As the end of the fall semester comes to a close, it’s the conclusion and beginning of many things. The end of finals week, the start of winter break, and — perhaps most exciting of all — scholarship application season. The Fall 2022 season to apply for financial assistance (that you never have to pay back!) is before us.
Before we get into it, there is a very important date to be aware of:
- February 15, 2022: This is the deadline to complete most scholarship applications for the 2022-23 year.
But what even is the Boise State Scholarship Application and how does it work? A good person to ask would be Victoria Mort, a sophomore from Boise studying both Psychology and Economics. She has been the recipient of quite a few awards such as the Boise State Presidential Scholarship, the D.L. Evans Bank Scholarship, and the COBE Alumni Award, among others.
She says that she, “Found the majority of scholarships on the Boise State Scholarship Application page” and that the entire process was a relatively simple one. To get started, you would make your way to the scholarship page where a series of questions and links, which narrow down your specific situation, will lead you down the correct path. After completing your application for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Victoria says “It will have you fill out a general application (the Boise State Scholarship Application). Then, it will recommend scholarships to you based on your major, extracurriculars, year, and other qualifiers.”
The key is to fill out that general Boise State Scholarship Application before the date listed above, which will first automatically apply you for scholarships you qualify for and then allow you to apply for additional ones from there.
There are definitely some key characteristics that many scholarships will ask for. Just ask Sarah Cole, a first-year student from Meridian who has been the recipient of over a whopping 25 scholarships over the course of her high school and college career. She noted that, “most scholarship organizations desire qualities such as leadership, volunteer service, strong academics, and a vision for one’s future.”
When applying, it’s important to realize everything that you’ve been involved in, past or present. Everything from volunteering, to personal passions and hobbies, and post-graduation goals and plans could all be valuable when you’re in the running for scholarships. Be sure to think long and hard about all the corners of your life.
If you find yourself a little behind in some areas (as many of us are) such as volunteering or academics, this could be a great reason to roll up your sleeves and start. It’s all about finding the well-rounded person that you are and using them to your advantage!
In the end, let’s be honest, this is a busy time of year and there’s a lot going on. It wouldn’t be a surprise if you were a little hesitant or intimidated by the process of scholarship applications.
But, in the words of a scholarship extraordinaire like Sarah, you have to, “Start somewhere. Applying for scholarships may seem daunting, but once you write one solid essay, you can make tiny revisions to your ‘building block’ application materials for each new essay.”
Victoria had a similar sentiment adding, “There is absolutely zero penalty for applying for scholarships. You can apply for multiple scholarships a day and, worst case scenario, you won’t get them. There is nothing to lose in applying, but the possible benefits are tremendous.” She went on to explain that she initially planned on not applying for any scholarships at all, but that due to a change of heart, she has no student loan debt and isn’t paying for any tuition out-of-pocket. What an achievement!
Victoria’s final words of wisdom were, “It can be nerve racking to put your qualifications out there to people you don’t know, but the more you apply for scholarships, the more likely you are to receive money to help pay for college.”
And if that doesn’t motivate us all to put pen-to-paper and apply, I’m not sure what will. Get out there, Broncos! You can do it!
