PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH SERVICES:
There are also many privately operated scholarship
search services, which charge fees that may range from $50 to
$150 or more. These services usually provide computerized lists
of sources of private and other financial aid that you may apply
for.
It is important to understand what information
scholarship search services can provide. They may be helpful
in identifying sources of aid for students who meet certain
criteria, such as academic achievement, religious affiliation,
ethnic or racial heritage, artistic talents, athletic ability,
career plans, or proposed field of study. However, bear in mind
that funds from these sources may be limited and not all applicants
will receive awards.
Also, please BE AWARE, that.
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education
receives numerous complaints from students and parents who did
not receive the information they expected from a search service,
or in fact the materials are the same materials that those students
and parents could have received for FREE from many of the scholarship
resources listed in this website!
Listed below are some of the services
you should reasonably expect from a private scholarship search
service.
Most scholarship search services provide
a list of "sources" of financial assistance you may
apply for; search services do not, in most cases, provide any
awards directly to applicants.
After studying the list, you would then
send a separate application to each "source" you are
interested in; the scholarship search service does not apply
on your behalf or pay any additional application fees that may
be required.
Some search services include federal
student aid in their list of sources; however, please remember
that you can find out about federal student aid without paying
a fee to a search service.
Some sources on the list may have early
application deadlines or limited funds; awards for a specific
academic year may have already been made before you apply.
Many search services offer to refund
your fee if you do not receive any award. However, some services
require you to first provide a rejection letter from every source
on the list to claim your refund.
The U.S. Department of Education does
not evaluate private scholarship search services.
See the following For further details about private
scholarships:
