There are a lot of myths about winning scholarships floating around! Let’s take a moment to talk about them, and I’ll tell you why they are not true. At the Scholarship Club we talk about the top 10 myths about winning scholarships and what you can do to overcome them. The top myths about winning scholarships are:

• You must have excellent grades
• Scholarships are only for high school seniors
• No one really wins scholarships
• You must be in a lot of clubs and organizations
• You have to be a “star” athlete to win athletic scholarships
• You must have significant financial need to win scholarships
• You should apply for every scholarship you can find
• It’s hard to find scholarships
• Applying for scholarships is just like apply to college
• There’s nothing you can do to improve your chances of winning 

Before we go any further, let’s take a moment to debunk each of these myths.

Myth: You must have excellent grades

Truth: You don’t need a 4.8 GPA (Grade Point Average) to win scholarships. 

Most scholarships are awarded for things you do now, things you want to do in the future, or things you’ve done in the past. Students win scholarships for:

• Current/Future Major – What do you want to study?
• Future Career – What type of work will you do after graduation?
• Leadership – How have you participated in organizations?
• Athletics – What sports have you played?
• Community Service/Volunteerism – What do you do to help others?

Myth: Scholarships are only for high school seniors

Truth: Scholarships are awarded to students at all grade levels, even for kindergartners! 

At the Scholarships Club we work with students, starting in grade 5, to apply and win scholarships, essay contests, and academic awards. We list a whole section on scholarships for young student later in this eBook.  Here are some examples of the types of scholarships students are winning as early as middle school:

• VFW Youth Essay - $10k                        –7/8th Grade
• Toshiba/NTSA Explore - $10k                 –9th Grade
• Voice of Democracy Contest - $25k        –10th Grade
• Discover Card Tribute Award - $25k       –11th Grade
• Coca Cola Scholarship - $20k                –12th Grade
• ASIST – $2500                                       –Non Traditional Students
• Target All Around Scholarship - $10k      –Undergraduate Students
• Hertz Foundation Fellowship - $33k        –Graduate Students

Myth: No one really wins scholarships

Truth: Ordinary students just like you are winning scholarships every day! 

The truth is you can’t win if you don’t apply.

In 2008, members of the Scholarship Club won scholarships in just about every category:

• $2,500  won by a Returning Student
• $50,000 won by a Transfer Student
• $20,000 won by an Undergraduate Student
• $30,000 won by a Graduate Student

We’ll talk about where to find scholarships, how to apply to scholarships, and what to do after you win them later in this eBook.

Myth: You must be in a lot of clubs and organizations

Truth: You don’t have to join every club on campus to be eligible to win scholarships!

Make sure that the clubs and organizations that you belong to are meaningful to you, and be prepared to say why.

Scholarship judges what to know what you’ve don’t in the organizations; they look at your contribution. Make sure that you participate in groups because you want meaningful involvement. Show that you’ve invested in the organization by holding an office or leading an effort. Remember, you don’t have to be president of the club to be considered a leader; heading-up a fundraising drive shows leadership too.

Myth: You have to be a “star” athlete to win athletic scholarships

Truth: Athletic related scholarships go to students who are able to write about being an athlete. 

The truth is being good at one school doesn’t mean that you can’t be great at another school! Have you heard of the SAMMY Award? SAMMY stands for Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year, and this award goes to athletes who can write about how playing sports has helped them in life (and how milk has helped them too). There are very many essay contests and academic awards available to students who play sports, not just the top athletes.