Academic Scholarships and Merit Scholarships:What They Are, How to Get Them

Did you know that academic scholarships also known as merit scholarships can help you pay for a rather big portion of your college expenses? The problem is that most students don't understand what they are and how to obtain them. Academic scholarships are given to students who meet a standard score for either the ACT test or the SAT test. Here are a few tips to help you maximize your merit scholarships.

Where you go matters

In order to get academic scholarships, you will need to first decide where you will be going to college. It does matter what college you attend because different colleges have different packages that are available to you. You will need to call the financial aid office for this information and ask about scholarships you may qualify for or visit the university website and look for the financial aid information yourself. For example, college A may be offering you $10,000 over the course of four years and college B may be offering $20,000. These differences happen because of the simple fact that some universities are better funded.

Why your scores matter

Don't assume that your score is good enough and don't be afraid to re-take your college entrance exam (whether it's the ACT or SAT). I always tell students about my personal experience with my first test practice test on the ACT. I made a 21 overall and was not satisfied.

I knew that the college I wanted to attend offered a 1/3 tuition discount for a score of 24-28 so I had a goal to do just that. I studied hard for months and improved my score on the real test by 7 points. I ended up with a 28 composite score and till this day, that academic scholarship has been a big reason why I don't have any college debt.

Which is the best merit scholarship?

Don't just look at the college that offers the most money. When considering a college, merit based scholarships are important but you also need to be thinking about the value of the education you are receiving. I believe that you have to find a balance between cost and value. That's something you may have to talk over with your parents and your counselor so that you make the best decision. Don't do it on your own.

Always remember that not trying your hardest to obtain a higher score could result in you not getting an merit scholarship or you not receiving the type of help that you need in order to attend your dream college. Don't be a slacker and leave money on the table. I promise if you don't get the money someone else will and that's not good for you. Try hard and go win those merit scholarships.