With college decisions and commitments in full swing, seniors are also receiving their specialized financial aid awards each school they applied to decided to grant them. For some people, an in-state public college is where they will be calling home for the next four years. This is the much less expensive alternative to a private school, or out of state school. A lot of factors go into determining the amount of financial aid you may receive- your parents income, if you have siblings in college, and the university’s overall tuition. 

This can be very overwhelming, and trust me…I understand. However, a fantastic strategy to reduce the overall cost of your education is applying for scholarships. For most, right when you get the email in your inbox that states “your application portal status has been updated” we immediately break out in a sweat and we race to log in to see our decision. When you open this email, you may notice you have automatically been selected for a scholarship. Whether it be for your school involvement or solely grade based, these are huge accomplishments! Your email will include the amount your scholarship entails, and seeing you’ve gotten money off of your college is a huge relief. 

However, some students may not receive any scholarships to their school of choice. This can be incredibly disappointing, but this does not mean you can’t or shouldn’t attend the school of your dreams. 

For any student who finds themselves in a similar situation, I strongly encourage you to apply for scholarships. Our very own guidance counselors have linked many scholarship opportunities for students under their section of the Westborough High School website. Be sure you read the descriptions of the scholarships, as some may only be available for business students, nursing students, etc. Whatever you are studying, there is a scholarship for you!

I understand college is expensive, and not everyone is lucky enough to receive substantial financial aid, or scholarships. But the more you are educated on other alternatives to reducing this cost, the more your future self will thank you!