Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Need-Based Scholarships

If you’re applying for need-based scholarships, you’ll want to avoid these common mistakes. Keep in mind that even a simple or single mistake can hurt your chances for free money. For, indeed, need-based scholarships are free money that will fund your college education.

Why are need-based scholarships important in the first place? First, these increase affordability and access to a college education. These are of particular importance for low-income students, first-generation students, and minority students.

For a bachelor’s degree, the average direct cost ranges from $11,011 (in-state) to $24,513 (out-of-state). In private colleges, it’s $43,505/year for tuition and fees alone.

Add the indirect costs, such as housing, food, books, and living expenses, and it adds up. The average cost of attendance is $38,270/ student/year.

Second, these reduce the amount of student loans needed. High student loans have a negative impact on your life milestones and career growth. On average, college graduates owe $41,520 in total student loans. 

Third, these provide their recipients with student support services that boost their success. Academic advising, mentoring and networking opportunities, and career services are common.

With these benefits, you want to boost your chances of winning scholarships. So, read on so you can avoid scholarship application mistakes and achieve your goal. 

Missing Deadlines

If you want to know how to apply for scholarships and succeed, don’t miss deadlines. Most, if not all, scholarship programs have strict application deadlines for good reasons. Strict deadlines ensure fair reviews, timely fund distribution, and maintain program integrity.

This is true for government-funded, college-funded, and private scholarships.

It isn’t only the main application forms, either. You must submit the supporting documents on time, too. Be more mindful of documents from third parties – ask early and follow up. Examples are official transcripts and letters of recommendation.

With that said, here are tips to stay organized so you don’t miss a deadline.

• Double-check the application deadlines. Priority deadlines vary between colleges and states. 
• Create a scholarship calendar with application requirements and deadlines.
• Set reminders and alerts for every deadline. Create them at regular intervals.
• Submit applications at least a week before the deadline. You’ll then have enough time to address questions and issues.

Staying on top of deadlines means taking advantage of every opportunity for free money.

Providing Inaccurate Financial Information

This is among the worst financial aid mistakes to avoid, whether it’s a high-value scholarship or not. If you provide incorrect or incomplete financial information, it’s a costly mistake. This is true whether it was an honest mistake or an intentional one.

These mistakes can result in your disqualification from the scholarship program. Even if you’re still eligible, the processing delays will affect your cash flow. Your award amount is also in danger of being reduced. Worse, you can lose your eligibility.

Remember these tips to avoid these consequences.

• Work with your parents or legal guardians to complete the application documents.
• Double-check the financial information on your FAFSA and CSS Profile. Refer to your financial documents, such as tax returns.
• Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool or IRS DRT to complete your FAFSA. You can directly import tax information from the IRS.
• Review your application documents again before submission. Look out for typos, missing information, and errors in the numbers. 

Keep in mind that need-based scholarships are based on financial need. Even a simple numerical mistake can result in a missed opportunity.

Not Meeting Eligibility Requirements

Do you read and understand the eligibility requirements first before applying? If you do, then you’ve avoided the most common scholarship errors.

Don’t assume that need-based scholarships are only about financial need. Most programs have additional criteria in their selection process besides financial need. Academic performance, citizenship or residency, and enrollment status are considered, too.

Let’s say you submitted an application packet, but you’re not eligible. You’ve wasted your time and money in the process. Getting official transcripts requires money. You’ve also wasted the time and effort of your recommenders.

Here are ways to avoid the costly—and embarrassing—mistake:

• Read the eligibility criteria and other application requirements. Take detailed notes. Ask clarificatory questions.
• Verify the definition of financial need in each scholarship program. Check the household and personal income limits, too. Ask about additional supporting documents, if any. 
• Submit applications to scholarship programs you’re eligible for. Focus on them instead of being haphazard in your approach.

When in doubt, ask authorized persons instead of relying on hearsay. Getting your chance at free money means getting reliable information.

Submitting an Incomplete Application

Applying for need-based financial aid is as competitive as for merit-based scholarships. Limited funds and high demand make it so.

With that in mind, submitting an incomplete application decreases your competitiveness. Worse, it can lead to your automatic rejection or disqualification. 

Common mistakes in submitting an incomplete application include:

• Skipping required and optional fields on the application form and other documents
• Forgetting to attach the required supporting documents
• Skipping optional components, such as an explanation of special circumstances, to strengthen your application

Remember these tips to ensure the submission of a complete and correct application packet.

• Scan the forms first to get a general view of their format and content.
• Use a draft to enter the required information.
• Fill out every section, including the optional fields.
• Double-check the fields before putting the information on the final forms.
• Review the final forms before submission.
• Check that the required supporting documents are attached. Review their completeness and accuracy, too.

Keep copies of your application forms and other supporting documents. If necessary, keep both print and digital copies.

Writing a Weak Scholarship Essay

A generic or rushed personal statement or essay will also hurt your application. Here’s what we mean by a weak writing:

• Lacks originality and creativity
• Lacks personal insights and unique experiences
• Haphazard organization of ideas
• Contains glaring grammatical errors and misspellings

All these demonstrate your lack of genuine interest in earning the need-based scholarship.

Adopt these scholarship application tips when writing your personal statement or essay.

