How do you get a full ride scholarship?

How do I get a full-ride scholarship?

• I'm 17, a high school senior. I'm physically disabled and my parents' finances aren't the best. So, I'm wondering how to pay for college through a full-ride scholarship. I live in Connecticut and I'm planning on going to an art school in New York. My cousin is also a senior going into college next year. She's really smart and she got a full-ride scholarship because of her grades. I also know of some other physically disabled students who have gotten a full-ride scholarship, so that's why I'm wondering about full-ride scholarships. If I missed the deadlines to anything, thanks for trying, at least!

• Answer:

  Unfortunately, there are not many full-tuition scholarships around. First, hold conversations with a high school counselor and discuss your dreams and ask your questions. Find out about the costs of attending that art school in New York (New York City?) and the costs of living there. Even if the school is rated #1 in higher education art instruction, you may need to re-consider it. Be sure to identify other good, less expensive schools offering respected degrees in art and apply to them as well. A HS counselor can help you identify some. To help give you a start in researching schools in Connecticut that offer art programs and which will cost less than the art school in NY, you can use the College MatchMaker to create a list of schools (preferably local and state funded schools - community colleges and state funded universities) in Connecticut offering the art majors that interest you: * http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/index.jsp The NY art school itself may offer excellent financial aid for students from low-income families who have stellar high school grade point averages and fabulous art portfolios. A HS counselor can help you investigate that. Also, other schools often have scholarships for just their own students. Here is a link to one online article that discusses a few full-tuition scholarships: * http://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/full-tuition-scholarships/ QuestBridge – offers some full-tuition scholarships to some schools * http://www.questbridge.org/ You can also look for scholarships for which you may qualify/to which you may wish to apply by using what I think is the best, most reliable database: Scholarship Search offered by the well-respected College Board: * http://apps.collegeboard.org/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp Click on the Start link in the middle of the text. If you choose to register (free – registration is not required to use Scholarship Search) so you may return later and modify your search strategy, feel secure that you will not receive spam emails. A HS guidance counselor can advise you on using Scholarship Search and give you tips on how not to select too many defining terms in your search strategy, which may result in a poor scholarship search result. When you do find a scholarship for which you want to apply, make sure you meet the scholarship requirements, be sure to follow the application rules to the letter; use perfect spelling, grammar and punctuation; and submit your application before the deadline. Scholarships for artistic talent may probably ask for a portfolio of your work. Please understand that many, many other students will be applying for the same scholarships and only a few or maybe just one will be awarded. Please do not pin all your hopes of higher education financing on being awarded enough scholarship/grant funds to cover all your college expenses. Plus, if you have not yet done so, complete the FAFSA and submit it soon. FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid - http://www.fafsa.ed.gov . A HS counselor can explain the FAFSA to you, if you are not familiar with it. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Added: I just came across information on the Horatio Alger Scholarship for students who have exhibited integrity and perseverance in overcoming personal adversity and who aspire to pursue higher education. This is the link to the home page for the scholarship: * https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/index.cfm Scholarships for 2012 have already been awarded. You may wish to check to find out if you are eligible to apply for scholarship consideration for the 2013-2014 school year. It looks like scholarships are given out by the state divisions of the larger organization. For you, that would be the Connecticut division. Since you do not mention your current grade point average, I won't direct you to scholarships that require stellar HS GPAs. Instead, you may find a scholarship for which you qualify on this list from FinAid.org: * http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/average.phtml Note: The Patricia M. McNamara Memorial Scholarship is listed there, but it looks like it has been discontinued and the web site is defunct. The link to the web site does not go to any info on the scholarship. Librarians--Ask Us, We Answer! Find your local Public Library at: http://www.publiclibraries.com/ Find your College/University Library at: http://lists.webjunction.org/libweb/Academic_main.html Best wishes