Finding Scholarships Navigating Merit Aid: Simplifying the Scholarship Search for College Applicants Written by Robyn MacAlpineon June 26th, 2025 Prior to joining College Coach, I worked as a financial aid counselor at Curry College where my main responsibilities included supporting veterans who wanted to begin or continue their educational journey and reconciliation of all federal Pell grant funding. Before Curry, I served as a financial aid counselor at Northeastern University. While at Northeastern, I worked with a large student caseload and reviewed students for financial aid eligibility. I also supported our athletic director to appropriately award scholarships and was a member of several committees including the interview, merit scholarship, and general appeal committees. Learn More About Robyn merit scholarships, scholarship search, scholarships, Thinking about the merit aid research process can feel completely overwhelming. What a huge topic! But if you break it down into digestible portions, it will feel more manageable. As students navigate the admissions process, they are already burdened with an incredible amount of research and work that goes into selecting and applying for college. To alleviate some of that stress, we’ve compiled a list clarifying the types of merit aid students can apply for, and where they can find information about these scholarship opportunities. Merit-based scholarships offered by colleges and universities directly These are typically awarded by the admissions office to incoming freshmen applicants. Students are automatically considered for these opportunities at most colleges, but there may sometimes be additional steps or special deadlines, so be sure to check each college’s merit aid website for details. While some colleges clearly state requirements, like a minimum GPA or test score for certain scholarships, most colleges are vague in their descriptions of who is awarded. Review the school’s merit scholarship information page by searching for the school’s name and adding the phrase “merit scholarships” after (e.g., Babson College merit scholarships). Departmental or endowed scholarships offered by colleges and universities These are typically awarded to students who study within a certain major or department and/or meet certain criteria. Check to see if there are any departmental scholarships available by searching for the school’s name and adding the phrase “departmental scholarship” after (e.g., Babson College departmental scholarships). As you research these options, be sure to note if they are available to freshmen or only to upper-class students, and if there are additional steps or applications to complete for consideration. Outside scholarships offered by local and regional organizations Start by reaching out to your high school counseling office to see what information and opportunities they can share. Outside of the school counseling office, students can search for local and regional scholarships through parental employers (or their own employers if they are working!), religious affiliations, credit unions and banks, labor unions, civic groups, heritage groups, grocery stores, and other businesses. I also encourage families to make a list of any of their own affiliations, memberships, or connections they have and pursue scholarships from those entities accordingly. Outside scholarships found online through one of the many search databases open to students across the country You can begin by setting up an account with one of the outside scholarship search sites. Here are some reputable resources for the outside scholarship search process: GoingMerry BigFuture Scholarships.com Add specific details like activities, interests, and anything that makes the student unique, to the student profile when setting up an account. This will help identify more targeted, niche scholarships with fewer applicants. Tips to Stay Organized Creating an scholarship spreadsheet so you can see the requirements and other info (essay, transcript, deadlines, scholarship amount, link to application, etc.) for each opportunity is hugely beneficial. It is also helpful to set up a separate email account for the scholarship search process, so everything is filtered to one location. Find out where our team of admissions decision-makers came from and why they joined College Coach. Meet The Team Related Resources Read | Posted on May 28th, 2025 Unlocking Your Global Journey: A Guide to Funding Study Abroad Read | Posted on April 28th, 2025 Identity-Based Scholarship Series: Scholarships for LGBTQ+ Students Read | Posted on April 7th, 2025 Identity-Based Scholarship Series: Scholarships for Asian American Students
