Attending college is not something everyone can do, or even something they want to do. Sometimes it is not necessary for the field one may wish to pursue, but for those who do choose to pursue a college education, paying for it outright might not be an option. Scholarships serve as a beacon of hope because they provide financial benefit to current and prospective college students. Although some may be hard to obtain, scholarships play a significant role in many students’ abilities to afford tuition. Savannah Padgett, senior at North Augusta High School, was asked to share her thoughts on the matter.
“I believe that scholarships are the key to achieving my personal and career goals. Without scholarship money, I would not be able to attend my first-choice school, University of Alabama in Huntsville. Having the security of scholarships allows me to focus on my degree instead of worrying about how I will pay for college. My advice to others, especially juniors and seniors, is to simply apply to as many scholarships as you can find, the more you apply to the more chances you have for winning them. For freshman and sophomores, there are scholarships available for you to apply to now, so get started. I would also like to encourage everyone to get involved in our school and community because these things matter on applications, sometimes they even matter more than grades. Many of the scholarships that I am currently working on require a certain amount of community service hours, so make sure that you are completing them every week. To stay on top of scholarships, I add them to my homework list monthly and complete them as I work on my to do's,” says Padgett.
Photo Credit: Emma Carter
Pictured: Savannah Padgett
Now is the time for our seniors to be applying to scholarships, as you never know which ones you may receive. There are countless scholarship and financial aid opportunities available to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to go to college. For those like Padgett, scholarships are the key to attending a dream college. Many seniors can relate to the stress caused by trying to afford college tuition and the peace that scholarships can give. It is time for those who dream of going to college, and may need some help affording it, to ‘get the ball rolling’ on scholarships and apply to each one they can find.
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