Editorial: Take advantage of the plethora of scholarships

As graduation season approaches, the Class of 2018 are making decisions on what to do with their post-commencement life while some parents are focused on what they have to do to prepare his/her child for a post-secondary education (if they choose to go that route). There are things that the graduate can do to assist this and that is to apply for as many scholarships as possible.

Scholarships are plentiful this time of year and there are many available. Students have had opportunities to apply for this free and financial support even before they started their senior year. As the school year winds down, deadlines for these applications are nearing. But there is a secret that most students don’t know; scholarships will always be available?

There are a variety of scholarships that are not only offered by an organization, but by the school that the student may be attending. The scholarship can be a specialized one that revolves around a particular major, or one that is provided in general. Take Rappahannock Community College for example; if a student is interested in that college, they offer a scholarship database where the person only has to enter their information once and a list of matching scholarships will be applied to them. Even if the student is already enrolled, they can remain eligible for future scholarships.

You want to know what’s even more interesting? Scholarships can be applied after a person graduates from his/her school. These scholarships can be used to assist with paying off student loans and other debt but can also be applied to attending post-graduate school.

Scholarships and assistance can be obtained a variety of ways. Students can enter into a branch of the armed forces and have at least part of their tuition paid. Others entering the work field who choose to go back to school may receive assistance from their place of employment, especially if it will benefit the company.

The message is that the availability of scholarships are year-round. You do not have to be solely dependent on a deadline to obtain assistance. Scholarships are based on the merit of a person through grades, community activity, and other factors. Take advantage of these opportunities as they will benefit you, your family, and maybe even others financially in the future.