Yahoo Finance Seeking college scholarships? Here’s a list for NC students, plus tips for applying
It’s application season, and college can be expensive.
To help you figure out how to pay for college, The News & Observer talked to UNC Chapel Hill’s admissions office to get tips on what to do — and what to avoid — when applying for scholarships.
We also put together a list of dozens of scholarship opportunities, which you’ll find at the bottom of this story.
Remember: Most application deadlines (when the scholarships are from schools themselves) fall around the first or middle of January. Outside scholarships have various deadlines, and be sure to contact the organizations directly to find out when these deadlines are.
Here’s what we learned.
How to prepare to apply for scholarships
Here’s what Johanna Donovan, senior assistant director in NC State’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, recommends:
Cast a wide net, but start local.
Students should focus their search locally, then county, then state and finally, nationally.
Start first with local social and civic organizations such as the Rotary Club, Soroptimist Club, Elks, Moose, Ruritan and other such organizations in your area.
Clubs such as the local garden club, bowling league and even your church may also have scholarships for member’s students.
Students should investigate any clubs or organizations that they, their parents, or even grandparents belong to or are employed with to see if they offer scholarships to dependents of members or employees.
Search for scholarships within your field of interest.
Search for scholarships offered through local companies that employ graduates in your area of academic interest.
For example, if you want to be an engineer, get a list of local engineering firms and contact them to see if they have any scholarship opportunities.
Apply, apply, apply.
Small value scholarships add up!
And you should never pay a fee to search for scholarships on websites. If you’re paying to search for scholarships or to apply to scholarships, that can be a red flag that the scholarship is a scam.
Fastweb, Scholarships.com and Niche are some free sites to scour.
Please note that outside scholarships will affect eligibility for federal, state or university aid, so they must be reported to the aid office at the college or university at which you enroll, said Michael Davis, UNC Chapel Hill’s associate director of admissions.
Outside scholarships help meet college costs, so it is required that colleges take these awards into account when determining eligibility for other aid programs.
How to write an award-winning essay
Here are five tips from Allison Medlin, executive director of NC State’s Goodnight Scholarships Program, on how to write award-winning scholarship essays:
Take stock: Before you begin writing your essays, take time to reflect on what makes you you. What experiences have shaped who you are? What are your interests, values and goals?
Tell an authentic story: Don’t just tell the reader you want to work with children, tell them a story about your experiences working with children in the past, and what you’ve learned. Don’t just tell the reader that you’re hard working and resilient – demonstrate it through storytelling about your specific experiences, choices and actions. Most importantly, make the story authentic.
Save the best for first: Don’t make your readers wait until the end for “the good stuff.” By the time the reader could get that far, your application might already be in the rejection pile. Grab their attention in the first paragraph.
Connect the dots: How do an applicant’s goals and values align with the program’s? Your essay should demonstrate an understanding of the program, and how you would specifically benefit from, and contribute to, its mission.
Write. Edit. Repeat: Don’t wait until the last minute to write your essays. This may seem obvious, but you will need time to write and rewrite each essay. Write multiple drafts and enlist several editors, if possible. Quality writing is an iterative process.
“Effective scholarship essays should be specific, authentic and engaging. They can be moving, inspiring, funny or even nerdy, but they should hook the reader in and be memorable,” Medlin told The N&O.
“Write an essay only you could write, because you’re the only one who has lived your life.”
Check out five more tips from Maryville University for nailing your scholarship essay:
First impressions matter: Your introductory paragraph will serve as your first impression to the scholarship organization. Consider how to attract the attention of the reader through your introductory paragraph.
Be personal: Discuss how you will become an effective student in the coming years, and how you’ll make good use of the money you may be awarded. You may have more freedom to write about yourself in detail for some scholarship prompts, and less of the same freedom for others.
Stay focused: As you fully flesh out your essay, you should ensure that you stay focused on these core ideas. Try not to ramble or get side tracked. Every sentence in your essay should be related in some way to one of your core ideas.
Be succinct: Everyone will most likely be working off the same prompt, so you’ll want to ensure that your essay stands out, gets straight to the point and doesn’t waste any of the reader’s time.
Follow instructions: Double check your work against the requirements set by the scholarship organization, and make sure you’re following the instructions to the letter. Essays that don’t follow instructions will most likely be thrown out first.
Scholarships at UNC Chapel Hill
UNC-CH has over a dozen academic scholarships available. Need-based scholarships, athletic scholarships and military scholarships, among others, are available too. For fullest consideration, UNC-CH recommends submitting your FAFSA by Jan. 10.
Here’s what Davis, the associate director of admissions, wants you to know:
The UNC Office of Scholarships and Student Aid offers aid based on financial need. Students enrolling in the fall who meet the on-time deadline of June 15 will be considered for a combination of grants, need-based loans and work-study to meet their full financial need as exhibited by their financial aid applications (FAFSA and CSS Profile).
Students are automatically considered for scholarships that do not have financial need requirements. Beyond applying for admission by the deadline, there’s nothing additional that you need to do to be considered for these scholarships. Our individual, comprehensive and holistic review considers students not only for admission but also for these scholarships and special opportunities.
