When I tell them that there are scholarships for 4-year-old learners, parents and students are still shocked. Maybe it will surprise you as well. It is fair to assume that most students do not even think about applying for scholarships until the bill arrives in the mail from whatever university or college they want to attend. While this is a fantastic time to look for scholarships, earlier would probably have been a perfect time. We will break down the 'scholarship seasons' in this post and let you know exactly when your child should begin searching for the big bucks for college. Usually, we split up the year into three scholarship seasons in The Scholarship System: Fall, Spring, and Summer.
SEASON OF FALL
For the next school year, this is the "kick-off" of the scholarship season. If it is August 2017, then most scholarships will open for the next school year. So, applications for August 2017 will contribute to college money for the school year 2018-2019. In our experience, October and December are the big deadline months. The holiday break is the best time to wrap up the year's final applications.
SEASON OF SUMMER
June and July are the months of the "final stretch" where everyone rushes to find the fall's last dollars. With later deadlines, we have recently seen more and more scholarships, which is fantastic news for students. In summer 2016, we started our scholarship fund for our course participants and agreed individually to have a late deadline. We know what it's like to be searching for the last dollars in the previous couple of months, so we thought this would be most beneficial. Your child may not be the only one who could have procrastinated and rushes to apply, which may mean more rivalry, the only challenge in the summer months. Even if they need any extra dollars for the fall, or if you're ahead of the game and your child might fall the next year or later, then don't skip the June and July process because there are scholarships out there these months with deadlines.
SPRING SEASON
The "high season" of scholarships is genuinely the spring semester. During these months, there are millions of dollars up for grabs. Throughout January to May, deadlines seem to be equally distributed. Just remember, this is prime scholarship time, and during these months, your child should be working on them. The end of the winter break may be ideal for identifying what your child needs to apply for. They may also be able to send any requests early on. Besides, a perfect time to knock out all of these is spring break.
If your child is in the 10th or Younger Grade
If your child is in 10th grade or younger, they may be looking for scholarships, and you might be shocked. Scholarships are available to children as young as 4 years old, as I mentioned earlier. While this might seem a little early, beginning to look now is beneficial so that you and your child know what you are getting into. And it doesn't hurt to secure a few bucks in advance. In this age bracket, we propose that families with children passively look for scholarships, concentrating on holiday breaks, including winter and spring breaks. Additionally, your child will develop their competition for scholarships during the year. Volunteering, joining clubs or groups, babysitting, and more, when applying for scholarships, will help set them up for success.
If the Kid is in Grade 11
Junior year is a test-taking year, trips to college, and so much more! Although we don't want you or your child to be frustrated, this is also the year they can begin to search for scholarships and develop their scholarship materials. Just think: with final test-taking, applying to universities, FAFSA, AP classes, and more, the next year will be consumed. Although you'd think they'd have time to look for scholarships next year, their plate is only going to get fuller. Junior year is the best time to develop a scholarship routine, and there are plenty out there where juniors are eligible for high school. So, if you're going to consider waiting, don't. The time is now. We suggest concentrating over the holidays, similar to 10th grade and younger students, or only taking an hour a week to work on the process while they can start searching for scholarships.
IF CHILD IS GRADE 12
Senior year has arrived! While there are several things on the to-do lists of both you and your child, forgive me for slipping just one more app in-scholarship applications. Although most students wait to begin applying for scholarships until the spring semester, the early bird gets the worm. And with scholarships, that is the case! Your child applying for scholarships would not only help prepare them for big scholarship months as early as the summer months before their senior year, as we described above), but it may give them a leg up over their peers.
