While most scholarship applications are filed in the senior year, is there a way students can get ready for them any earlier? Similarly to how an early PSAT can help prep students for the SAT, the scholarship search process also has a route for preparing for those scholarship applications early on.
I always recommend students begin the scholarship search process sophomore and junior years before applying to colleges— there’s no need to wait until the senior year to learn something one might have been better off knowing earlier. Many scholarships have eligibility requirements that need lead time (50 hours of community service, a portfolio, or experience at sea, for example). Becoming familiar with those scholarship requirements early can maximize one’s options later. So act early, and give yourself the gift of time:
![What to Know Before Submitting the New Common App [Part 3]](https://blog.getintocollege.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/IMG_8516-285x155.jpg)
