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Today's guest post features some sound advice from a Multnomah student about how to easily raise funds for your college education. What's the best part? She has the college funding to back up her advice!

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My name is Kaitlyn Reidt and I’m a junior majoring in elementary education.  My search for scholarships started my senior year of high school and it has been really beneficial to me.  I didn’t want to have to take out loans to pay for school so I applied for scholarships and have received $21,100 in funds since I started Multnomah.  Scholarships are worth the work and they are money that doesn’t need to be paid back! I’m going to give you a few tips about where to look for scholarships and what criteria most scholarships look for in applicants.

Sources for Scholarships

Sources for scholarships range anywhere from the internet to businesses to private funds.  Some internet sites that I have found useful are:

• www.fastweb.com - this site has you fill out a profile and sends scholarship applications your way that you meet the criteria for.
• www.brokescholar.com - this site is similar to fastweb and can direct you to other sites with scholarship availability.

Beyond the internet, a student can look at local businesses in the area.  Some restaurants have scholarships, insurance agencies have them, churches usually want to fund students attending a Bible College, and another good place to look would be with organizations such as the VFW or the Masons.

Scholarship Criteria

Scholarships are usually quite specific on the type of applicant they want to receive their funds.  I have found that several things listed on scholarship applications ask for the same type of materials, so I have provided you with a list of the most common criteria for a scholarship applicant.

• Character-the scholarship committees want to know that you are a trustworthy and worthy applicant, so you need to illustrate to some degree the type of character that you possess.
• Scholastic Ability-GPA does factor into applications for scholarships.  It is not the only thing that is looked at, but it does often decide whether a person is eligible to apply for a scholarship or not.  But don’t fear! Not all scholarships have a minimum GPA for their applicants.
• Community Service/Campus Involvement-scholarship committees are looking for well-rounded applicants.  It is important that you are involved in your community with volunteer activities.  You can help at your church, volunteer for a non-profit organization, or be a part of a club at your school.  The more activities the better! Scholarship committees want students who are involved not only in school, but the community as well.
• Essays-There are usually 2-4 essay questions on scholarship applications that ask questions like, “What do you want to do when you graduate,” “What types of community service activities have you been involved in,” and other personal questions.  These are considered heavily, so it is important that correct grammar and spelling be used in these.

$250 an Hour? Really?

Scholarship applications take anywhere from 1 hour to 10 hours.  They may seem time consuming, but think about taking 2 hours to apply for a $500 scholarship. You just made $250 an hour! I’d say that’s a time investment well worth it.  If you have any questions or want help with scholarships, e-mail me at finaid@multnomah.edu.