SEARCHING for SCHOLARSHIPS

Tap into online and community resources to help pay for college. BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE

PAYING FOR COLLEGE can feel like a major financial feat, but there are many scholarships and funding sources to help defray the cost. “We are seeing an upward trend of more available financial aid,” says Tamika Braswell, director of the Office of Financial Aid at the Ohio Department of Higher Education. For instance, the typical $200 annual increase for federal aid was bumped to $500 for the 2023-24 school year.

She advises every student to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can unlock federal, state and even private college scholarships and grants. And start early when seeking out scholarships.

“It could be your freshman year or even in middle school,” Braswell says. Scholarships are not all financially or academically based.

“When families hear ‘scholarship,’ sometimes they think their student has to be top of the class, but there are scholarships from local service clubs and community foundations, and some might be earmarked for certain majors,” says Jeff Robinson, Director of Communication for the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Finally, as you search, beware of scams. Braswell says, “You usually do not have to provide a credit card or your social security number, so be leery of applications that ask for too much information.”

Here are some helpful online portals for finding scholarships:

– Bold.org

– Cappex.com

– Collegeboard.org

– Fastweb.com

– Finaid.org

– Goingmerry.com

– Myscholly.com

– Petersons.com

– Scholarshipowl.com

– Scholarships.com

– U.S. Department of Labor careeronestop.org

Aside from a Google search, tap into these potential scholarship resources:

– A parent’s employer might offer scholarships or grants

– Local clubs and community organizations (Rotary, American Legion, Kiwanis)

– Local school district, PTA

– Ohio Department of Higher Education