There are two scholarships run by external foundations: the Morehead-Cain Scholarship and Robertson Scholarship.
Check out UNC-CH’s website for more information.
Scholarships at Duke University
Duke awards a limited number of merit scholarships, and applicants are automatically considered by virtue of their admissions application. No outside essays or application materials required.
There is one exception: the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program.
Check out Duke’s website for more information.
Scholarships at NC State
Each college at NC State offers scholarship opportunities to students enrolled in its academic programs. The application opens Dec. 1, and new students can apply once admitted to the university. Visit go.ncsu.edu/packassist to apply.
There is no deadline, but students who complete the application by Feb. 15 are given first consideration.
Check out NC State’s FAQ page for more information.
Scholarships at NC Central
NC Central has dozens of scholarships available, including the Cheatham-White Scholarship Program.
Cheatham-White is a fully funded four-year scholarship. The scholarship covers full tuition and fees, housing, meals, textbooks, a laptop, travel and personal expenses. Each scholarship also provides four summers of fully funded enrichment and networking opportunities that may include international travel and study. Applicants do not have to be residents of North Carolina.
Check out NC Central’s website for more information.
Scholarships for North Carolinians
Here are some college scholarships for North Carolina residents. This list was compiled by Unigo, a website of college resources.
Felicia Brewer Opportunity Scholarship — The purpose of the Felicia Brewer Opportunity Scholarship is to create a life-transforming opportunity for immigrant or first generation students. The scholarship will be awarded to students who have attended a Chapel Hill –Carrboro City Schools district high school. The Fund has been created in memory of Felice (Felicia) Berkman Brewer by her father-in-law, Donald Brewer. Amount: Up to $80,000. Info: trianglecf.org
Aubrey Lee Brooks Scholarship — These scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors from a 14-county area of North Carolina. The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority provides central administration for the Brooks Foundation. There are 17 awards available. Amount: Up to $12,000. Info: cfnc.org
Glaxo Smith Kline Opportunity Scholarship — The GSK Opportunity Scholarship provides annual scholarships of up to $5,000 (renewable for up to 3 additional years) to Triangle residents (Orange, Wake, Durham counties) who demonstrate the potential to succeed despite adversity and an exceptional desire to improve themselves through further education/training. Amount: Up to $20,000. Info: trianglecf.org
Winston Salem Foundation Scholarship — This scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors who attend a Forsyth County high school and reside in The Winston-Salem’s Foundation service area. Amount: $16,000. Info: unigo.com
Safety in North Carolina Scholarship — The Safety in North Carolina Scholarship is available for residents of North Carolina currently enrolled at an accredited college, university or graduate program in the United States. Amount: $1,000. Info: unigo.com
PFLAG Greensboro Chapter Carter Stroupe Memorial Scholarship — The Carter Stroupe Memorial Scholarship is dedicated to celebrating and supporting the continuing education for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary and LGBTQ+ allied students who exhibit courage and leadership in their schools and communities. Amount: Up to $2,000. Info: pflaggreensboro.org.
NC Sheriffs Association Undergraduate Criminal Justice Scholarships — Twelve scholarships are offered each year to full-time North Carolina resident undergraduate students majoring in criminal justice, one for each UNC constituent institution that has a criminal justice program. Amount: $8,000. Info: unigo.com.
Couch Oil Cares Scholarship — This scholarship is available for high school seniors in the following NC counties: Wake, Durham, Orange, Johnston, Nash, Wilson, Alamance, Chatham, Franklin, Granville, Person and Caswell. Six Amount: $1,000 per winner. Info: unigo.com.
The College Foundation of North Carolina has over 100 scholarship opportunities on their website. Here are some of them:
NC Community College Grant — Grants are available to North Carolina residents who demonstrate financial need and are enrolled at North Carolina community colleges. Amount: Up to $2,200. Info: cfnc.org.
NC Education Lottery Scholarship — The North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship (ELS) was created by the 2005 General Assembly to provide financial assistance to needy North Carolina residents attending eligible colleges and universities located within the state of North Carolina. Amount: Up to $3,768. Info: cfnc.org.
NC Need-Based Scholarship — Created by the 2011 North Carolina General Assembly, this is a need-based program for North Carolina residents attending private institutions of higher education located in North Carolina. Amount: Up to $7,640. Info: cfnc.org.
UNC Need-Based Grant — Grants are available for eligible students attending one of the 16 institutions of the University of North Carolina. Amount: Up to $4,200. Info: cfnc.org.
Carrot-Top Beacon Scholarship — This Hillsborough-based group awards $1,000 scholarships to one winner in the spring and two winners in the fall semester. Graduating high school seniors, current college students or adult learners planning to enroll in an accredited college program are eligible. Amount: $1,000 or $2,000. Info: carrot-top.com/beacon-scholarship.
Finish Line Grants — Finish Line Grants are grants of up to $1,000 awarded to North Carolina community college students who are on the cusp of completing their education or training and are faced with an unanticipated financial hardship that may prevent them from doing so. Amount: Up to $1,000. Info: cfnc.org.
