SUFFOLK, Va. — College is expensive, so you'll want to take advantage of any help you can get, and it's never too early to start thinking about applying for scholarships.
Scholarships not only cover tuition, but they can also help pay for textbooks and even room-and-board.
While the extra money can help families and students, according to Forbes, millions of dollars in scholarship money goes unclaimed every year.
However, for students who take on the application process, like Courtney Toran from Suffolk, the payout can be significant. She was accepted to dozens of colleges and received $800,000 in scholarship money.
“College is paid for, completely paid for, because of the scholarships,” she said. “I can’t count on my hands [how many I applied for], but it was a lot.”
Toran starts Regent University as a junior this month because she earned her associate degree while she was a student at Nansemond River High School.
While her college experience is just beginning, she says she’s been preparing for years.
“I received my first scholarship [for $250] when I was in sixth grade,” she said.
Other middle schoolers can also benefit from scholarships.
“You want to start to put together that resume as early as middle school,” said Dr. Audra Jeffries, the Supervisor of School Counseling for Chesapeake City Public Schools. “There are opportunities where you can receive monies that can be held for you until you are of age to use it."
When you are ready to apply, Dr. Jeffries says to stay organized.
“Go and look up sites, find the name of the scholarship, write down the name, [and] the address where you need to go or download the application and the due date. [Then once you have that information, organize the applications by months],” she said.
Dr. Jeffries also says to prioritize a strong essay that can make you stand out from other applicants.
“If you can incorporate one essay that can knock out 20 scholarships, guess what? You're working way smarter, and you're going to be able to apply to many more scholarships,” she said.
That's exactly what Toran did. She says, “I had an essay that pretty much fit all of the prompt categories. If [it didn’t fit], I changed a couple words or two.”
It’s also important to note that not all scholarships need an essay. Toran says the process can be tedious, but the outcome will set you up for success in your next phase of life.
"I would just say to stay focused and make sure you get it done because if you don't get it done, then you'll be in a struggle later in life,” she said.
The “hot" time of the year for scholarships is typically October through February.
Dr. Jeffries says start by connecting with your district or school counselor and then check out these sites:
