Cash for College, Just a Click Away
By Jaelin Lomax--Eagle Staff Writer
Many FCHS students will graduate and get a job straight out of high school. Others will head off to college, community college, training schools, and other programs. College, however, is expensive, and many students believe only the smartest students or the most athletic students have a chance to get scholarships and attend for free.
Eagles have another option, though. The FCHS Scholarship webpage lists over 100 scholarships of varying amounts for seniors to use for college, trade school, and other forms of continued education.
School staffulty explained navigating the application process doesn't have to be stressful.
“You go to the webpage and look at the scholarships, the amount they’re worth, and when you have to register by," guidance counselor Jessica Mitchell said.
Students can also view available scholarships in hard copy form. Interested Eagles should stop by Student Services to get a copy.
Students, parents, and staff agree that these scholarships can make a world of difference.
“The purpose of the scholarships is to make college more affordable for students who likely won’t go to college otherwise,” Mitchell added.
However, many of these scholarships go unclaimed each year, begging the question "why?"
"It comes down to not taking advantage of the scholarships, students not being aware of them, and some people do know but they take their time and miss the deadlines," Mitchell answered.
Often students think they must have stellar GPAs or lengthy extracurricular activity lists, but many scholarships are not grade-based. Some are based on geographic location, specific career interests, hobbies, parents' occupation, and other non-academic criteria. Most require little more than a short application or brief essay.
Even small scholarships add up to make big savings. Many students do not apply for smaller scholarships and focus instead on those with larger awards, leaving thousands in unclaimed smaller awards each year.