7 Expert Tips To Get a Full-Ride College Scholarship

---

Find the right program for you

Explore and compare a list of accredited schools to enroll in your next program.

---

Vault’s Viewpoint on How To Get a Full College Scholarship

• Full-ride scholarships typically cover the cost of tuition, fees, textbooks and other necessary school expenses.
• Planning a college trajectory early may increase your chances of getting a large scholarship.
• Alternatives like savings plans and student loans can help pay for school if scholarships aren’t enough.

---

These Schools Are Accepting Students Now

Find the program that works best for you and apply today.

---

How To Get a Full-Ride Scholarship

1. Start Planning Early

Early preparation and planning can increase your chances of getting a full-ride scholarship. This could mean setting goals during the first year of high school to put yourself (or your child) on the right path.

Seek guidance from a mentor or counselor on how to best prepare for college and what goals to set. They might have some insight you didn’t consider. For instance, maybe your child would like to score a 1500 on the SAT. An informed, outside perspective could increase their likelihood of meeting that goal. Perhaps a friend who’s a professor or guidance counselor can direct you toward the best test preparation resources to help your student get ready.

2. Participate in Extracurriculars

Getting involved with school sports, student government and the local community can put your child in a favorable position to receive scholarships. Colleges and universities often consider extracurriculars when deciding between award recipients.

If your student excels at a particular sport, is interested in community service or has the leadership skills to become class president, all of those things could potentially help them get a full ride. Getting involved in enjoyable extracurriculars early in their high school career and sticking with them could set them apart as a scholarship applicant.

3. Focus on Grades

Many scholarships are merit-based, meaning they’re awarded to students who excel academically. Again, goal-setting and hard work are key here, especially if your student is not naturally academically inclined. Perhaps they can designate a certain time every day for studying or seek out help from a tutor if they’re struggling with a particular subject.

Besides opening up more opportunities for a full-ride scholarship, merit-based scholarships could also put an expensive dream school within reach.

4. Challenge Yourself With Difficult Courses

Opting for challenging courses over easier ones could also put your teen on track for a merit-based scholarship. For instance, they might decide to sign up for a couple of advanced placement (AP) courses to help set themselves apart from other students.

Teens can incorporate challenging courses into their goal setting too. For example, their goals might include taking one AP course during their sophomore year, two in their junior year, and three in their senior year. However, students should be realistic about what they can manage to avoid potential burnout before graduation.

5. Keep Your School Options Open

While your student might have an ideal school in mind, it can be helpful to keep their options open when it comes time to complete college applications. Applying for one school could limit their opportunities for scholarships and grants. Instead of just focusing on a single college or university, work with your child to come up with a handful of schools and apply to those.

In addition to keeping options open, research schools that offer generous scholarship options. Some colleges and universities might be willing to provide a full-ride or full-tuition scholarship, while others might not offer these at all.

6. Take Your Applications Seriously

When it comes time to complete college scholarship applications, avoid waiting until the last minute so you’re not tempted to rush through them. Encourage your child to ask for letters of recommendation early so that teachers, coaches and mentors have plenty of time to write them thoughtfully.

Also, challenge your child to give serious thought to each application, especially their essays. Colleges and universities will favor creative essays that highlight all of their hard work and accomplishments. This is their moment to show why they deserve a scholarship and how they stand out among the numerous applicants.

Have your child (and possibly another trusted adult) check their essays and applications thoroughly for any spelling and grammar issues before they submit them. Once your student has incorporated any feedback, ensure they review their essay a final time and check the rest of their application to ensure it’s the best it can be.

Also, consider running the essay through an AI checker, as many colleges now screen essays for AI use.

7. Think Outside the Box With Scholarships

It’s not just colleges and universities that offer scholarships; companies, nonprofits and community organizations offer them too.

Research potential scholarship opportunities in your state or local community that align with your student’s individual situation. You might find that a local non-profit offers a scholarship for students from underrepresented groups or for children of service members, for example. Local companies may offer awards for students who’ve participated in a technology-related internship.

Some tools your teen can use to find scholarships that meet their needs include reaching out to their high school’s guidance office, potential colleges’ financial aid offices or reviewing our list of the best scholarship websites.

Other Ways To Pay for College

If you’re concerned your teen won’t be able to amass enough scholarship awards to get a full ride for college, some alternatives could help them pay for school.

College Savings Plans

Many parents and grandparents also set aside funds in a 529 college savings plan for their children or grandchildren. Even if there’s a small sum in there, every little bit helps offset college expenses. Have an honest conversation with your child about how much you’re able to contribute to their higher education costs.

Federal Student Loans

Aside from college savings, one of the next best options is federal student loans. These loans have relatively low interest rates compared to loans from private lenders, and they offer benefits like income-driven repayment options and the potential for future loan forgiveness. While nobody wants to take out loans to pay for school, it’s necessary for the majority of students.

Concurrent Enrollment (CE) Classes

Many high schools have teamed up with local colleges and universities to offer concurrent enrollment (also called dual credit) classes. These are college-level courses that high school students can take, which will satisfy both high school and college graduation requirements. By taking CE credits in high school, your student reduces the number of classes they must take and pay for while in college.

Part-Time and Summer Employment

If your student wants to reduce the amount of student loans they need (or avoid them altogether), they can work to save up cash during the summer and seek part-time employment while in college. They might also consider a smaller class load while working. Even if it takes an additional year or two to graduate, the extra time may be worth it to avoid student debt.