Here is Exactly How to Fix 27 Common Scholarship Mistakes

Do you want to know the most common scholarship mistakes? These are the scholarship pitfalls preventing you from winning money for college.

Are you still trying to figure out how you are going to pay for tuition at your dream college? Maybe you thought you would be drowning in scholarship money by now. You are probably making the same scholarship mistakes over and over again.

I can’t tell you how many times I hear, “I keep applying for scholarships but I never win any money”. There are millions of dollars in college scholarships waiting for you, yes you.

Most students don’t win scholarships because they get trapped in these common scholarship pitfalls. Today you are going to learn how to fix these scholarship mistakes. After learning about all the common scholarship mistakes you will be prepared to win scholarships and be on your way to debt-free education.

This post is about the top 27 common scholarship mistakes every student should avoid.

Table of Contents

Most Common Scholarship Mistakes

Applying to scholarships that are not a good fit
Assuming it’s too early to apply
Being a follower
Avoiding small scholarships
Not taking advantage of local scholarships
Falling for a scam
Looking in the wrong places for scholarships
You didn’t research the scholarship provider
Can’t explain why you chose your prospective career
The FAFSA what’s that?
Did not apply in a timely manner
You didn’t read, read, and reread the instructions
Application looks messy
No hook
You didn’t sell yourself
Lack of organizational skills
Didn’t put a scholarship team in place
No Passion Project
You forgot to check your social media
You didn’t tell your story
You missed or did not answer the essay question
Reusing old essays
No follow-up
No consistency
Didn’t update contact information
Submitting an incomplete application
Giving up

Applying to scholarships that are not a good fit

It is important to apply for the right scholarships. First of all, make sure you are eligible for the scholarship. Even if you meet the eligibility requirements, remember all scholarships are not for everybody.

If you have a 2.0 GPA, a 16 ACT score, and lack community service, applying for a scholarship for high achievers who are active in their community—-this scholarship is not a good match for you. To avoid this scholarship mistake only apply for scholarships where you are one of the best candidates.

Assuming it is too early to apply

It’s never too early to apply for scholarships. There are scholarships for elementary, middle school, and high school students. If you are waiting until the fall semester of your senior year to apply for scholarships, you are passing up a lot of scholarship opportunities.

Being a follower

The Coca-Cola Scholars, the Gates Millennium Scholars, and the Jack Kent Cooke are some of the largest scholarships, and EVERYONE dreams of winning one of these scholarships.

Even though these foundations give out millions of dollars they receive thousands of applications but select a small percentage of students. Just because everyone else applies to these large scholarships, these may not be worth your time due to a large amount of competition. Only applying for extremely competitive scholarships is a scholarship mistake you should avoid.

Avoiding small scholarships

The average private scholarship is $500. Yes, I said $500 so if you don’t win any merit scholarships (scholarships from your college) you will need to actively apply for private scholarships.

The good news is some of these scholarships barely have any competition. A lot of these smaller scholarships are not promoted as much as the larger scholarships which is a plus.

Most scholarships will send a check directly to your college which can only be used to cover your college tuition, but some of the private scholarships will send a check to you to cover related college expenses such as a purchase of a computer.

Skip this scholarship mistake by not ruling out the smaller scholarships because every dollar helps to trim your college expenses.

Not taking advantage of local scholarships

Most of your time should be spent seeking and applying for local scholarships. Local scholarships could be for graduates of your high school, residents within a certain zip code, or a certain region.

These scholarships range from small payouts to full-ride scholarships, but they are very similar to small scholarships where there is minimal competition and are rarely advertised. The best way to find these local scholarships is by word of mouth.

Let your teachers, counselor, family, friends, and employers know that you are looking for scholarships. Also check with any affiliations that you and your family have such as bank and credit unions, employers, unions, local businesses, clubs, and organizations. One of the biggest scholarship mistakes is overlooking local scholarships.

Falling for a scam

Are you applying for scholarships that charge $150 and they need your social security number(SSN) and Google password? Maybe you found a scholarship that will pay your tuition for all four years and the only requirement is that you complete a three-sentence essay.

Most scholarship scams stand out. They require minimal work on your part but they ask for unnecessary personal information. Some scholarships will charge a small administration fee but be cautious because most scholarships are free to apply to and usually don’t ask for your social security number in the initial application.

See if the scholarship shows up on scholarship engines, see if they list previous winners, and scour the scholarship website for additional clues. Falling for a scam could be a costly scholarship mistake.

Looking in the wrong places for scholarships

Scholarship search engines are a great place to look for scholarships, but they should not be the only place to search for scholarships. Check with your school counselor to find the best places to search for scholarships.

Some schools list scholarships on their school website while some schools use 3rd party software to display scholarships. Make sure you tell all your friends, family, and employers you are looking for scholarships.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to current college students to ask where they found their scholarships. You can reach out to your prospective colleges and the professional associations affiliated with your future career. Also, check on college and high school websites for scholarships that you can apply for.

