Scholarships in a pinch

It is the fall of senior year and college applications are taking up all of your time and stressing you out. Whenever someone casually asks how you’re planning to pay for that dream school, you spiral into a panic, mumble that you’ll figure it out, and then spend hours re-editing your application essays, hoping they’ll be good enough for a merit scholarship.

No worries; there’s good news. As the cost of attending college has skyrocketed over the past few years, national and state-based scholarship programs have blossomed with the goal of getting motivated, low-income students to their college of choice with a minimal amount of financial stress. No matter what your interests or background are, there are scholarship opportunities out there.

The LANL Foundation

Sponsored by Los Alamos National Laboratory, this foundation offers fouryear scholarships of varying amounts to high-achieving New Mexico residents. These funds can be redeemed at the recipient’s college or university of choice.

Eligibility: Must be a permanent resident of Northern New Mexico, have a minimum 3.25 cumulative unweighted grade-point average, receive scores of at least 19 on the ACT or 930 on the SAT, and attend an accredited postsecondary educational institution.

Application requirements: Official academic transcript, standardized test scores, two recommendation letters, short personal essay.

Scholarship amount: $1,250 to $5,000 per year for up to four years Website: www.lanlfoundation.org

The Daniels Fund

The Daniels scholarship program offers support and annually renewable four-year college scholarships to low-income high school seniors who graduate high school in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah or Wyoming, and who exhibit exceptional character, leadership and community service qualities.

Eligibility: Must live in one of the four aforementioned states, demonstrate financial need, earn an ACT score of at least 17 in each category or an SAT score of 470 in math and 450 in reading and writing.

Application requirements: Complete a FAFSA, which stands for Free Application For Federal Student Aid, to prove financial need, fill out an eligibility form, request a recommendation letter and turn in a full personal application. If named a finalist, you must attend an in-person interview.

Scholarship amount: Covers all costs not already covered by other scholarships, grants and EFC (expected family contribution, which determines a student’s eligibility for financial aid). Application deadline: Nov. 30 Website: www.danielsfund.org

Michael S. Currier Scholarship Fund

This scholarship offers funds to lowincome Northern New Mexico high school seniors who exhibit standout talent and creativity in a given field.

Eligibility: Must demonstrate financial need, be enrolled full time in a fouryear college or university and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.

Application requirements: Typewritten essay of 600 words describing why your education is important to you, a letter of recommendation, a copy of your most recent high school transcript (nonofficial transcripts OK), a copy of college acceptance letter, copy of your financial aid award letter and a copy of your EFC.

Horatio Alger Association

The Horatio Alger Association offers scholarships to students who demonstrate critical financial need, have experienced and overcome difficult challenges, and are committed to pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the United States.

Eligibility: Must demonstrate critical financial need, retain a minimum 2.0 GPA, be involved in co-curricular and community service activities and be a citizen of the United States.

Application requirements: Eligibility quiz and full personal application Scholarship amount: Up to $25,000 Application Deadline: Oct. 25 Website: scholars.horatioalger.org

Unigo

If you need a break from the usual intense and involved application process, take a look at the wide variety of fun scholarships on www.unigo.com. Requiring only short essay answers to a variety of possible questions, Unigo awards college scholarships of up to $10,000 for a bit of creative writing.

Application deadline: Varies by contest

Hannah Laga Abram is a junior at the Santa Fe Waldorf School. Contact her at ceciliasycamore@gmail.com.