Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be a straight-A student to win a college scholarship. While the number of financial awards you’re eligible for certainly expands if you have a 4.0 GPA, there’s no hard and fast rule that limits scholarships to valedictorians.
Even if you wish your GPA was a little higher, chances are you’ll still be able to find some sort of financial assistance if you look hard enough. Here are a few awards with no academic achievement requirements to give you a head start.
The Cappex Easy College Money Scholarship offers a $1,000 award every month, which means you have 12 chances to win each year. The deadline is the last day of every month, and anyone who uses the scholarship search site Cappex can enter to win. There’s no GPA requirement and no essay to write. All you need to do is click to apply once you’re a registered user.
The Spirit of Anne Frank Scholarship offers winners up to a $10,000 award to put toward the cost of their college application. Applicants must be high school seniors who plan on attending a four-year college or university starting in the fall of 2016. You’ll need to submit a 1,000-word essay and two letters of recommendation that prove you’ve been actively involved in social justice issues within your school or community. The deadline to apply is Feb. 19.
Since you’ve already put time into writing essays for your college applications, consider applying to the EditRevise $10,000 Scholarship Essay Contest. The deadline is Jan. 15 and GPA isn’t a factor. All you have to do is submit one of your essays.
The Secret Mean Stinks Scholarship is a $10,000 award for school expenses open to students interested in ending girl-to-girl bullying. To apply, just write a 500-word essay explaining an act of kindness you committed and how you encouraged other people to do the same. The deadline is Dec. 14, so there’s little time to waste.
If the thought of seeing your own artwork on Google’s homepage doesn’t tempt you, their $30,000 scholarship might. The Doodle 4 Google Scholarship is open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade who submit a doodle that incorporates the word “Google.” The only requirement is creativity, but work fast – this year’s Dec. 7 deadline is coming right up.
Finally, the Gallery Collection Create A Greeting Card Scholarship is your chance to win $10,000 for school and see your greeting card on store shelves. Applicants must be 14 or older and submit original artwork or photos to qualify. Channel your inner artist and see what you can dream up for your chance to win. The deadline is Feb. 25.
