Skip to content
  • Solutions
    Our Services
    Middle School College Prep
    Transfer Admissions
    SAT Test Prep
    ACT Test Prep
    College Prep for Neurodiverse Students
  • About Us
    Our Story
    Why Us
    Success Stories
    Partnering with Us
    Empowerly for Employers
    Contact Us
  • Programs
    AI Scholar Program
    Research Scholar Program
    Startup Internship Program
    Passion Project Program
  • Resources
    Blog
    Webinars
    Empowerly Score®

Sign In

Free Consultation
Book a Free Consultation

Login

  • Blog > Applications, Pre-Application

Seniors: 3 Tips for the Scholarship Hunt

Picture of Madeleine Karydes

Madeleine Karydes

  • September 26, 2016

Imagine this: you’ve just finished applying to colleges. With a huge sigh of relief, you begin to dream about that TV show you’ve been waiting to binge watch. No more deadlines, no more essays with strange prompts… But alas, it’s not quite time to allow senioritis to take the wheel. There is more work on the horizon: goodbye college applications, hello scholarship applications! Don’t worry. Empowerly has some hot tips for the scholarship hunt to help you out.

It’s no secret that college can be very, very expensive. However, most colleges offer financial aid and merit scholarship to its students. Additionally, there are also many outside scholarships that students can take advantage to apply. Both can help ease the financial burden of college tuition. Many students never apply to outside scholarships, hence losing out on a huge pool of scholarship money there for the grabs. Here are three important things to keep in mind as you start the search for potential outside scholarships.

The early bird gets the worm.

Aim to start the scholarship hunt process as early as you possibly can. Many scholarships have deadlines as early as September or October of senior year; not to mention, there are even some out there that are geared towards juniors. Ideally, you would thus be applying to scholarships at the same time as you are applying to colleges.

However, many students already have a boatload of work to think about, and don’t have the time for scholarships in the midst of college applications. Instead, at least try to start pursuing some scholarship websites as your college applications start winding down. If you wait until the spring, many potential opportunities will already close their doors because their deadlines were in the fall or winter.

And, of course, by no means should you wait until after the school year has already ended. By then the pickings will be slim and fiercely competitive.

Identify what makes you stand out.

Under the assumption that most people aren’t world champions or cutting-edge researchers who’ve achieved amazing things in high school, it may be best to stray away from widely popular general scholarships that receive thousands of applications a year. Unless you know that you truly have a shot at winning one of the coveted slots, focus your attention on other scholarships that may be lurking on the edge but still offer plenty of monetary award.

Take a moment to reflect about what puts you apart from other people. Are you a child of a veteran? Do you identify with the LGBTQ+ community? There are many scholarships out there that have application requirements which greatly limit the pool of people who are eligible to apply. With less applicants, there is a higher chance of you successfully getting the scholarship. Your family life, prospective major, ethnicity, interests, background, etc. all are variables that may be used to help pick out potential scholarships. A quick search for ‘Women in STEM scholarships’ or ‘Deaf/HOH scholarships’ will immediately pull up a list for you to look through. Be proud of what makes you different, and take advantage of this opportunity to help you get some money to help with college expenses.

Check your backyard.

Common scholarship search engines like Fastweb.com and Cappex.com can be an efficient way of matching you to scholarships, but many of the results are national scholarships that often receive a heavy amount of applicants.

Don’t forget to check your own backyard for potential gold mines. Sometimes the places we least expect offer the greatest reward. Perhaps the Rotary club across the street from your house has scholarships for those living in your town. Maybe your old elementary school has a scholarship available only for high school alumni.

Even looking for scholarships that are exclusive for students from your state will offer much more potential payback compared to applying only for national scholarships, simply based on the statistics of how many people apply. Ask your high school counselor if they have a list of area scholarships. Do a search of ‘(your city) high school scholarships’ or ‘(your state) high school scholarships’.

By applying early, identifying what sets you apart, and exploring local opportunities, you’ll be aiming yourself down a road of success for the scholarship hunt. For guidance and more resources on the college application process, you can contact a Empowerly admissions expert for free below.

Final Note

Senior year can be a stressful time, but preparation and knowledge are the key to ensuring that you do well. Read about how you can afford a college education here in one of our recent Empowerly blog posts.

Book A Free Consultation
Share this post
College Internships
Picture of Madeleine Karydes

Madeleine Karydes

Related articles

Find the latest college admissions news, tips, resources and more.

Empowerly’s Guide to Summer Programs

Explore top competitive high school summer programs and download Empowerly’s new guide to help your student build a standout summer strategy.

How to Stand Out in National Science & History Competitions

Here’s how to win national science and history competitions — and what real students did to get into top colleges like Princeton.

Do Extracurriculars During Admissions Season Still Count?

It’s senior year. Do your extracurriculars during admissions season even count? Turns out, yes, and now is not the time to get caught slipping.

Empowerly is a member of:

Menu

  • Services
  • Success Stories
  • Careers
  • Become a Counselor
  • Refer a Friend
  • Book a Consult

Contact Us

  • enrollment@empowerly.com
  • 800 491 6920
  • empowerly.com

Follow Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
Subscribe to our Newsletter
© 2025 Empowerly Inc | All Rights Reserved
Cookie Preferences
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
Solutions
Our Services
Middle School College Prep
Transfer Admissions
SAT Test Prep
ACT Test Prep
College Prep for Neurodiverse Students
About Us
Our Story
Why Us
Success Stories
Partnering with Us
Empowerly for Employers
Programs
AI Scholar Program
Research Scholar Program
Startup Internship Program
Resources
Blog
Referral
Webinars
Empowerly Score®
Book a Free Consultation
Login