Over the summer, I applied for more than 30 scholarships—some were easy, but many required essays. I put in hours of effort, and as a straight-A student, I thought my applications were strong. I didn’t expect to win all of them, but I didn’t get a single one. It’s really disheartening. At this point, I feel like my time might have been better spent working at McDonald’s. Should I even bother applying for scholarships again next semester?
Not enough. I applied to nearly 200 and got 2. A friend did over 500 and didn’t get a single one. Besides throwing a wide net, grades aren’t always the determining factor.
Were you applying to local scholarships or just the bigger online ones? There’s a much better chance of winning if you focus on smaller local ones since they have way fewer applicants.
Google “scholarships _(name of your city)” or check out scholarships.com to find state-specific opportunities. I’m a junior in high school and have had a lot of success with this approach!
Reach out to your school counselor or check your college and career center if you have one—they often have helpful resources. Since I’m still doing things online, I just emailed them, but my school’s website also has a calendar with scholarships. You really just have to dig, and keep in mind that the more challenging applications usually give you a better chance of winning since fewer people will put in the effort.
Definitely keep working and applying for scholarships if you can. Try to get a job that offers tips, like at a coffee shop or restaurant—it can really add up.
I applied to a lot of scholarships over the summer too and didn’t win any. It’s tough out there, lol.
Did you ever have someone review your essays? A strong, memorable essay can make all the difference.
Try doing a Google search for “how to impress college scholarship judges” and take some time to learn what it takes to win scholarships.
Trust me, this works. Good luck! 