Here is a list of scholarship providers that I met while attending the National Scholarship Providers conference.  You will notice the diversity of the providers.  Even if these aren’t a match for you personally, I hope it inspires you to get creative when searching for scholarships.

American Library Association (ALA)  –http://www.ala.org/ala/educationcareers/scholarships/index.cfm (Want to be a librarian?  Scholarships for earning your master’s degree in library and information science. Check them out.)

Bright Prospect – www.brightprospect.org (“posse” system for attending college, based in California)

Charlie Wootan Grant – http://www.aie.org/wootan/ (For low-income students – application process not until 2011, but bookmark the page now)

Evan Scholars Foundation  – http://www.wgaesf.org (I have written about them before…scholarships for golf caddies)

Greenhouse Scholars – www.greenhousescholars.org (for under-resourced students in the Colorado area)

Hispanic Scholarship Fund – www.hsf.net (aggressive goal to have a college degree in every Latino household)

Junior Achievement – www.ja.org (chapters around the world, some have scholarships – and, involvement in JA can build the skills that lead to other scholarships…)

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation – www.nraef.org(variety of scholarships for students in culinary arts)

National Society of Collegiate Scholars – www.nscs.org (I was a panelist at their annual conference a few years ago – very bright, energetic group of members)

Pride Foundation – www.pridefoundation.org (scholarships to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and straight-ally leaders and role models from Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Washington)

The Washboard.org – www.thewashboard.org (actually a ‘smarter’ listing of scholarship matches, provided for students in Washington state)

Tourism Cares – www.tourismcares.org (from the tourism industry: to preserve the travel experience for future generations – who knew?)

The 10/20 Project – www.the1020project.org (not quite a scholarship, I admit, but a chance to support homeless people who could possibly be on the path to higher education after they get themselves situated…)

The Terry Foundation – www.terryfoundation.org (Winner of the National Scholarship Provider of the Year Award! – Congratulations!)

Don’t see a scholarship for you?  Look at the list and think about similar organizations that might be located in your city or town. Do your research locally and you’ll be amazed at what you find!  Good luck!

The Scholarship Lady

As a special tribute to parents, our team compiled this list of parent-focused resources and websites to help you help your sons and daughters.   (Alert:  The Scholarship Lady is not an employee or affiliate of any of these organizations.  I am merely providing these as an informational resource.)   Check out these resources:

College Parents of America is a membership organization that provides good advice and insight into college preparation and college success strategies for families.  Go here:

http://www.collegeparents.org/cpa/index.html

This one’s a link to over 40 other links useful for parents. It includes links on financial aid/scholarships, where to find cheap textbooks, career advice, and discount deals for students.  The Scholarship Lady was interviewed for one of their articles.

http://www.wisebread.com/college/college-resources

This site offers a wealth of articles from college parents who share their experiences with other parents. It also contains short videos to watch, a blog, and a “pick of the month” link to an e-book course on money management.

http://collegetipsforparents.org/

College Parenting is a free magazine that parents can subscribe to. They can pull up an e-version of the magazine to flip through, and the site contains several links to campus life information and scholarships.

http://www.collegeparenting.com/

This is another site, geared toward parents, that offers online, specialized guides on specific universities.

http://www.universityparent.com/

A section of CollegeBoard.com is designed specifically for parents. It provides links to scholarship sites and offers a free e-newsletter to parents.

http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/

This is a mental health guide for parents to refer to while their student is in college. Parents can quickly find a doctor located near their student and may join an online discussion forum regarding college health and wellness.

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions/mental-behavioral-health/college-health/parents/mental-health

This one is a section of the U.S. Department of Education site designed just for parents. It includes access to an archive of “Education News Parents Can Use,” videos dating back to 2002. In addition, the site gives links to financial aid/scholarship sites, FAQs, and tips for parents. http://www.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml?src=ln

I’ve been thinking a lot about the debate around merit-based vs. need-based scholarships.  For centuries, students have been rewarded with scholarships based on attaining high levels of academic achievement.  Sure, colleges and sponsors would help  the “less fortunate,” but as of 2007, the majority of private scholarships (about 75%) used “merit” as their main qualification.  However, as more college access programs have opened the doors of academia to a broader population, students of modest means have had a chance that historically was reserved for people with money.  Should these cash-strapped students pay their own way like their more-advantaged counterparts or should some of this “merit” money be re-directed to the people who actually need it?  What if you are an exemplary student but you’re not considered low-income?  Should the money that would have been allocated to you go to someone who doesn’t possess 4.0 gpa but they are only held back my limited financial resources? 

I’m already noticing a shift among people that would probably not have considered themselves “low-income” a year ago but may consider it now based on how they have fared during the recession.

What do you think?