Don't leave free money on the table. New research found 55% of students borrowed more because they didn't apply for scholarships.
Start early and stick with it. Many students quit before finishing an application, but setting aside just 30–60 minutes a week can dramatically improve your chances of winning aid.
Think local and ask for help. Smaller community scholarships often have fewer applicants and your high school counselor can help you find them.
College is expensive, but many students are making it even more expensive than it needs to be.
According to new research from Sallie, 55% of students say they borrowed more in student loans simply because they didn't apply for scholarships. The study also found that many students give up surprisingly early in the application process, leaving millions of dollars in scholarship money unclaimed each year.
Perhaps the most surprising finding? It's not necessarily poor grades or a lack of opportunities holding students back from applying for scholarships.
Instead, many simply quit before they really get started.
Here are four common mistakes many make and how to avoid them.
Wait…I don’t even know where to find scholarships
If this is you, no worries, I got your back and you’re definitely not alone.
There are some fantastic online resources available to help you find scholarships to apply for. They even let you narrow down your search by state, year in school, field of study, and college choice.
Here are a few of the best resources to get you started in the right direction.
Scholarship America: One of the nation's largest scholarship providers, offering thousands of scholarships from corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations.
BigFuture: The College Board's free college planning tool, featuring a searchable scholarship database and financial aid resources.
CareerOneStop: A U.S. Department of Labor website with a free scholarship finder, career planning tools, and education resources.
Fastweb: One of the largest scholarship search engines, matching students with scholarships, internships, and financial aid opportunities based on their profile.
Don't give up after an hour
Many students assume scholarship applications take too much time. The Sallie study found 69% of students spend less than one hour on a scholarship application before abandoning it. That suggests many applicants quit before they've gathered the information they need or completed the process.
The reality is that scholarships are much like job applications. The first one often takes the longest because you're collecting transcripts, activities, recommendation letters, and essays. Once those materials are organized, future applications become much faster.
What you can do: Instead of trying to complete an application in one sitting, block out 30 to 60 minutes each week dedicated to scholarship applications. Small, consistent progress is often far more effective than waiting for a free afternoon that never comes.
Another tip: Apply for one scholarship every week. Rather than waiting until deadlines pile up, make scholarship hunting part of your weekly routine. Even applying for one scholarship each week can add up over the course of a school year.
Start the application — even if you can't finish it
One statistic from the research really stands out: 61% of students abandon scholarship applications before writing a single word. That means many students are talking themselves out of applying before they've even answered the first question.
Often, simply opening the application reveals that it's much less intimidating than expected. Some scholarships require only basic personal information, while others ask for a short paragraph or two rather than a lengthy essay.
What you can do: Create an account, answer the easy questions first, and save your progress. Once you've started, you're much more likely to return and finish the application.
Another option: Create a scholarship "toolkit" and save a master document with your résumé, activities, volunteer work, awards, and a few reusable essay drafts. Having everything in one place can dramatically cut the time needed to complete future applications.
Pro tip: Track those deadlines. Use a calendar or spreadsheet to record application due dates, required documents, and submission statuses. Missing a deadline is one of the easiest ways to lose out on free money.
Stop chasing only the big scholarships
It's easy to focus on scholarships worth $10,000 or more. The problem is that those awards often attract thousands of applicants.
Instead, look for smaller local scholarships offered by:
Community foundations
Local businesses
Credit unions
Service clubs
Religious organizations
High schools
Employers
Winning four $500 scholarships can reduce your college costs just as much as one $2,000 award. And the best part is that those smaller scholarships often receive far fewer applications.
Pro tip: Ask your high school counselor or college financial aid office for a list of local scholarships. These opportunities frequently have the best odds because the applicant pool is much smaller.
Don't be afraid to ask for help
Scholarship applications can feel overwhelming. In fact, 77% of students surveyed said they'd be more likely to apply if they had access to a dedicated scholarship advisor. While not everyone has a personal advisor, many students already have free resources available.
Consider reaching out to:
Your high school guidance counselor
Your college financial aid office
Your academic advisor
Community foundations
Local nonprofit organizations
These professionals often know about scholarships that aren't heavily advertised online.
Schedule a 15-minute meeting with your counselor or financial aid office. They may point you toward scholarships you've never heard of.
Pro tip: Don't eliminate yourself. Many scholarships aren't based solely on GPA. Some are awarded based on career goals, hobbies, volunteer work, community involvement, military families, employers, geographic location, or intended major. If you meet the basic requirements, it's often worth applying.
The bottom line
Scholarships are one of the few forms of financial aid that don't have to be repaid. The biggest mistake many students make isn't losing a scholarship, it's never applying in the first place.
Spending a little time each week searching and applying could significantly reduce how much you need to borrow for college.