Tips On Finding Scholarship Money From Local Businesses
The process of finding scholarships for college can be an intimidating task
. If a student or parent sets out on this task without some guidance, the search can take a very long time. One place to search for scholarships is with local businesses or groups.
Local businesses and groups can offer small to large amounts of money for scholarships. Often times the process is as simple as filling out an essay and application to one of the businesses in town. The best place to start looking for these scholarships is to contact a guidance counselor, local newspaper, community groups or ask an employer. You can also keep your eye on the radio to see if they run any public announcements about the funding options for college.
Asking you guidance counselor or guidance office questions can have a rewarding outcome. The counselor has direct ties to the community and local civic groups. They can offer advice on how to approach the businesses or who to actually contact when looking for scholarship money.
The local newspaper is another great place to look to find leads. The paper will most likely have a contact list of local businesses and groups. The paper will also have a list of companies that have place advertisements regarding education funds or scholarship opportunities. If the student is a writer or majoring in journalism, the newspaper may even offer a scholarship for that field of study.
A lot of non-for-profit community groups offer scholarships. The local Junior Womans Chapter will usually hold a writing contest for seniors or the community. The process takes an application, essay and final interview. Once the winner is chosen, the award can range from $500 to $1000 for the winner. The key to finding out what the groups offer is to make contact with the organization.
A student can also ask their employer about scholarship or financial opportunities. Some large employers will offer tuition reimbursement if the student continues to work at the business during or after college. A parents employer is also a potential source of scholarship money.
Check also with the local chamber of commerce. You may have a parent that belongs to the organization and can ask about opportunities for college funding. If not, there are often free meetings that people can attend who are not members of the chamber.
Finding scholarships or financial assistance from local businesses is easy to do if the student contacts the correct businesses or organizations. When in doubt, follow the old fashion method and make a call.