You didn’t research the scholarship provider

So you think you found the perfect scholarship? The essay question is “Do you think employers should have access to sealed court records during their new hire background check?”

You write this descriptive well-crafted essay about how employers should have access to these records because it will prevent them from hiring someone with a concealed felony charge.

However, the scholarship is sponsored by a prisoner advocacy group that believes concealed records should be excluded from employers. You were so excited about the scholarship that you forgot to read the About Us page and you didn’t Google the organization before submitting your scholarship.

Not doing your research is one of the most common scholarship mistakes. Always Google the organization and read the About Us page and pay close attention to the company’s mission and values.

Can’t explain why you chose your prospective career

Research your future career. You should read career books and blogs and talk to people in the industry. The U.S. Labor Bureau is a great place to learn about careers, the projected growth rate, skills needed, and salary.

A common scholarship essay question is “What are your career goals?” You should know why you chose your future career and the steps needed to reach your career goals.

The FAFSA what’s that?

If you are a senior in high school or a college student, you should know what the FAFSA is. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be completed as soon as the application opens. Currently, the FAFSA opens at the end of December, so you will initially apply in December into senior year and every December throughout college.

Some students think their parents make too much money and they won’t be eligible for Pell Grants, so they make one of the most common scholarship mistakes—they don’t complete the FAFSA even though they need financial support.

Your college will require you to complete the FAFSA before they award you any financial assistance and some scholarship programs will request information from your FAFSA. Regardless of a family’s income, all high school seniors should complete the FAFSA so they don’t miss out on any scholarship opportunities.

You did not apply in a timely manner

Scholarship deadlines are stated for a reason. No need to submit scholarships after the due dates. You should create a scholarship spreadsheet and list the scholarship deadlines and their time zones and add it to your digital and physical calendars so you never miss a deadline.

Set reminders! Some scholarship foundations receive so many submissions they may pick their winners before the deadline. My suggestion is to submit your application as soon as the scholarship period opens.

You didn’t read, read, and reread the instructions

The quickest way to get your scholarship application into the trash can is not to follow instructions. If the application requires an official transcript do not send an unofficial transcript.

If the instructions advise you to upload documents, make sure you upload the requested documents in the proper format. You must read over the instructions several times to make sure you proceed appropriately.

There will be times when the instructions are vague or confusing, feel free to reach out to the scholarship sponsor for clarification but only after you have read the instructions thoroughly. You can’t win scholarships if you can’t comprehend and follow instructions.

Application looks messy

Some scholarship providers require you to print their application, complete it, and mail it directly to them. If you can’t type your answers then you should complete the application with your best handwriting and make sure your writing on the mailing envelope is legible.

No Hook

Scholarship judges do not have a lot of time to read through applications, so your application should capture their attention quickly. If you are required to write a scholarship essay, your essay must have a hook.

A hook is an ability to draw the reader in at the very beginning of the essay. Meaning your 1st few sentences should not just regurgitate the question but give the reader a view into you. Sometimes academics and tests do not reflect who you are, so your essay is the perfect time to display who you are.

You didn’t sell yourself

Besides displaying yourself in your essay, your entire scholarship application should be filled with winning strategies. Some scholarship foundations receive thousands of applications and you do not want to get lost in the sea of applications.

Your application must stand out! What are your strong areas? Well, these areas should be marketed in your application. Maybe your academics are average and you did not participate in any school activities but you were actively involved in your community.

Your community involvement may make up for your lackluster academics and lack of school activities if you showcase your community involvement. But if you never mention your community involvement in your application then you lose an opportunity to market yourself.

Lack of organization skills

Don’t miss out on a scholarship because you can’t obtain your SAT score or transcript before the deadline. It is important to have certain documents within your reach at all times because you will find some scholarships right before the due dates.

If possible keep a digital and physical copy of the most requested scholarship items. Create a scholarship portfolio that will contain your personal statement, scholarship resume, transcript, awards and honors, letters of recommendation, etc.

If you find out about a scholarship while on vacation and it is due before you return home, you should be able to access your digital scholarship portfolio. An incomplete application is a costly mistake because you were not prepared.

Didn’t put a scholarship team in place

You should be surrounded by people who will assist you with the scholarship application process. Your team should consist of at least four to five people. You need two to three teachers from your core subjects who know you well and can write your letters of recommendation and don’t mind updating your recommendations on short notice.

If you are in high school your counselor should be recruited to your team to assist you with finding scholarships and writing recommendations if needed. The last two people you need to complete your team should be able to proofread and double check your scholarship applications grammar mistakes, keep you on task, and motivate you when you just don’t feel like doing anything scholarship-related — trust me these times will come.

Your team should be in place to help you navigate the scholarship process and easily avoidable mistakes. Surround yourself with a team so you can avoid the scholarship mistake of trying to do everything on your own.

No Passion Project

What are your interests? What do you like to do outside of the classroom? How have you made a difference in your community? These are questions you should be able to answer.

