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How To Find Niche Scholarships For College

Although private niche scholarships account for less than 2% of all aid, go-getters like Marianne Ragins author of “Winning Scholarships For College” have parlayed as much as $400,000 for their higher education.

The secret lies in a four-step process, you approach as you would a challenging sport. No pain, no gain. Expect work. And before you commit your precious time, realize that many scholarship reduce government aid dollar for dollar. Only if you are ineligible, or can request that the reduction come from your student loan, should you bother.

Step #1: Create your personal profile

This is the single most important part of the process. List 100 aspects about yourself and/or your family that might be the focus of a stipend. Everything from your hobbies, talents, passions, favorite author, place of birth, residence, and hair color may be the seed of a scholarship. Some of the most important gateways to eligibility include: ancestors country of origin, ethnicity, gender, physical handicap, sports achievement, clubs, employment experience, religious, and military affiliation.

Sit down and take time to review your life!

Step #2: Search for scholarships that match your profile

Free websites like fastweb.com with a 400,000 database, ask you to enter your profile. They then reveal a list of possible scholarships. A few will even help you draft your application. Other top sites include. collegenet.com, collegeboard.org.

Books, like “Peterson’s Scholarships, Grants & Prizes,” include a CD-ROM for searching their database. “The Complete Guide to Private Sector Scholarships,” by Daniel Cassidy, list private loans and fellowships as well.

Last but not least, contact local organizations, your school and your relatives? alma mater, to unearth local scholarships. They are the least competitive, because they are rarely included in any database. Discovering them is half the battle. A call to your local Rotary and every religious institution in the neighborhood, whether or not of your faith, can be fruitful, as well.

Step #3: Choose your targets

If you’ve searched correctly, you’ll have many possibilities. Eliminate those that are marginal and go with your strengths. For example, if you are totally aid ineligible check out “College Student’s Guide to Merit and Other No-Need Funding” from Reference Service Press. Although private money is not based on need, some scholarships are “need sensitive.”

Your best choices may be scholarships based on your parent’s profile. Texas’s Children of Disabled Firemen and Peace Officers, or New Hampshire’s Orphans of Veteran’s Who Died in South East Asia are cases in point. See “Financial Aid For the Disabled and Their Families” from Reference Service Press.

Don’t panic if your search turns up a short list. Reprofile yourself. See if you can legitimately redirect your major interests. Get yourself some instant hobbies.

Step #4: File

Pay precise attention to the requirements and give the bountiful group exactly what they want. Neatness, excellent writing, and concise information do the trick, as with college applications. Psych out the philosophy of the organization and why they want to give the prize. Hobbyist want to perpetuate excitement for the field. Show them passion in your writing. Community groups are looking for commitment. Show them dedication through actual life experiences. If you have none, site the anecdotes of others and show why they inspire you. “Cash For College” by Hearst and Mary Ragins’ book offer filing guides. But common sense and a true understanding of the purpose of the scholarship is the key.

Repeat these steps at least twice a year throughout your college and graduate years.

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