For many NASH students, the thought of affording college tuition looms over their heads like a thick fog. However, scholarships can help alleviate the financial burden college presents.
“Students can find local scholarships on their Naviance account under the Scholarship Search tab,” NASH counselor Rhonda Bielawski said.
Local scholarships are financial awards offered by communities, organisations, etc., that are local to the student. These scholarships are important because they build a sense of community within the student.
Additionally, local scholarships often offer a smaller applicant pool, making it easier to get accepted for the award.
NASH senior Leah Campbell recently applied for the North Allegheny Federation of Teachers Future Educator Scholarship.
“I applied for it because I think that any scholarship you qualify for is worth applying for, and $2,500 can go so far when it comes to tuition. This scholarship will help me pay for room and board,” she stated.
Campbell has a twin sister, which presents a challenge for her parents when it comes to affording college.
“It will help me have less stress financially because my parents are paying for both my and my sister’s college at the same time,” Campbell mentioned.
Another NASH senior, who wished to remain anonymous, applied for the same scholarship Campbell did.
“I chose to apply for this scholarship since I am going to be a future teacher. It will help me pay for college,” they stated.
Tyler Reynolds, a NASH senior, applied for a different local scholarship.
“I applied for the Franklin Park Borough Community Scholarship, which is for students who live in Franklin Park. They give about ten $1,500 scholarships each year to use for tuition, room and board, or books,” he said.
Reynolds figured that this scholarship could help take the pressure off of college tuition, so that he could focus his own expenses on necessities.
“I figured it can help pay for college. That way, I can use my money to buy a MacBook for school,” he added.
Bielawski is adamant that students apply for scholarships.
“The best reason for students to apply for scholarships is financial freedom in college. Scholarships are considered gift aid, meaning they don’t have to be paid back,” she said.
Scholarships help ward off the possibility of student debt. Many college students rely on student loans to pay for college, leading them to years of financial stress.
Scholarships also provide students with more free time to participate in college activities.
“Getting scholarships can mean students can spend less time working a part-time job, which means more time to focus on studying and campus involvement,” Bielawski added.
Local scholarships are not the only ones available. There are many national scholarships, such as the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship, and many more.
“Students can find national scholarships on their Naviance account under the ‘National Scholarship Searc’h tab or by searching reliable databases like Fastweb or BigFuture (College Board),” Bielawski stated.
However, the search for a scholarship is no easy task, and Bielawski acknowledged that.
“Scholarship hunting is like a part-time job. If students spend 10 hours on applications to win a $1,000 scholarship, that is like earning $100 per hour, which is a better rate than almost any entry-level job,” she said.
While the application process may seem long and tiring, Bielawski and various NASH students are adamant about applying for scholarships. There is no harm in applying for one; in fact, the harm lies in not applying.
“Students who skip the application process often leave free money on the table. I tell students all the time that there will never again be a time when someone offers them money that they don’t want paid back,” Bielawski said.
