Applying for Merit-Based Aid and Scholarships

Scholarships, in some form or fashion, are what can make a higher-cost college ultimately affordable. The largest providers of scholarships are colleges themselves through merit-based aid.

Students who are in the top percentage of a particular college’s applicant pool are often awarded large sums of gifted aid to entice them to attend. Some colleges publish details about the percentage of applicants who are awarded this kind of aid, and what their requirements are (i.e. test scores and GPA). Often, colleges require students to apply by an earlier deadline, or submit separate applications to be considered. In the same way that you research colleges and their academic offerings and admissions requirements, it is important to be aware of their financial aid offerings and requirements as well. The financial resources of each school may vary, so don’t prematurely discount a school based solely on their sticker price. See what you can get from scholarships and financial aid before you decide whether or not you can afford it. Don’t forget that in-state public schools are great options that start at a lower cost.

Students can also seek funding from outside sources through scholarship applications. These applications vary greatly in terms of qualifications (grades, talents, background/ethnicity, leadership, prospective major, etc.) and amount. These scholarships may carry certain obligations (GPA), and may or may not be renewable over the course of your education.

While you can apply for scholarships at any time, we recommend that you first concentrate on your college applications. Scholarship applications can be time-consuming and require multiple essays. Helpful places to start may be through parent employers as well as the College Office Weekly Bulletin. Watch out for scholarships that may be scams or marketing tools. For reputable scholarship resources, check out Fast Web, My Scholly, Going Merry, Big Future, and UNCF. and HBCU Scholarships. You can also find a list of recurring scholarship opportunities organized by month here (updated with 2022-23 deadlines), and a list of New York-specific scholarship opportunities.