Scholarships are a great way to help finance your education. But with so many different scholarships out there, how do you know where to start? Let us know what AG Morgan Financial Advisors say.

These 10 scholarship tips will help set you on the right path.

1. Get organized. Keep track of all the different scholarships you’re applying for in one place. This could be a physical notebook or a digital document. Having everything in one place will help you stay on top of deadlines and ensure that you’re not missing any important steps in the application process.

2. Start early. The earlier you start looking for scholarships, the better. Some scholarships may have deadlines as early as your freshman year of high school, so it’s never too early to start planning. And even if a scholarship doesn’t have an early deadline, it’s still good to get a jump on the competition by applying as early as possible.

3. Utilize your resources. Talk to your guidance counselor, teachers, parents, and anyone else who might be able to help you find scholarships that you’re eligible for.

4. Think outside the box. When most people think of scholarships, they think of academic achievement or athletic prowess. But there are also scholarships available for things like community service, minority status, and even a unique hobby or skill. So don’t limit yourself to just the obvious options—think outside the box for other ways to score some free cash for college.

5. Pay attention to requirements and eligibility criteria. Different scholarships will have different requirements and eligibility criteria that you’ll need to meet in order to apply. Be sure to read through these carefully so that you don’t waste your time applying for something you’re not actually eligible for.

6. Follow directions—to the letter! Once you’ve found a scholarship you want to apply for, make sure you read through the instructions carefully before starting your application. Pay close attention to deadlines, formatting requirements, and any other specific instructions that are listed.

7. Be honest—and backs up your statements with evidence. In addition to paying attention to directions, it’s also important that you’re honest in your application materials. If a scholarship asks for information about your extracurricular activities, be truthful about what you’ve done.

8. Put your best foot forward. In addition to being honest, it’s important that you put your best foot forward in your application materials. This means writing clearly and concisely, proofreading carefully, and making sure that everything is free of typos and grammar errors. Remember: You’re competing against other applicants, so it’s important that yours is error-free and polished so that it makes a good impression on those reading it.

9. Get personal. A lot of scholarship applications will ask you questions about yourself, such as why you’re pursuing higher education or what your long-term goals are.

10. Give yourself enough time. Applying for scholarships can be time-consuming, so make sure you give yourself enough time before each deadline to complete the application process thoroughly.

Endnote

Rushing through an application increases your chances of making mistakes or leaving out important information, which could hurt your chances of being selected as a recipient.