Post Secondary Planning:
- www.educationplanner.bc.ca
- www.edupass.org (US bound students)
Scholarship Databases & Other Sources:
- www.scholarshipscanada.com
- www.studentawards.com
- Alpha’s Scholarship Website: https://blogs.sd41.bc.ca/alpha-scholarships/
- Specific websites of post-secondary institution(s)
- Parents’/guardians’ places of work and/or unions
- Student’s place of work and/or union
- Clubs/community groups/teams/credit unions to which student or parents (or other family members) belong
In General: Get Involved!
- Most awards recognize a student who has excelled in a combination of academic, community and extra-curricular involvement or leadership.
- Few awards are based solely on marks.
- Emphasis is on recognizing well-rounded young people who balance school and life (team, club, community) involvement.
- The more years a student has been involved and/or a leader, the more impressive the application.
- Applications usually require at least one (and sometimes three or more) reference letter from an adult (teacher, coach, employer, club sponsor) who can attest to the student’s qualifications. These references should be asked for well in advance of the application due date.
- Many awards require the applicants to write some sort of personal essay (ex. “describe one challenge you have faced in your life and how you have dealt with it”) or written answers to detailed questions (ex. “why is education important to you?” or “what is your strongest leadership skill?”)
Where to Start:
- Every student should keep track of his/her activities (teams, clubs, community groups, jobs, contest participation, recognition awards, skills, achievements, etc)
- Participate, participate, participate!