1. Be realistic!
The majority of full-ride scholarships are extremely competitive because of the amount of money that is awarded.
So, don’t plan to attend a certain college or plan your scholarship searching/applying around the hope that you will be the recipient of a full-ride scholarship.
2. Vary the types of scholarships you’re applying for.
Sure, applying to every full-ride scholarship that you are eligible for can’t hurt you, but it’s important to make sure that you are varying the types of scholarships you are applying for.
Applying for a mix of small amount and bigger amount scholarships will leave you more likely to walk away with some cash.
3. Be ready for interviews.
Most of these scholarships, as I stated, are extremely competitive. Therefore, the organization (or college) running the scholarship program likely will require an interview at some stage in the process to get to know you better.
4. Be strategic with your letters of recommendation.
While this goes for any scholarships you are applying for, it is especially important to consider this when applying for the big full-ride scholarships.
Make sure you ask people who know you well and can attest to all of your wonderful qualities and potential.
5. Get involved in your community.
So many of the full-ride scholarships specify that leadership skills and experience, along with community outreach, are some of the most important and decisive factors in who wins and who doesn’t.
So, if you know early on in high school that you want to apply for some of these scholarships, be sure to find personally rewarding ways to get involved in your community as early as possible.
6. Choose courses that challenge you.
If you’re in high school, and you’re applying to merit-based full-ride scholarships, then it’s very likely that the judges will be determining winners based on the types of classes you have taken and how well you have performed in them.
These scholarships often look for students who take on rigorous course loads and succeed in doing so.
