Scholarships have become more accessible with the transfer of information onto the internet. There are hundreds of thousands of scholarships accessible with a variety of specifications.

“This is a chance to win money that you do not have to pay back,” Lead Counselor Teal Perez said. “This is probably the best type of money you can receive when it comes to paying for college.”

The effect of scholarships can determine the level of debt students have during and post college. So, where do students start?

“Students should be looking for scholarships typically [in] their junior year or summer before senior year,” Collin College counselor, Shawna Chamberlin said.

There are many scholarships with different qualifications and eligibility rules. Perez adds that the scholarship search “can start anytime, but typically the sooner the better” when looking for scholarships.  

Dedicating some time to research and apply to scholarships is something necessary in students’ secondary education.

“College Board, Fastweb.com, Goingmerry.com” are all possible, safe sources to look for scholarships,”Chamberlain said. 

In addition to the resources listed above, there are many more places to find scholarships that Reedy provides students.  Reedy Counselors update students with more places to find scholarships information.

“We send out our scholarships every Monday evening in the counselor news letter… [and] students can also go to the student portal and search scholarships,” Perez said.

From national organizations, to regional opportunities, scholarships are all around you.

Two main scholarships points for all students, and specially Reedy students are FAFSA and FEF. FAFSA is from the US government and required for many college’s financial aid programs while FEF, Frisco Education Foundation, “is local and is only for Frisco ISD students,” Perez explains.

While there are a variety of requirements for different scholarships,a common necessity for scholarships are recommendations from a teacher or a respected adult.

“Make sure to give them time to respond to your request and time to write the recommendation if it’s requested,” Chamberlain said.

Perez ends with making the point that “scholarships are free money! They can really make an impact on the financial burden students face when paying for college.”