CONNECTICUT, USA — It's time for college-bound students to start thinking about the 2024-2025 school year. Most scholarships will open for applications in January. Experts said don’t wait until summer to start looking for scholarships or grant money.
"The sooner you get in front of the panelists, the more scholarships you'll have time to apply for and the higher likelihood you'll have to be chosen,” said Christina Lindley, Vice President of Revenue and Partnerships with Bold.org.
“You can actually start applying for scholarships as young as 13,” said Lindley.
Finding scholarships and applying for them might seem overwhelming, but Lindley said it’s all about finding your niche. She also suggests you research who your panel will be and write to them so you stand out.
"There are scholarships for everyone! For example, we have fan scholarships. If you're a Taylor Swift fan, there is a scholarship for you."
According to Forbes, every year, $100 million in scholarships and $2 billion in grant money go unclaimed, because of a lack of applicants.
"Time is money,” said Lindley, who knows parents and students are busy. “You want to focus in on scholarships you have the highest likelihood of being awarded."
As far as FAFSA, Lindley said everyone should be filling it out even if they don't think they’ll qualify for student aid. The FAFSA will help students identify which grants they’re eligible for. The application for FAFSA is getting a revamp this year, promising to be a quicker process than before.
The FAFSA form has traditionally launched in October, but this year, the 2024-2025 FAFSA will launch on December 31, 2023.
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