homeschool scholarships
May 10 Deadline: Kimball Memorial Scholarship
There are only six more days to apply for a private scholarship designed just for homeschoolers. The Kimball Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by the Klipsan Beach Life Saving Station, is available to high school seniors as well as former homeschoolers who are now attending college. First place is a $300 scholarship; runners-up are entered into a drawing for a week’s vacation at the historic Life Saving Station. An essay or other creative work is required, except for applicants who scored higher in writing on their SAT or ACT than in reading or math. For more information about the scholarship, visit Klipsan Beach Life Saving Station’s Web site here.
Scholarship search engines for homeschoolers?
When we first became aware of scholarship search engines, we had reservations about using them. They required a lot of personal information, and we doubted they would offer much help for a homeschooled student. We had read numerous negative comments, complaining that they were a waste of time. However, being quite desperate for college funds, we signed up with FastWeb. There was no reason for choosing that particular college scholarship search engine, other than the fact it was the first one we heard about.
What we learned about FastWeb was that if used correctly, it can bring numerous scholarships even to the doors of homeschoolers. It was through FastWeb that we learned about some of the scholarships that our son ended up winning, such as the Elks Most Valuable Student Award for $1,000, the Hall/McElwain Scholarship for $1000 and the Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship for $4,000.
The key is to not waste time in applying for scholarships where you don’t excel in at least one of the required areas. For example, if you’ve contributed hundreds of hours in volunteer service, focus on the scholarships that emphasize community involvement. If you have good grades and SAT/ACT scores, but not great ones, it’s probably a waste of time applying for scholarships that appear to concentrate primarily on academics. If you’re relatively good at writing essays, look for essay contests that feature a subject you are interested in.
FastWeb selects scholarships based on the profile you provide. They do a decent job of tailoring them to your specific needs and interests, but it helps to delete those that aren’t realistic for your situation. Otherwise, the process can seem overwhelming. While going through the list, you can mark as a “favorite” those that you think you may be uniquely qualified for. You may also want to delete the listings deemed “promotions” as most are just drawings intended to get you to sign up with more search sites. We initially signed up for a couple of these, and then realized there was very little new information gained by registering with numerous sites. We found it best to choose one, and stick with it. After narrowing your selection to a manageable number, organize by date so that you don’t miss upcoming deadlines.
Our consensus is that scholarship search engines work great, as long as you’re willing to take the time to evaluate which of their scholarship selections are genuinely suited for you.
CIU invites homeschoolers to March 4 preview
Today is the last day to register if you want to stay in the dorms for the March 4 college preview day at Columbia International University (CIU) in South Carolina. The event is free; all you have to pay for is transportation to and from the college. Meals Thursday night through Friday lunch are provided free of charge for prospective students and their guests. CIU will arrange for transportation to and from the airport for those flying in. Walk-in registration will be available 5-6pm March 3 and 7:30-8am March 4.
CIU, a nondenominational Bible college, is known to be one of the most homeschool-friendly schools, with about a fourth of freshman students coming from a homeschool background. Numerous scholarships are available. For more information about the March 4 Preview Day, including a schedule of events, visit http://www.ciu.edu/campusvisit/visit.html.
Columbia International University will also be hosting the Homeschool Speech and Debate tournament, set for March 16-19. www.ciu.edu.
Southeastern U student posts need request
Today we added a new post to our Urgent Need for Spring page. A homeschooled student attending Southeastern University lacks some of the funds needed to continue school this semester. If you can help this student or any of the four other students listed, email us and we’ll provide contact information.
We also want to remind students who are lacking funds to visit their school’s financial aid office. Often there are funds available that can be applied to tuition. At least two of the students who have previously posted their needs on this site have been contacted by their college’s financial aid directors who were able to offer assistance. It never hurts to ask!
Kimball Memorial Homeschool Scholarship
Today the Klipsan Beach Life Saving Station posted on their site the requirements for the new 2011 Kimball Memorial Scholarship, designed exclusively for homeschooled students. One student will receive $300, and those receiving an honorable mention will have the opportunity to post their essay or other creative work on the Web site, plus be entered into a drawing for a week’s vacation at the Klipsan Beach Life Saving Station. High School seniors and currently enrolled college students are eligible to apply. The deadline is May 10, 2011. For more information visit LearnAtTheBeach.com.
