Confetti bursts onto the screen alongside an exciting “Congratulations, class of 2028!” This message marks the long-awaited end to the college admissions process; however, while most consider applying for college to be the hardest obstacle in senior year, actually paying for attendance might be just a little bit harder. Nevertheless, there are plenty of options nowadays for students to avoid having to decline their dream school simply because of the cost.
“There are so many colleges I want to apply to, but I get so nervous about the tuition costs. Even if I get into some schools, I do not want to take out loans to pay for it. Tuition really puts students in a pinch on what schools they choose,” Najib Garcia, junior, said.
Before even leaving the Etowah High School website front page, students can direct themselves to a multitude of school resources designated specifically for scholarships, with the site’s News section being the first place to look. Additionally, if one journeys to the Student Services course on Canvas, there is a page dedicated to scholarship links, HOPE and Zell information, as well as answers to questions one may have regarding the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In Outlook, students can find updates on current available scholarships in the weekly Eagle Mountain Messenger. To add on to this student support, Etowah has a Senior Services section also on the homepage, where more scholarship information and resources are located.
“When it comes to money and colleges, right off the bat, I am given limited chances for colleges. I really need to stay in the state, as I just cannot travel out of state to pay tuition that is three times the price. Finding scholarships, such as the Georgia HOPE scholarship and the Coca-Cola scholarship, not only help widen my windows of opportunity, but they keep me motivated to finish high school with good grades to make my case for scholarship funding stronger,” Ari Havens, junior, said.
If one wants to expand their reach, there are a plethora of outside websites that serve as a portal for scholarship opportunities. Goingmerry, Scholarship Owl, Niche, and Bold.org are some of the most popular websites, and as they each require a survey and a place for users to create a special profile, students are matched with an individualized list of scholarships. For those staying in Georgia for college, GAfutures provides access to scholarships across the state, and students can find comfort in the fact that this site is endorsed as a state official resource.
“Scholarships have helped me to feel secure going into college knowing I will have less debt to pay,” Logan Derenthal, senior, said.
While it may seem daunting to request a college for money, chatting with university financial advisors or college admissions officers can be very beneficial, as they can provide information and scholarships specific to one’s desired school. Universities are typically working hard to get as many students committed to their school as possible, so there is never any harm in asking for more aid, as well, as they are unlikely to deny a student that has already been admitted. If one does not know how to write an email requesting more aid, a simple Google search can provide a variety of scholarly examples to take inspiration from.
“I was lucky to get a few automatic merit scholarships based on my grades and classes taken throughout high school and also my ACT score. I then went in and applied for a couple supplemental scholarships through the Alabama portal, in which I wrote an essay and turned in letters of recommendation for! The supplemental scholarships were super easy to apply for, and for my essay, I just reused my college essay,” Kendall Lee, senior, said.
Applying to college is certainly a long, treacherous process, and it is more than understandable for students to simply want to settle after finally getting their acceptance; however, it is vital that students do not stop planning for the future, and this starts with preventing oneself in twenty years from regretting not trying for that scholarship now.
