Scholarship FAQs

Scholarship Motivation and Inspiration

How do I stay motivated throughout the scholarship process?

Always focus on why you need scholarships.

A good way of figuring this out is to ask yourself, “Who am I doing this for?”  Example answers may be the following: for my family, for my son/daughter, for all of the lives I want to change, for all the sacrifices that have been made on my behalf, for me.

Success psychology finds that individuals who connect with the reasons behind “why” they’re participating in certain activities tend to stick with it over a period of time. Maintaining and increasing your scholarship success means getting your mind and will to align with your actions, keeping a network of supportive people around you, and identifying the reasons behind your habits (whether good or bad).

What should I do if I don’t earn a scholarship?

The first thing is to understand that it’s part of the process. Not earning a scholarship is something that happens to everyone. This article will give you some ideas on why the committee said “No.”

Next, make sure you haven’t committed any of the following critical errors: missing deadlines, failure to answer the question, grammatical mistakes, forgetting to submit supplemental information or anything else that could have negatively influenced the committee’s decision. Read this article on other reasons why the scholarship committee may have hated your essay.

What should I do when I win a scholarship?

1) LET US KNOW! We want to celebrate your success!!!

2) Send a handwritten thank you letter or note to the awarding organization or individual. Pave the way for others by reaffirming their decision to sponsor a scholarship.

It upsets me when students fail to thank organizations because committees internalize those feelings and may remove scholarship opportunities in the future. These are scholarships that we need to pay for college.

3) Check with your university/college’s financial aid office. Most have procedures that ask you to report any additional scholarships you may receive.

4) Determine what’s working. What made you stand out against the competition?

5) Encourage someone else that may be struggling with scholarships. There’s nothing like spreading a little hope to others around you including a sibling, a family member, or a friend.

How do I gain more confidence in my scholarship abilities?

Scholarship confidence comes from repetition.

Once you get the hang of the scholarship process, you’ll develop more confidence as you begin to win.

A Scholarship Coach can also help you develop the confidence you need because you’ll be receiving expert advice.

Wondering how many scholarships you can ACTUALLY WIN?

Use our Scholarship Calculator to determine your chances.