Type of College-Based Aid

Academic Awards

• Merit-based scholarships are awarded by your college for academic achievement.
• Inquire about these awards at your school's financial aid and admission offices.
• Application may not be necessary as they are often automatically wrapped into the school's aid package you receive.

Departmental Awards

• Specific departments may have scholarships to attract or retain students in the department's field of the study.
• If you know your major, contact various departments you might be interested in and see what is available.
• These are often non-need based.

Athletic Scholarships

• About $1 billion in athletic scholarships are awarded each year.
• Contact your preferred schools for available athletic scholarships.
• Applying for an athletic scholarship is like marketing yourself for a starring movie role.
• The NCAA website at www.ncaa.org is the starting point for information.
• The Arkansas Scholarship Connection, www.scholarship-ar-us.org/athletic.htm provides a lot of good, free information.

Note: Don't assume that you can't afford a high tuition school until you apply and can review their financial aid offer.