How can I get a full ride scholarship to a college?

How can i get a full ride scholarship to college?

• I want to be a veterinarian and I'm still deciding about what college I want to get to. I will be doing a lot more volunteering and I am in dance and will be playing golf. What ...show more

• Answer:

  If you are planning to be a veterinarian, don't worry about being in a lot of sports, and devote your free time to participating in activities that have to do with animals. It's okay to do a sport if you enjoy it, but in terms of getting a full ride scholarship, it probably won't matter one way or the other unless you're a star athlete and the school wants you for their team. If you're just starting a sport, and are only looking for an easy one to beef up your resume, chances are you're not going to be playing on a level that will offer any advantage to a school, so they won't care. In general, scholarship commitees look for: -high grades and test scores, and participation in advanced courses in fields connected to what you want to study (i.e. science and math) -a clearly defined goal for college and a career -participation in quality extra-curriculars that show qualities like leadership, persistence, creativity, initiative, etc. You should participate in these activities over a long period of time, and include some community service. Ideally you should choose activities that are connected to your goal, so look for opportunities to work with, or for, animals. For example, you could volunteer at the Humane Society or animal shelter, raise funds for an animal organization, spearhead an animal awareness campaign, participate in a puppy or kitten socialization program, etc. You could also get a part time job at a vet's office, pet store, pet groomer, pet sitting or pet walking service, etc.--or better yet, start one of your own. If you're already involved in activities like that, look for opportunities to advance your skills--take on a leadership position, or start a project that you can work on collaboratively with others. When it comes to extra-curriculars, a few activities that are connected to your goal are better than a long laundry list of activities that have nothing to do with it. If you were a donor looking to support a student who is a future veterinarian, who would you choose? A student who had participated in activities like the ones I mentioned above, or one who spent most of his free time playing golf? It's good to have at least one physical activity on your resume to show that you're a well rounded person who is likely to be involved in campus life, but other than that, you'll do better if you spend your extra-curricular time on things that are connected to your goal of becoming a veterinarian.