The Internet is the best place to start looking for scholarships. The Financial Aid Office lists scholarships that are available through UNM at its Web site, Unm.edu/~finaid. The Web site also has links to search engines where students can enter their information and search for national scholarships.
When using the search engines to find scholarships, be specific. For example, scholarships may be awarded based on GPA, field of study or geographic location. Otherwise, you may not be eligible for the scholarships found by search engines. It's like doing any other search on the Internet; the more specific you are, the better match the results will be.
Do not pay a Web site to find scholarships for you. Usually, it's information you can find for free. UNM academic departments might have scholarships posted. Ask a department's administrative assistant where to find scholarship information.
When you apply for a scholarship, be realistic about the criteria and how closely you meet it. If you're not reasonably close to fitting the criteria, don't waste your time applying. Be as detailed as possible when you fill out the application. Be specific about your grades, interests and work done in your field.
You may want to include a copy of your rÇsumÇ. However, a scholarship rÇsumÇ is different than a job rÇsumÇ. A scholarship rÇsumÇ should include information relevant to the scholarship you're applying for. For example, if you're applying for a biology scholarship, you might want to mention participation in science fairs.
There are many eligibility factors on scholarship applications. The most important thing is to find scholarships that fit you.
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Some scholarships might ask for an essay or cover letter. In these documents, it's important to be concise and direct. Do some research. Find out what the goal of the scholarship is and focus your letter or essay on the goal. You may want to include a couple of paragraphs about yourself and how the scholarship would benefit you in your field.
Remember that the people who review scholarship applications go through hundreds of applicants. Be as focused and clear as possible. Do not be too wordy. Also, letters of recommendation can improve your chances of being awarded. Basically, make it easy for the scholarship review committee to understand why you're a good fit.
~As told to Jeremy Hunt
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