Congratulations are definitely in order if you managed to organize your search efforts and took the time to apply to one or two, and hopefully many more, scholarship opportunities. If you have the right combination of traits the committee wants, and completed the application(s) in a timely and appropriate manner, you might just be lucky enough to receive some of that coveted scholarship money that can help you pay for college expenses.
Once the application(s) are submitted, you could be tempted to sit back and try to relax. Here are some extra steps, though, that you might want to take to bolster your chances of winning:
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- Submit early and follow-up: Whenever possible, don’t submit your scholarship application at the very last minute. It can get lost in the shuffle or, even worse, you might have missed something. If there is a mistake, you won’t have time to make it right. After a week or so, look for a way to be sure your application was received. There is usually some sort of email address you can use. You might not receive a response if your application was complete, but a kind-hearted person might let you know if it was not received, or if there is a problem.
- Resist the urge to nag: You might be tempted to keep up a constant stream of communication, but this strategy can just serve to annoy the selection committee. If you have verified that your application is received and complete, just thank the committee for the opportunity and give them time to complete their deliberations. The only exception would be if your contact information changes, or if you no longer meet the eligibility criteria.
- You might ask for insights: Once the approval deadlines passes, and it is clear you did not win, you could try to ask for insights on your application. Again, a kind-hearted committee member might take the time to explain where you can improve, so you can use this knowledge when completing future scholarship applications.
- Keep up the good work: You might not win the one scholarship you had your eye on, but there are plenty of other opportunities. Keep up with your academic courses, athletic contests, and community involvement, even though COVID has made all of that very difficult. There might be other “perfect” opportunities that come along, and there are even scholarships which apply to students already in college. You want to make sure that your resume continues to shine, or even shows improvement, as you continue with your educational career. Good luck!
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One application or one success, however, should not be the end to your scholarship search. There are still plenty of opportunities out there that can help find money that could make a big difference in your college choice. Look for more opportunities with the CFAA Scholarship Process. We assess your unique background and capabilities, point out up to 60 potential scholarship opportunities, and organize your application approach.