Submitting a scholarship application is a lot like submitting a resume. You’ll give them your name, your experience, answer some questions, and might even have an interview. So it follows that if you don’t 100% meet all the requirements on a scholarship, you can still submit your application…right?
Apply for Scholarship for College
Meeting All Eligibility Requirements
Nope. When it comes to scholarships, if you don’t qualify for every single one of their stipulations, don’t bother sending in an application. You’re wasting their time and more importantly your own.
Reading through eligibility requirements should be your first task when it comes to selecting scholarships to apply for. If you don’t fit, move on to the next opportunity.
![](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ISL-Logo-300x109.jpg)
Save Your Time and Effort
While this may sound harsh, only focusing on things you 100% qualify for you will save your a lot of time and effort in the long run, as well as increasing your odds of winning. Why take a shot at something you’re guaranteed to miss, after all? Find a new target, there are plenty out there.
Increasing Your Qualifications
While there are certain aspects you won’t be able to change about yourself (ie: race, religion, home state), there are other requirement elements that you have direct control over. Many scholarships will require a minimum GPA or ACT/SAT score, for example. You can improve those, and thus your odds of qualifying for more scholarships.
Use College Raptor’s new Student Loan Finder to discover personalized loan options. Compare lenders and interest rates to find the ideal student loan—for FREE!
Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
---|---|---|---|
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5.99%-16.59%* Variable
3.99%-15.59%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
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5.37% - 15.70% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
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5.13% - 17.99% Variable
3.69% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
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6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
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6.01% - 15.47% Variable
3.69% - 14.71% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
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3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
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5.62% - 16.85% Variable
3.74% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
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6.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |