Anyone out there not like free money? Chirp... chirp... that is what I though. Scholarships (and grants but we'll talk about those later) are awesome to get. Although it may feel like they are hard to get, if you work for it, the reward is great. I once was thinking about how much money a student can get for taking a short amount of time to complete the application. Example: If I take 1 hour to complete the scholarship application and receive a full-tuition scholarship--cha-ching!--it is like being paid $2,200 an hour! Most of us won't ever get that kind of rate in our entire lives.
I don't mean to ramble, so let's cut the the chase. First off, I do want to mention simply by getting admitted to BYU students are on scholarship! I don't even think most students realize this fact or are grateful for it but the subsidy from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is substanital. I have heard it is somewhere around 70%. So if tuition is $2,200 ish... all students should really think that their real tuition rate is $7,300+ and they already have a $5,100+ scholarship. Wow! That is awesome!!
Second, the scholarship application is online and not very hard at all... some simple questions, some essays (possibly the hardest part), and some time!
Tip: Save your essays so you can simply update them and use the next year.
Third, the deadlines are super important! If you miss them, you are just out of luck. The deadline is February 1 and for students admitted winter semesters it is October 1.
So, I guess those are the main things but there are also lots of other little tid-bits I'd like to share... so here is a list of all the other things to keep in mind when applying for scholarships at BYU:
- BYU has lots of different criteria... there are lots of scholarships based on your grades but that is not all! There are scholarships for all sorts of things... financial need, begin from a specific place (alumni chapter scholarships), etc.
- Don't decide you won't get a scholarship so you don't even bother applying... apply and find out. It is well worth your time.
- Be grateful tuition is already affordable.
- Seek out other scholarships from departments or off campus.
- If you get a scholarship, follow all the rules and policies BYU has... it would be bad if you get a scholarship and didn't end up getting it because you register for the wrong number of credits or something.
- Scholarships are not as competitive in the spring and summer--this may be a good time to get a scholarship and ahead in school.
I guess the last little thing I almost forgot to mention is that scholarship come from the Financial Aid Office... (yes, scholarships are a form of financial aid) and it sends messages and notification through Message Center. It is part of My Financial Center. Don't be waiting for the mail man... you will get a message online with your scholarship info (awarded or denied).
Remember, apply online... it is easy, before the February 1 deadline... February 1, and good luck!!
