Around this time of the year is when the stress of college applications starts to die down and the senioritis begins to increase. With college applications out of the way and out of our hands, it is important to start thinking of the next step, paying for college. Financial aid and FAFSA are great and it is an important step to complete during the college application process. However, it is important to not rely on financial aid alone and seek out merit-based scholarships. Many of these require essays, recommendation letters, and a resume, so make sure to get started on those as soon as possible. Here are some scholarships high school seniors should take advantage of!

McDonald’s HACER Scholarship

HACER stands for “Hispanic American Commitment to Education Resources”, so to apply to this scholarship, you must have at least one parent of Hispanic Heritage. You’ll also need a minimum GPA of 2.8 and a letter of recommendation from a teacher. The scholarship is worth 25,000 dollars and is due on February 3rd!

Hispanic Scholarship Foundation

This is a 5,000 dollar scholarship awarded to top students of Hispanic or Latino descent. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and plans to enroll in a university on a full-time basis. The application is simple and requires an outline of all of your extracurriculars and volunteer activities. The deadline to submit is February 15th!

Jackie Robinson Foundation

The Jackie Robinson Foundation gives out 60 scholarships annually to students who show leadership potential and remarkable service in their community. The awards vary but can reach amounts up to 30,000 dollars awarded over four years. Applicants must also show proof of financial need and submit a letter of recommendation by February 1st!

Equitable Excellence Scholarship

This application is due on January 28th or when 10,000 applications have been received. Applicants must be United States citizens or legal residents. The application requires a letter of recommendation from a teacher and is given to students who show an outstanding level of strength and wisdom through service acts in their community. Students who apply are eligible to receive a scholarship ranging from 2,500 to 25,000 dollars!

David’s Fellows

This scholarship is awarded to high school students who have completed a significant piece of work in fields relating to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Scholarships amounts included 50,000, 25,000, and 10,000 dollars. The 2021 application deadline is March 10th!

These scholarships are nationally known and available to students all across the 50 states. There are plenty of local and state-owned scholarships that draw in a smaller applicant pool and have a different set of requirements to apply. Make sure to keep an eye on those deadlines and good luck!