As with all things in life, wherever there are people who need assistance, there are other people who can’t wait to take advantage of them. Scholarships are no exception and there are numerous different types of scams waiting to trip you up. Here is a brief guide to help you spot and avoid these scholarship scams.
First and foremost, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Never fall prey to organizations that promise you the moon. Scholarships are not easy to get, and anyone who tells you that they will guarantee that you qualify for a scholarship is lying. There are no guarantees, especially when there are so many students competing for the same award.
You will also want to avoid any scholarship contests that promise a reward or a full scholarship. These are typically fly-by-night companies that are in the business only to get names for mailing lists. You’ll undoubtedly find that your junk mail increases, and you’ll get stuck with an entry into a sweepstakes without any hope of an actual scholarship.
Next up are the scholarship finder services. These companies typically request a fee from you so that they can match up and find scholarships that you may be eligible for. Although it sounds nice to have someone doing this for you, there should never be a fee to apply for a scholarship. Once again, they are merely trying to take advantage of students and they rarely come up with any actual money for your education. You can find the same services for free online, and you won’t be required to share your personal information.
Lastly, you will want to avoid any companies that claim that there is a filing or application fee for a scholarship. This is never done with a qualified scholarship. This is probably the most prevalent scam and one of the most dangerous. Students often believe that paying this fee will give them a better chance at qualifying, but this is never the case. These companies should be avoided at all costs.
There are numerous qualified companies that offer to help you find a scholarship, but they don’t charge you for their services. Never pay anyone that tells you they can get you a scholarship guaranteed. It will be a waste of your money and your time and the results are never what are promised.