• Understand the scholarship program’s values, goals, and target recipients.
• Align your content with these aspects. If it’s for first-gen students, emphasize your resilience in overcoming first-gen barriers.
• Share your story, including your road-to-college journey and its challenges.
• State your aspirations and the impact of scholarships on their achievement.
• Give specific examples and concrete evidence (i.e., quantify your achievements).
• Provide personal answers to essay prompts, not generic or broad statements.
• Follow the instructions on format, content, and word limit.

Write your first draft but don’t submit it yet. Edit, revise, and proofread as many times as possible. Seek constructive feedback from your teachers and mentors.

Most importantly, always submit a tailored personal statement or essay to every program. Never assume that the scholarship committee won’t read them and know they’re generic.

Ignoring FAFSA and Other Financial Aid Options

The worst mistake on FAFSA and scholarships you can make is not to complete and submit your FAFSA. Many need-based scholarships require FAFSA completion and submission.

No current FAFSA on file, no eligibility for need-based scholarships. Think federal and state student aid, institutional scholarships, and even private programs. Examples include the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.

So, the first step in being competitive for need-based scholarships is your FAFSA. If you’re from certain private schools, complete your CSS Profile, too. Harvard, Stanford, and NYU are among the CSS Profile schools.

Explore these other financial aid options, too.

• Grants
• Fellowships
• Work-study programs

The wider you cast your net, the more free money you can get.

Failing to Follow Instructions

How to qualify for need-based scholarships and win many, if not most, of them? Follow the instructions in the letter! Doing so means attention to detail, critical thinking, and genuine interest.

Even making a simple mistake in following the instructions can lead to disqualification. Common mistakes in this regard include:

• Ignoring the required format, such as paper and font size, line spacing, and word count.
• Disregarding the essay prompts and scholarship values in your personal statement or essays
• Neglecting to attach the required supporting documents
• Sending applications to the wrong person or address or in the wrong format (i.e., PDF instead of snail mail).

What can you do to avoid these mistakes?

• Understand the instructions from start to finish first.
• Double-check every step you make and the documents you submit. Ensure that these follow the instructions.
• Work with your parents, legal guardians, or mentors.

Don’t try to be a maverick when applying for need-based scholarships. You may think that you’re making an impression, but it’s an unfavorable one. Stick to the instructions, not stick it to the man, and you’ll win at the scholarships game.

Not Applying for Multiple Scholarships

You’ll likely feel overwhelmed by the scholarship deadlines and requirements. Keeping on top of, say, a dozen scholarship applications isn’t for the weak.

But if you don’t apply to as many scholarships as you can, you’re missing out on opportunities. What could have been your free money gets away, so to speak.

Think of these reasons to apply to many scholarships when you’re feeling unmotivated.

• The more applications you send, the more chances of winning scholarships.
• The smaller scholarships will add up to hundreds, if not thousands if you collect them. Every dollar matters to meet the rising costs of college.
• The different types of scholarships can be used to pay for different college costs. You can use, for example, Scholarship A for books and Scholarship B for living expenses.

The bottom line: Apply for as many scholarships as you’re eligible for. Again, cast a wider net by:

• Using scholarship search engines and databases.
• Looking for local and regional scholarships.
• Working with your college’s financial aid officer.
• Renewing your scholarships, if possible.

It’s only in the application phase that you’ll feel overwhelmed by the process and papers. Once you receive your funding, life becomes easier.

Forgetting to Proofread and Review Applications

If you forget to proofread, your application can be automatically rejected. Why? Even seemingly simple mistakes can affect your eligibility. Your application can also seem haphazard and your intentions insincere.

Small details matter in competitive environments like need-based scholarships. Grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and typos are common mistakes. Incomplete responses to essay prompts, formatting mistakes, and incorrect information are big no-nos.

Here’s how you can avoid these mistakes:

• Double-check your application form and supporting documents before submission.
• Use digital tools for proofreading. Grammarly, the Hemingway App, and MS Word tools are excellent for this purpose.
• Read your personal statement, essay, and other documents out loud.
• Request your teacher, family member, and peers to read your application papers.

Failing to Follow Up on Applications

Don’t sit back and relax once you submit your application packet, either. Your work isn’t done yet because you must follow up on your application.

Following up matters because you:

• Can miss out on important requirements and reminders from the program coordinator
• May be unable to respond to further questions and requests for additional supporting documents
• Can miss an acceptance deadline and, thus, forfeit your scholarship

When you follow up, you’re also exhibiting your genuine interest and personal responsibility. Doing so may well boost your chances of winning the scholarship.

Here’s how you can effectively follow up on your applications.

• Check your emails on a regular basis. Better yet, set up email alerts.
• Reach out to the program if you haven’t heard back within the notification date.
• Respond promptly to questions and requests from the program.

Be professional in your interactions, too.

Conclusion: Pay Attention and Succeed

Being successful in winning need-based scholarships demands careful planning and preparation. This way, you’ll avoid making mistakes that hurt your chances. Missing deadlines, providing incorrect information, and submitting incomplete applications are huge no-nos.

If you want to maximize your chances, pay attention to details. Stay organized, apply early, and take your applications seriously, too. Keep in mind that free money doesn’t fall from trees – you must work for it.