Scholarships.com has dozens of scholarships on their website, and some of them are specifically for students in North Carolina. Here are a few:
African American Network of the Carolinas — Applicants must be a graduating senior at a North or South Carolina high school and must attend a four-year college or university located in North or South Carolina. Applicants must plan to major in engineering, computer science, the sciences, accounting, finance or business administration. Info: scholarships.com.
Aubrey Lee Brooks Scholarships — Applicants must demonstrate financial need and plan to enroll as a full-time student in a degree program at N.C. State University, UNC-Chapel Hill, or UNC-Greensboro. They must also currently reside and attend high school in Alamance, Bertie, Caswell, Durham, Forsyth, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Swain or Warren counties. Info: scholarships.com.
Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship Program — The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation’s scholarship program awards annual grants for the education of deserving female students with financial need at more than 200 accredited educational institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Info: scholarships.com.
LR Lutheran Scholarships — The Martin Luther Fellows are available exclusively for undergraduate North Carolina ELCA students with contributions to church and community. Info: scholarships.com.
NCAE Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship — The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Scholarship was established in 1992 by the North Carolina Association of Educators Minority Affairs Commission under the auspices of the Human and Civil Rights Commission. It continues in partnership with the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children. Info: scholarships.com.
North Carolina Student Incentive Grant — The Student Incentive Grant program is offered by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority through College Foundation Inc., to provide financial assistance to needy North Carolina resident students attending eligible colleges and universities located within the state of North Carolina. Info: scholarships.com
The Winston-Salem Foundation has numerous scholarships available:
Boyles-Eidson Scholarship Fund — Established in 2002 by Fred G. Eidson to provide scholarships for graduating high school seniors at Elkin High School in Surry County, NC. Contact: Elkin High School Guidance Office at (336) 835-3858.
Dr. Eugene Rossitch, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund — Established in 1998 by Eugene and M. Carmen Rossitch to provide scholarships for graduating high school valedictorians at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School. Contact: Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School Guidance Office at (336) 564-1010.
Edward Kent Welch Memorial Scholarship — Established in 2009 by family and friends, in memory of Kent Welch, to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors at Mt. Tabor High School who will attend UNC-Chapel Hill. Contact: Mt. Tabor High School Guidance Office at (336) 703-6728.
Emma Kapp Ogburn Memorial Fund — Established in 1946 by S.C. Ogburn, as a memorial to his wife, Mrs. Emma Kapp Ogburn, to provide scholarships to Forsyth County residents, who are of the Methodist denomination, and who will pursue education for the Methodist ministry or Christian education. Contact: Submit completed applications to Stacy Holley at sholley@centenary-ws.org or contact her at 336-724-6311, ext. 1359
Fred Colby Hobson Scholarship Fund — Established in 1994 by the Fred Colby Hobson Scholarship Fund Committee to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors from Forbush High School, Starmount High School, and Yadkin Early College in Yadkin County, NC. Contact: Forbush High School Guidance Office at (336) 961-4644, Starmount High School Guidance Office at (336) 468-2891, or Yadkin Early College at 336-386-3579.
Hispanic League Scholarship — Established in 2013 by the Hispanic League to provide scholarships for past or present ELL or LEP students. Contact: Mari Jo Turner at marijo@hispanicleague.org
J. Lee Keiger, Jr. Family Fund — Established in 1999 by J. Lee, Jr. and Martha Keiger to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors at Alleghany High School in Alleghany County, NC. Contact: Alleghany County Educational Foundation at (336) 372-5059.
Jeannette Anderson Parker Memorial Scholarship Fund — Established in 2008 by friends, family and the R.J. Reynolds High School Booster Club, in memory of Jeannette Anderson Parker, to provide scholarships for graduating high school seniors at R.J. Reynolds High School. Contact: R.J. Reynolds High School Office of Student Services at 336-703-4146
Josh Gray Memorial Scholarship — Established in 2005 and later endowed in 2010 by Jerry R. Gray and Debora L. Gray, in memory of Josh Gray, to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors who are varsity soccer team members at Mt. Tabor High School. Contact: Mt. Tabor High School Guidance Office at (336) 703-6700.
R.J. Reynolds High School Class of 1968 Memorial Scholars Fund — Established in 1998 by R.J. Reynolds High School Class of 1968, in memory of all deceased members of the class of 1968, to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors at R.J. Reynolds High School. Contact: R.J. Reynolds High School Office of Student Services at 336-703-4146.
Robert G. Prongay Key Club Scholarship — Established in 2001 by the Winston-Salem Kiwanis Club to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors who are Key Club members from Forsyth, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin counties. Contact: Key Club Faculty Advisors at county high schools or contact Richard St. Clair at (336) 723-7269.
Yadkin County Association of Educators (YCAE) Scholarship Fund — Established in 1996 by YCAE to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors whose parents are members of the YCAE. Contact: Forbush High School Guidance Office at (336) 961-4644, Starmount High School Guidance Office at (336) 468-2891, or Yadkin Early College at 336-386-3579
