
• 3 and 4 only
• 2 and 3 only 

Which of the following statements about scholarships and grants is FALSE?

• You have to be persistent when searching, because there are thousands of scholarships online. The search may be long, but it's worth it!  
• You should spend at least 3 months researching every single type of scholarship out there prior to applying.
• To increase your chances of being awarded a scholarship, you should connect with individuals and organizations in the community who offer scholarships.
• It will help if you think "outside the box" to find unique scholarship opportunities that the average student won't qualify for.

Which of the following tactics is MOST helpful when applying for scholarships?

• Applying to scholarships within general, broad categories that hundreds of other students also apply to.
• Using an identical essay for ALL of your scholarship applications.
• Identifying unique categories of scholarships that are tailored to your talents, skills, and situation.
• Following the rule of thumb that recommends you apply to fewer than 10 scholarships.

Order the steps you would take in order to have the best chance to receive scholarships.
I) Identify scholarship organizations that match up well with your skills and interests
II) Develop a list of your special skills and interests
III) Apply for scholarships
IV) While in high school, get involved in extracurricular activities that interest you 

• I > II > IV > III
• IV > I > II > III
• II > I > IV > III
• IV > II > I > III

True or False: It is likely that a student will be able to use only grants to finance their entire college education.

• True
• False

You are talking to your friend who is worried that he won't be able to distinguish if a scholarship or grant opportunity is a scam or not. Which of the following is/are a sign(s) of a scam?
I) The application guarantees that you will get a certain amount of money by applying
II) The application uses terms like "sweepstakes", "drawing", "random selection", etc
III) The application requires you to write an essay or a few short-answer questions
IV) The application asks for your social security number 

• IV only
• I, II, & III only
• I, II, & IV only
• All four are signs of a scam

Which of the following might be potential sources of scholarships?

• The company that one of your parents works for
• A local service organization (e.g. the Kiwanis or Chamber of Commerce)
• The college you plan on attending
• all of the above

Your cousin is getting ready to apply for college and is looking into financial aid. Which of the following statements about scholarships and grants she tells you is TRUE?

• "The more money in scholarships and grants that you receive, the less money that you will likely have to borrow to pay for college."
• "You should choose the college that provides you with the most scholarship dollars."
• "It is generally not a good idea to apply for more than 2-3 scholarships."
• "Unless you have a really strong GPA and high test scores, it is probably not worth applying for scholarships since they are so competitive."

I) may be withdrawn if you do not meet certain requirements, such as maintaining a minimum GPA, etc.
II) always have an application fee in order to apply.
III) are a type of "free money" while grants are not.
IV) may or may not be renewable each year. Another difference(s) between scholarships and grants is that SCHOLARSHIPS…

• I & II only
• I & IV only
• II & IV only
• II & III only