Every little bit helps when trying to financially prepare for college. An average college student spends about $25,000 a year just on living expenses alone, not counting tuition and other expenses that add up. Meal plans can cost up to $4,500 a year and the average yearly cost of dorming in college is around $8,800, 

Senior year and applying for colleges can be very stressful for many different reasons. While not everyone is taking the same path, there are many who are applying to universities, community colleges, trade schools, etc. Financial concerns can be a big concern but there are many different scholarships and financial aid opportunities available. Here are a handful that are out there. 

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is very important to fill out if you are applying to any college. It is an extremely helpful application which looks at your family’s income and your own personal experience to determine how much financial help you qualify for. Federal financial aid may include federal grants, scholarships, work-study, and/or loans. Schools have already started to look at FAFSA applications so it’s important to get the application in ASAP. 

Oregon Promise “is a financial aid program for recent Oregon high school graduates or GED completers who plan to attend community college” You must have 2.5 highschool GPA or a 145 grade on all GED tests. You also must be a resident of Oregon for at least 12 months prior to attending college. The deadline for 2022 students is June 1. According to the OSAC awards range from $1,000-4,131 per year. 

Bodie McDowell Scholarship is a scholarship for “…students of outdoor communications fields including print, photography, film, art, poetry or broadcasting.” If you’re interested in majoring in any of the categories listed above then this is the scholarship for you. Although the awards change every year, the 2022 awards are between $1,000-$5,000. The guidelines include having clear goals, and “Academic achievement is considered but is not among the top three selection criteria.” Apply here. 

Niche $50,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is a stroke of luck scholarship that you just simply have to apply for. No matter what your GPA, SAT scores or ACT scores are, you are free to apply and qualify. Just apply, and verify your email and you’re automatically in the running to win $50,000 “…tuition, living expenses, books, and other educational expenses…” according to Niche. There will only be one lucky winner and the deadline to apply is February 28th, 2022

This time can be very stressful for students and families but scholarships are here to help and take on some of the burden. No matter where you’re going, it’s going to be expensive so take the time and opportunities you have to apply for as many scholarships as you can.