In general, a great place to start your scholarship search is by registering for a free account at www.scholarships.com or www.fastweb.com. For even more targeted results though, sign up for any state or local resources that would provide you with opportunities that major databases like FastWeb would not. For example, students in the state of Washington should sign up for www.theWashBoard.org. Other resources include your high school career center, college or university scholarship offices, scholarship resource books from the library or bookstores, and websites of companies, businesses, and other organizations (Google them).

Scholarship Junkies is a scholarship resource site, so we have no money to give away (But we hope to someday soon!). Instead, you will hopefully learn tools to help you become a stronger scholarship applicant and know where to find scholarships. If you’re able to put the advice to good use, you’re on your way to becoming a Scholarship Junkie too!

No, you should never pay a fee for finding scholarships. Be wary of scholarship sites that promise you guaranteed scholarship money if you pay them a fee. If you are intent on finding scholarships, you can find them without paying money.

Yes, most scholarships are based on your extracurricular activities, community service, and your intended goals. While a high GPA and SAT/ACT score wouldn’t hurt, you can still get scholarships even if you don’t have those.

Yes! You should apply for as many scholarships as possible. The only guaranteed way of not getting a scholarship is by not applying. At Scholarship Junkies, our goal is to help you stand out from the multitude of applicants, so get in touch with us today if you have any questions.

No, essays are not required for all scholarships, but generally they are what sets you apart from other applicants. If you are serious about winning scholarships, essays are your biggest assets.

You bet. Most scholarship organizations ask similar questions so your essays may actually fit the question well. It is important to make sure though that your essay directly answers the question and that you’ve made all necessary changes to really tailor your essay to that particular scholarship. Scholarship organizations won’t share your essays among each other, so you can reuse your essays as often as you want, but make sure you continue to update them as necessary. If you’re not finding good success with certain essays, it’s probably time to go back to the drawing board.

There are many different scholarships over $10,000, and they depend on your personal profile. Some include the Horatio Alger Association Scholarships, the Gates Millennium Scholarship, the Most Valuable Student Competition Scholarship, the Coca-Cola Scholarship, the Ron Brown Scholarship, the Dell Scholars Program, and many more.

The best place to look for scholarships (besides your FastWeb results) is locally. Check with your school’s career center for local scholarships as the applicant pools for these are much smaller. Diversify your scholarship portfolio by applying for large and small scholarships both locally and nationally. Consider what your strengths are (leadership, community service, obstacles overcome, etc.) and start by applying for scholarships awarded specifically for those qualities. Remember to set goals for yourself and apply for as many scholarships as possible.

Yes! You should definitely go and learn as much information as you can about scholarships. You may be able to pick up some tips and suggestions for your scholarship search. You can also network with the people there as they may potentially be able to help you on your applications.

Besides Scholarship Junkies, it’s always a great idea to talk with your teachers. You can have them read over your essays and double check your application. You can also check in with your career center and ask for your advisor’s advice. Other resources include your parents, friends, classmates, and basically anyone who is willing to help you.

From our personal and professional experiences, it has been more effective to show students successful scholarship essays after they have already written what they want to say. Often, students who read successful essays first tend to copy the style, vocab, and structure of scholarship winning essays, and in the process, lose their own voice. So before you try and find all the winning elements in successful scholarship essays, try writing with your own voice first.

You can contact Scholarship Junkies through the For Students page or the Contact Us page. Feel free to send an email with any questions or concerns. We are willing to give general feedback on scholarship essays by connecting you with a Scholarship Junkie who will work personally with you.

Yes, Scholarship Junkies has presented to students all across the country, and Scholarship Junkies are available to present scholarship workshops, presentations, and even keynotes wherever you would like to host your event. To find out more about the booking process, please visit the For Schools and Organizations page.

While we’re not currently hiring, we are always on the lookout for young, talented, and ambitious people to continue driving the mission of Scholarship Junkies. If you’re really interested in working or volunteering with us, send us a note at secrets@scholarshipjunkies.com and let us know your ideas. We promise we will respond! For more visit our Employment Opportunities page.

We are in the process of applying to become a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so we working with a very limited, initial budget. However, we are keen on building out community partnerships with other non-profits and companies alike. We are always willing and interested in talking, so please send our Founder & Executive Director, Sam, a note at sam@scholarshipjunkies.com to find an opportunity to sit down face-to-face or talk on the phone.