Yes, college is expensive—especially if you
opt to go to a university for all four years. To help pay for those expenses, you might consider tapping into the
$6 billion (and more!) in scholarship money annually awarded to students.
So, you want to
find scholarships. Where do you start?
How to Keep Your Scholarship Search Organized
Organization is key.
This article explores ways to organize your scholarship search on your own and via scholarship sites. It also will look at personality: how to stay motivated and moving throughout your search process.
DIY Organization
Organizing a scholarship search can vary from person to person, but a
common method for scholarship organization is the list. Some students may print out a scholarship spreadsheet to pencil in scholarship names, dates, and more. You can use an Excel/Google Sheets version of this, or you can also use the bookmark functions on your browser.
Either way, keep track of all the scholarships you are interested in. And make sure you track the scholarships’ key information, such as names, due dates, and requirements. Thankfully, some scholarship sites offer built-in lists and trackers to make the process easier for you.
Scholarship Site Organization
When using scholarship sites like Fastweb, take advantage of their built-in organization features. Let us look at Fastweb’s system as an example.
When you create an account with Fastweb, you will have access to the
“My Scholarships” page. This page shows the scholarships that are tailored to your profile: your “matches.” Fastweb has begun to organize your search by trying to narrow down which scholarships fit your situation best!
“Favorite” and “Applied” Functions
To use Fastweb’s (or another scholarship site’s) other features is to be proactive with the organization process. Fastweb allows you to
favorite scholarships that interest you, and, if you apply to one of those scholarships, you can click the green check button to remind yourself you have done so.
Calendars and Reminders
Scholarship sites show each scholarship’s deadline, and with Fastweb, you can click the
calendar icon to save that deadline as a reminder on your digital calendar. It is important to keep track of your scholarships by adding notes to your calendar—whether physical or digital.
If you use a digital calendar, you can add reminders days or weeks prior to the due date. Let us use Google Calendar for example. After using Fastweb’s calendar function, it will take you to your
Google Calendar.
Before you save the date (with the big, blue “save” button), click “Add notification” by the bell icon. There, you can add a notification for days or even weeks prior to the application deadline—that way, you can remind yourself to work on the deadline before the day it is due, so you do not need to rush to finish it!
Personal Factors: Stay Motivated and Moving
Organizing includes organizing yourself,
keeping your mind focused and on track to complete the tasks needed for your scholarship search.
Avoid Procrastination
Sometimes with your scholarship search, it is best to
avoid procrastination. Take small steps and spread out the application process instead of hurrying to finish a scholarship in one sitting. Doing so may lessen stress and give you ample time to come back to your application with fresh eyes and catch errors before sending it in.
Get Support
As with most things in life, social support will get you motivated. The same can be true for your scholarship search.
Connect with peers on your search. Then, encourage one another. Find people who can keep you accountable as you look for scholarships. Maybe plan to search for them together, as a group activity.
Check Daily
Even
Business Insider underscores Fastweb’s daily scholarship updates, encouraging readers to “check back frequently to see if [they] qualify for the latest batch.” Whatever scholarship site you use, determine their update cycle and check for new scholarships constantly.
Do not make this task more stressful than it needs to be. You can write this task on your to-do lists to keep yourself organized and on track. You can set reminders on your phone. Or, set time limits when you open the scholarship site for your routine check: set a phone timer for five minutes. Again,
find ways to make it less stressful of a task so you will be more inclined to do it! With time, this multi-weekly task might become a habit.
Organizing the Scholarship Search: Final Thoughts
As many things in life, the scholarship search is not easy. But traditional lists and growing technology can make the search less stressful and more accessible to you with your specific needs.
And of course, do not forget that organization begins with you, and if you stay motivated and moving, the processes will be all the more tangible.