Junior and senior year of high school are notoriously busy times for students. Not only do you have a full course load and after-school activities, but you also have to study for the SAT and apply to colleges.
Add scholarship applications to the mix, and your schedule looks about ready to burst. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until college application season to pursue scholarship money.
In fact, there are plenty of scholarships you can apply for starting in ninth grade. Here are five such awards to get you started.
1. RaiseMe micro-scholarships: The innovative micro-scholarship program RaiseMe helps students earn money for their high school accomplishments – and these funds come directly from colleges.
Starting in ninth grade, you can keep a portfolio of your course grades, sports achievements and participation in clubs and community service. Track your achievements to earn money – you might win $1,000 for getting an A in algebra or $1,500 for being captain of the basketball team. According to RaiseMe, the average annual scholarship is $5,000.
RaiseMe has more than 225 college partners where you can use the money you’ve earned for school.
2. DoSomething.org college scholarships: If you’re inspired to make the world a better place, the DoSomething.org college scholarships could be right up your alley. DoSomething.org offers students as young as 13 years old the chance to win scholarship awards in exchange for participating in the organization’s community service campaigns.
Past service campaigns have included working at a soup kitchen or helping pet owners create a disaster plan for their animals. Share pictures of yourself in action and you’ll be entered to win a scholarship between $1,000 and $5,000. If you take part in all the campaigns, you could be eligible for up to $22,000.
DoSomething.org will send any funds you win straight to your college’s financial aid office once you are enrolled.
3. Prudential Spirit of Community Awards: Like DoSomething.org, Prudential offers a scholarship opportunity for students who help their community. With the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, students from fifth to 12th grade can win scholarships in the amount of $1,000 or $5,000 for volunteer work.
To qualify, you must have engaged in community service within 12 months of applying for the scholarship. Applicants compete at the local level first, followed by the state and then national level. Local honorees between the ages of 11 and 15 who serve a minimum 50 volunteer hours and those older than 15 who serve a minimum 100 hours will also receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
You must submit the application to your school or the head of a designated local organization, such as the YMCA or Girl Scouts council, by Nov. 7.
4. National Peer Tutor Scholarship: With this scholarship, the National Scholar Foundation seeks to promote peer tutoring among young people. One middle or high schooler will be named National Peer Tutor of the Year and receive a $1,000 scholarship for college. Four others will be recognized as National Peer Tutor of the Year Finalists and win $250 each.
When reviewing applications, which include an essay and teacher recommendation, the scholarship committee looks for evidence of character, leadership, scholarship and service. The application deadline is typically March 1 each year.
You may apply if you are 13 years or older and are a legal U.S. citizen or international student with a valid visa. You must also currently attend or will attend a high school or college in the next 12 months, and that school must be listed on Niche’s site.
To apply, all you need to do is create a Niche account and click “Apply Now.”
Every month, Niche randomly chooses a winner for this $2,000 scholarship, which can be used on tuition, housing, books or any other education-related expenses. If you don’t win one month, you can try your luck again the next.
Even though you might not receive scholarship money until you start college, you can apply for it years in advance. Not only will you have less work on your plate as you approach graduation, but you could also significantly lower the cost of college.
