June 2008
Christina Williams

Finding and Winning Scholarships for Women

In the competition for scholarship funding, many people forget that the most scholarships funding comes directly from the college to which you are applying. One way to discern what types of scholarships are offered at the colleges of your interest is to visit their financial aid websites.

Scholarships awarded to women often come in many different groups. They can be directed towards minority women, those who shine in athletics, those wishing to pursue a career in a particular field, serve the country in the armed forces, advance their career, or return to college to finish or start a degree after an extended leave.

If they do offer scholarships for women, this cuts the pool of applicants by around 50%, if the college is co-ed. This makes your competition less difficult. If you have trouble locating the specific scholarship listings on the colleges' websites, try contacting their financial aid offices via phone or email. They should be able to provide you with a list of scholarships for women.

Once you have found scholarships that fit your interests and background, check the details for other requirements. Make sure your GPA is in accordance with the scholarship details and that all of the paper work is filled out properly. Some scholarships only require a need, while others require research to be done throughout the school year.

Since most universities award scholarships automatically to accepted students, this means you will not have to complete an additional scholarship application, include additional letters of reference, or write another essay. While this may save you time, it will not save you money unless you are 100% certain that your college admissions application is as perfect as possible.

Since college sponsored scholarships don't require an additional application, a financial aid panel awards funds based on what they see in your admissions application. This means that your application is being judged twice: once by those who decide if you are accepted into the school, and again by those who decide whether to provide you with scholarship money. It is a good idea to check and recheck your admissions application before sending it, making sure that everything is in order and nothing is left out.

Application time is usually the only time you have to impress the scholarship selection counsel. This is when you have the best chance to get their attention and their money in turn for your education needs. Verify the applications and paperwork are correct and check for any errors. Verify that your essays are well written and show a good side of you.

There are many different scholarships that are designed for women. By narrowing down the potential scholarships to a lower and more manageable number, women are able to have quite a bit of success at winning scholarships and affording a good college education.