Scholarship committees want to know that you are a well-rounded student and that you have developed interests outside of the classroom. Whether you participate in school extracurricular activities or have started a business or have assisted the most vulnerable in your community, you should truly enjoy what you do and it should be done consistently.

You forgot to check your social media

Have you Googled yourself? Have you checked your social media accounts? This is a simple scholarship mistake that most students don’t think about. Anything you wouldn’t want your parents or scholarship judges to see should be deleted.

As a scholarship judge, I can’t tell you how many public Instagram pages I have gone to and have seen people twerking or using the B word. Even though your social media may be private this does not guarantee the content you post will remain private.

Students’ college acceptances have been revoked due to social media content. Don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want EVERYONE to see and I mean everyone.

You didn’t tell your story

Who are you? No one knows your story but you. When a scholarship committee looks through your application, they should see a theme. They should have a vivid picture of you.

How did your family and community impact who you are? Who inspired you? Who have you inspired? Your application should reflect where you came from, where you are going, and how you will chase your dreams and goals.

You missed or didn’t answer the question

I have seen vital questions left blank on scholarship applications. This goes back to reading and rereading the instructions and not waiting until the last minute to meet the scholarship deadline.

You may write a great essay but if you don’t answer the essay question it becomes useless. This is why it is important to have a team on deck to help you with the scholarship process.

One of your team members should be the second set of eyes for all your essays. They should be able to read over your essays to see if you answered the question.

Reusing old essays

Yes, you should save all your scholarship essays because you will see the same scholarship questions again and again. However, each scholarship application comes with different criteria and elements.

You may have two scholarship applications with the exact essay question but the word count could be different or the heading, spacing, and font requirements may be different. Don’t forget to use keywords from the current essay prompt and not the previous prompt. Be aware you may need to tweak an essay before you can reuse it.

No follow-up

A common misconception is that once you submit the scholarship you are done. Wrong! After you submit your application you should be working on your follow-up strategy.

You should wait a couple of days and then follow up with any contact information that you have (phone number or email) from the scholarship application. In your correspondence, you should let the scholarship providers know when you submitted your application, express interest in the scholarship, and thank them for the scholarship opportunity.

Most students don’t follow up so this extra step will help you to stand out in the scholarship process.

No consistency

To win scholarships, you have to apply for scholarships. Treat your scholarship journey as a part-time job and set aside designated hours each week to search and apply for numerous scholarships and you will see a big difference.

Yes, it is hard work but keep applying for scholarships until you graduate from college debt-free.

Didn’t update contact information

Did you get a new cell number or use an old email address? Make sure your contact information is updated on all documents. This is probably the easiest scholarship mistake! Make sure you have an email set up specifically for scholarships. Most scholarship info is sent via email, so you need to have accurate contact information.

Just remember you can not win scholarships if you apply for the wrong scholarships or if you miss the deadline. Show your best self and skip all the common scholarship pitfalls.

Submitting an incomplete application

You are in such a rush to complete the application that you forget to attach the required documents. Slow down and verify that you have all the required materials before you hit the submit button.

Giving up

So you have applied for a couple of scholarships but haven’t won any money. You start to think that you are not scholarship material and you give up. Don’t do this! Keep going! You may have to apply to 20 scholarships before you win one, but if you give up you will never win any scholarships. I promise the more scholarships you apply for the stronger your scholarship applications will be.

This post was all about the most common scholarship mistakes that were make every time you apply for a scholarship and now you will be on your way to winning scholarships.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can cause a student to lose a scholarship?

There are two main reasons why a scholarship offer may be withdrawn. If you won a scholarship but provided false information on your application. For example, you applied for a scholarship for African American students who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities(HBCUs) but you attend a public white institution (PWI). After you are awarded the scholarship, the scholarship foundation asks you to submit your most recent transcript and a copy of your student identification, once they find out that you falsified your application they can renege on the scholarship because you didn’t meet the criteria.

What are two things you should never do when applying for a scholarship?

Besides committing the 23 mistakes in this post, you never falsify information and you should never send information addressed to the wrong scholarship provider. If you are applying for the Burger King Scholar program you should never send information addressed to the Taco Bell scholarship foundation. Pay attention to details!

Do you have to pay scholarships back if you fail?

No, but if it is a renewable scholarship and you don’t meet the academic criteria the scholarship grantor can choose to forfeit your scholarship for the next semester or school year.

What are some warning signs of scholarship fraud?

If it seems too good to be true, it could be scholarship fraud. Typically, scholarships that offer a lot but require minimal work besides your social security number, bank account, or credit card information should set off an alarm. Most scholarships do not require payment to win a scholarship and they don’t usually ask for your social security number.

What not to say in a scholarship essay?

You should never talk about living a lux or soft life in your essay. It’s not a good idea to talk about your plans to buy a nice car or to move into a luxury apartment off campus. Scholarship grantors want to be assured that their scholarship is going to be used for education purposes. You should never say that you don’t plan to work during your four years of college. A popular scholarship question is, “How are you contributing to your education”. No scholarship judge wants to read that you have no intention of assisting with your educational costs.