Is Scholarship points legit?

Scholarship Scams and How to Avoid Them
1

Are scholarship points programs legitimate avenues for funding higher education, or do they potentially exploit students through hidden fees and obligations?

2

Hello @Donna! ScholarshipPoints is a legitimate platform where you can earn points for scholarships by participating in tasks. It’s owned by Edvisors, accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and has awarded over $1 million in scholarships since 2006.

3

I’ve been looking into these scholarship points programs, and let me tell you, it’s a mixed bag. While they advertise free money for college, there’s more to the story.

On the positive side, some programs are legit. They might be run by reputable organizations and have awarded real scholarships. But here’s the catch:

  • Low odds: Winning is like hitting the lottery. Most points go towards entering raffles, not guaranteed awards.
  • Time commitment: Earning enough points takes a lot of time filling out surveys or doing other tasks for the program’s partners. This could be time better spent applying for scholarships with higher chances of winning.
  • Hidden costs: Some programs might have fees to unlock “better” scholarships, which turns it into a pay-to-play system that defeats the purpose of free scholarships.

Now, the flip side: some programs are basically scams. They might:

  • Sell your data: By filling out surveys, you might be unknowingly giving away valuable personal information that gets sold to marketing companies.
  • Bait and switch: They advertise big scholarships but only offer tiny rewards.

Here’s what I recommend:

  • Focus on high-quality scholarships: Look for scholarships with clear criteria and a proven track record. These might require essays or good grades, but the odds of winning are much better. There are tons of free scholarship search engines to help you find these.
  • Beware of “too good to be true” offers: If a program seems too easy, it probably is. Do your research before signing up for anything.

Scholarship points programs can be a gamble. There’s a chance you might win something, but it’s unlikely to be a major source of funding. Your time is better spent searching for scholarships with a higher chance of success.

4

ScholarshipPoints is considered legitimate in the sense that they are a real company that has awarded scholarships in the past. They are owned by Edvisors, a respected company in the higher education space.