Congratulations. Your child got accepted into Harvard. Now, who is going to pay for it? Before loans come into play, take a look at scholarship opportunities, as there are thousands of them, offered by schools, nonprofits and others. Collegeboard.com alone has more than 2,200 possible scholarship options that total nearly $6 billion. Here are some aspects to be mindful of in your quest for the optimal funding fit.
DEADLINES Some scholarship application deadlines are early in the fall of senior year. Mark the due dates on your calendar and work your way backward to figure out how much time you’ll have to get each piece of the application finished.
RESEARCH Researching scholarships, requesting information and application materials, and completing applications all take time. Be sure to allot time for each step.
REQUIREMENTS If you have a question about whether you qualify for a certain scholarship, contact the scholarship sponsor. There’s no point in applying for a scholarship that you are not eligible to receive.
INSTRUCTIONS Stick to the word limit for the essay. If supporting materials are not requested in the application, don’t send them.
