Free money goes a long way

Scholarships nowadays are necessary for many students to pay for the rising cost of college, including expenses for room and board, textbooks, supplies and tuition. Fees pile up quickly when looking into college, and scholarships can help slim those fees by $250 and up.

Senior Xishan (Lucy) Ye understands the financial hardships of paying for college and applied for several scholarships to make it easier to pay tuition for UC Davis. She said in general she dedicated at least an hour each week during the second semester of her senior year to apply for scholarships.

At the 2012 Senior Awards Night last week Ye was awarded two $1,000 scholarships: the Rotary Club of Davis Scholarship and the Asian Pacific State Employees Association Scholarship (APSEA).

“I was definitely surprised,” Ye said. “I didn’t think I would get them, especially the APSEA one. I went through a lot to get the APSEA scholarship.”

For the APSEA scholarship, Ye had to do more than just write an essay and submit a cover letter. “I had to show them my transcript and I had to go in for an interview,” Ye said.

According to College and Career Specialist Julie Clayton who works in the Career Center at DHS, it is normal for some applications to require an essay and/or letter of recommendation. “If the scholarship is $500 or more,” Clayton said, “it’s definitely worth the time it takes to complete the application.”

There are numerous local, state, and national scholarships available for any qualified students. “A scholarship is great because it’s free money that doesn’t have to be repaid,” Clayton said.

Clayton recommends all students visit the Career Center if they are looking for help on how to learn more about scholarships and applications. “I have lots of resources and information about scholarships in the Career Center and can help students understand the process.”