To find out about other homeschool scholarships, visit our Homeschool Scholarships page.
Eagle Scout projects now bring scholarship $$$
Eagle Scout Service Projects have always been great for homeschoolers, as they can double for school projects, and look great in homeschool portfolios. There is now a new scholarship incentive to make your project work for you.
The National Eagle Scout Association has established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award to recognize valuable service of an exceptional nature by a Scout to a religious institution, a school, community, or other entity. The award recognizes the Scout for his Eagle Scout leadership service project, which is part of the requirements for earning the Eagle Scout Award. Each local council will choose a council-level winner, and from that pool, each region will pick a region-level winner. A national winner then will be selected from the four regional finalists. The national winner will receive $2,500 and the three regional winners will receive $500.
Scouts must apply to their local council by January 21, 2011. You can find the application here.
You can find our page listing other Eagle Scout scholarhips here.
CIU reports: 25% of freshmen are homeschooled
Columbia International University (CIU), located in South Carolina, is one of the most homeschool-friendly colleges we know about. We inquired today, and were told that more than 25% of each incoming class consists of homeschooled students. There are no extra requirements for homeschool students during the admissions process, and many scholarships, while not exclusively for homeschoolers, are available.
CIU’s upcoming preview days are March 4 and April 8. Homeschool students are invited to come for the day, or arrive the day before and spend the night. Visit http://www.ciu.edu/undergrad/campusvisit/visit.html for more information or to schedule a visit.
Columbia International University will also be hosting the Homeschool Speech and Debate tournament, set for March 16-19. www.ciu.edu.
New request–tuition payment due tomorrow
Grand View University
Today we’ve added a new request from a homeschooled student for help with spring tuition. After being unexpectedly laid off from her job, a nursing student in her junior year at Grand View University has a remaining need of $3,000 for her tuition payment, due tomorrow. We have five homeschooled students listed on the Urgent Need for Spring page. As of today, only one of them reports having his remaining need met. If you are not able to help financially, please join the students in praying that the needed funds will come in.
If you would like to help one of these students, email us and we’ll provide you with their contact information.
Competitive vs. Guaranteed Scholarships
For students in the early years of high school, it’s especially beneficial to recognize that there are two types of scholarships–competitive and guaranteed. Competitive scholarships are those limited to a small number of recipients, requiring you to compete against other students in order to win. You can’t plan your financial future based on these, as anything can happen in the selection process.
On the other hand, guaranteed scholarships do allow for some planning. These are scholarships that, provided you meet the criteria, you receive the scholarship. A good example of guaranteed scholarships is the majority of AWANA scholarships. Most colleges do not limit the number of recipients–if you hold the Citation award, for instance, you automatically get the scholarship. Another example is that of school scholarships–often called the Dean’s Scholarship, President’s Scholarship, etc. These depend on your GPA and SAT or ACT test scores. You automatically receive the scholarship that your grades and test scores dictate, although some schools have a limit as to how many are available.
Homeschool scholarships are a mixed bag. Some colleges automatically grant them to all who qualify; some have limits and require competition. Most will specify the requirements on their Web sites.
A word of caution: “guaranteed” doesn’t mean that a college guarantees they will still be offering the scholarship when you get ready to attend. Still, these scholarships are something to aim for, and you will likely be rewarded. Students willing to plan into the future may want to look for stackable guaranteed scholarships. For instance, if you find a college that offers a guaranteed homeschool scholarship, an AWANA scholarship and a Dean’s scholarship, and allows them to be stacked, you may be well on your way to paying for college if you plan your activities around the requirements.
Other guaranteed scholarships to look for include alumni grants (if you had a parent attend the college), denominational grants (for members of a particular religious denomination) and geographic scholarships.
New homeschool scholarship in planning stage
Today we’ve listed a new homeschool scholarship currently in the fundraising stage. The Homeschool Post-Secondary Scholarship will be open to all homeschool students regardless of age. Anyone who would like to be a financial part of the scholarship program should contact Homeschool America for information.
For a complete list of scholarships designed specifically for homeschoolers, visit our List of Homeschool Scholarships page. We have broken down the scholarships into the following categories: Private Homeschool Scholarships; Regional Homeschool Scholarships; College-Specific Homeschool Scholarships (listed by state); and Homeschool Organization Scholarships. Email us if you have new scholarships to add.
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