Alumni networks and offices Connecting with the alumni offices from your former, current, or future educational institutions to find out about scholarship opportunities is an overlooked gold- mine. You’re not the first person in your chosen field to seek scholarships to reduce the cost of your education. Recognize that you essentially have an entire army of scholarship research assistants who’ve already done the work. Utilize the team of alumni personnel at your institution(s) to help you connect to alumni in your cho- sen field quickly and efficiently. You can inquire about scholarships they found, applied to, and received. This can also serve as a bridge to expand your network for future internships and job opportunities.
Professional organizations and associations Most professional organizations and associations offer scholarships to individuals aspiring to work in that specific field. Research what organizations and associations are related to your chosen field of study, then email them to inquire about opportunities they may have or sources they could point you toward. But be aware that many pro- fessional organizations require membership to be eligi- ble for scholarships. If membership within an association is required, ask if there are free or discounted options to become a member.
Scholarship book directories Let’s be honest: We Google everything. We’ve forgotten how efficient it is to pick up a book and turn to the index to find exactly what we’re looking for. A visit to your lo- cal public library could save you thousands of dollars. Scholarship book directories are huge and can be found in the college resources section of any library. Simply turn to the book’s index to quickly identify scholarships for your chosen field. Write down all the websites and
relevant information from the scholarships you find. You’ll leave with a list of opportunities you can start expediting immediately.
Online scholarship tools There are many websites that can help you find schol- arships (like the CollegeXpress Scholarship Search tool!). Utilize scholarship search directories to search for awards by age, field of study, deadline, and more. Specifically sorting your opportunities by deadline will help you focus on applications one month at a time so you feel less overwhelmed.
Look for scholarships beyond your field Private scholarships for master’s programs, medical school, law school, or doctoral degree programs are often specific to the field of study you’re pursuing—but that doesn’t mean all of them are. Don’t make the mis- take of only looking at scholarships that are directly related to your field of study. For example, you could apply for a poetry scholarship but put the money toward your MBA. And while some scholarships may be smaller amounts, they can certainly add up if you take the time to apply for a few.
Examples of scholarships for graduate students To help get your search started, here are some great scholarship opportunities for graduate students: • Bridging the Dream Scholarship Program • Geological Society of America Graduate Student Research Grants
• American Society of Interior Designers Legacy Scholarship for Graduate Students
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Graduate Student Scholarship
CollegeXpress.com @CollegeXpress
• National Association for Campus Activities Graduate Student Scholarships
• Marine Studies Scholarship and EMERGE Program • National Society of Collegiate Scholars GEICO Graduate Award
• Thrivent Annual Graduate Scholarships • CollegeXpress’s $10,000 Scholarship
Private scholarship amounts could range from less than $2,500 each to all-expense-paid opportunities. They can be stacked on top of college-specific scholarships your educational institution may also offer you. And most importantly, they can be a game changer in terms of advancing in your professional field while not burdening yourself with years of student loan debt. With this smart use of your time now, you can transform the outlook of your future for many years to come.
Jean O’Toole is an educational and scholarship consultant and author of the bestselling book Scholarship Strategies: Finding and Winning the Money You Need.
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