Are scholarship deadlines creeping up on you all at once? Only have a bit of time to get the applications completed? Whatever your reasons, there are strategies you can take advantage of to get as many scholarship applications as you can in one month. Remember these tips.
Start with a Schedule
A schedule will be your best friend when it comes to scholarship applications, especially if you want to race through them in just 30 days. You should first set aside time for research. This means determining which scholarships actually fit you and you are eligible for. You can opt to do all your research first or you can decide to switch it up: do a week of research, a week of applications, a week of research, and a week of applications. This doesn’t have to be your exact schedule either – how you approach it depends on you and how you personally best approach your work. If you find you’re getting burnt out at all, you may want to try mixing it up.
You should be setting aside time throughout the week to complete your research and applications. Give yourself at least one night off – this will help you avoid burnout. It’s a good idea to not stack this one-month-mission on top of other responsibilities. If you’re rushing to get applications for college done and those deadlines are fast approaching, you probably don’t want to devote huge chunks of your time right now to scholarships.
Some tips:
- Start on the scholarships that come due first, first.
- Focus mostly on scholarships that don’t ask a lot of you. If they ask for a well-designed video, for example, that will take a huge chunk of your time. You can always work on these more involved awards at a later date.
- Take a break if you’re heading towards burnout. Working throughout burnout can make your essays less than stellar.
- Set time aside to have someone read over your work.
Utilize Databases
Scholarship databases are definitely going to be your best friend during this race. You can sign up for as many as you like. They will each have you fill out information about yourself when you sign up. These questions can range from address to hair color (because there are scholarships for hair colors!).
Once you’ve completed the application, the scholarship database will return with the best matches suited for you. You’ll still want to read through the necessary qualifications to ensure you qualify, but databases help you avoid any potential problems where you get halfway through the application and realize you don’t actually qualify. Scholarship databases will also send you emails when a new award you qualify for pops up.
Track Your Work
When you’re trying to run through as many scholarship applications as you can, it can be difficult to know which ones you completed and which ones you didn’t. Keep a spreadsheet marking down your progress on each application, what’s required to apply, deadlines, and whether or not you applied. A lot of scholarships are very similar, too, so you don’t want to accidentally apply to one twice.
If you’re thinking about racing through as many scholarships as you can in just 30 days, these tips will definitely come in handy. Don’t jump in without a game plan! Get those scholarship applications in now and use our scholarship search tool to help!
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.50%-16.12%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
5.54% - 15.70% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
 |
4.63% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.66% - 14.72% Variable
3.69% - 14.56% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
5.62% - 16.85% Variable
3.69% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
