It’s true what they say: success begets success. Just one win can position you for many more awards, recognitions, and accolades.
For example, I won a small scholarship from my school in July. The very next month, I received a scholarship from a national organization (also a small award), but I believe this helped boost my chances of winning more, as it was from a prominent name in my field. After that, I won a departmental award from my university and was later selected as a finalist for a full-ride scholarship with a stipend from another national organization. In between, I’ve also been nominated for and won several university-level awards and honors.
What should you take from this? START SMALL. Don’t aim for the big awards right away. Begin with smaller ones to build your track record. I won all these awards within six months after years of applying for scholarships since I was 18. My biggest mistake was focusing solely on large scholarships and overlooking the smaller ones, which seemed less significant. Once I started achieving local success, national opportunities opened up.
And don’t overlook non-monetary awards! Apply for those as well. Any accolade is valuable.
I wish someone had told me this years ago, so I wanted to share it with you.
Congratulations! My daughter is heading into high school and just received a $43,000 scholarship to attend an elite private school, which is fantastic. The challenge, however, is that we still need to cover the remaining $20,000 per year. The cost is quite steep, but we didn’t want to pass up this opportunity, so we decided to take it on.
Do you know of any scholarships or websites where we could apply for additional funding for private high school education? We’re located in New Jersey, which might be helpful.
Congratulations! It really only takes one win. Where I come from, there aren’t many small scholarships—most are international and highly competitive. I hope I get my chance soon. Your post definitely motivates me.
Hello! I use Bold.org, Scholarship360, and Fastweb for finding scholarships. You might also want to explore local scholarships in your area and check with companies, as many offer their own scholarships. If you’re at a university, the financial aid office can be a great resource for additional opportunities. Wishing you the best of luck!