Streamlining the College Scholarship Process

If you think the college application process is time consuming, just wait. Searching for and applying for college scholarships is the real time consumer for many high school seniors and their parents.

If your child is hoping to snag a few scholarships before moving into his or her dorm, you'll need to prepare yourselves. Below are a few tips on streamlining the scholarship process for you and your soon-to-be college student.

How to Help Your Teen Through the Scholarship Process

• Set a Schedule - The scholarship search may be more time consuming than the college application process. You can't get through it all in a single day, or even a single weekend. The best way to plunge through is to break it down into digestible bites. You and your teen should agree to sit down regularly to work on scholarship opportunities. You may agree to mark off every Sunday afternoon, or every Monday evening for the chore. Develop a schedule and make sure you both stick to it.

• Start Early - You can begin your search for potential scholarships years before your child begins the application process. Begin the search when your child is a freshman or sophomore in high school, keeping a folder of grantors, their contact information (website, facebook page, etc.) and their list of requirements and deadlines. This will help you as the time to apply draws near. 

• Ask for Recommendations Early - Most scholarships require one or two personal recommendations to include in the application package. Make sure your student asks for these letters at the end of his or her junior year of high school. That way you'll have the letters ready to go when the senior year begins. As a general rule it's a good idea to have a recommendation from a teacher or school counselor, as well as one from a community member such as a employer, a coach, or a member of a civic organization such as the scouts, ruritans, or a volunteer organization. 

• Have Transcripts Ready to Go - Almost every scholarship application requires a school transcript, offical or unofficial. Make sure your child keeps a copy of his or her most recent transcript on file. Offical transcripts will have to come from your child's school counselor in a sealed envelope.

• Spend Time on Essays - Most scholarships require an essay from the applicant. Essays can vary from 250 words to more than 1,000. It's important to spend time on these essays, and to address the writing prompt thoroughly. Be sure the essays are edited and copyedited for spelling and grammar.

• Don't Leave Anything Out - Be sure your teenager completes every requirement for the scholarship application before submitting. Incomplete applications are usually not considered, so it's critical to spend time doublechecking every application before it's sent.