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Edited By: Scholarships for High School Sophomores
Key takeaways:
- There are a significant number of scholarships available for high school sophomores; and they are generally less competitive due to fewer students searching for them.
- Searching for scholarships your sophomore year isn't just about finding scholarships you can win right now. It's also about what opportunities await you next year and the following year.
- The earlier you begin searching, the better chances you are going to have of finding, applying for and winning scholarships for college.
Most students don’t start thinking about where they want to go to college until their junior year — or even later. And many don’t start applying for scholarships until their senior year.
Continue reading the article below the scholarship list.
25 Scholarships for High School Sophomores with Approaching Deadlines
However, that’s a huge missed opportunity. There is no perfect time to start applying for scholarships, but the earlier the better. It’s like saving for the future - applying early gives you more opportunities to win. And the more opportunities, the higher the chance that you can avoid student loans.
Read below to learn more about scholarships for high school sophomores, where to find them and how to qualify.
What are scholarships for high school sophomores?
Scholarships for high school sophomores are open to those who are either currently sophomores or will be sophomores during the upcoming school year.
Most scholarships for high school sophomores are also open to other grade levels, but a select few may only be available for sophomores.
These scholarships can be general scholarships, open to all kinds of students, like the Pilot Pen G2 Overachievers Student Grant. This scholarship is worth $1,500.
Here’s how to qualify:
- Must be a high school or middle school student
- Must be between 13 and 19 years old
- Must submit a 1000-2000-word essay explaining how you go above and beyond for your community
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to have a concrete career goal or an intended major to qualify for many scholarships. And while it does help to search for unique scholarships, it’s OK if you don’t know exactly what you want to do with your life.
Many scholarships focus on academic, artistic, athletic and other abilities. They also often look for students with an exemplary record of community service, especially volunteer work.
Where to find scholarships for high school sophomores
You might want to start by talking to your high school academic advisor or college counselor. They often know about local or regional opportunities that you might be a good fit for. Plus, they can help you put together your application or know which teachers you should ask for a recommendation letter.
If you’re a member of any local organizations, ask them if they have any scholarship opportunities. You can find niche opportunities by writing down a list of all your attributes, like your ethnicity, interests, skills and more. If you’re having trouble, ask a family member or close friend to help you brainstorm.
To simplify the process, you can create an account on Scholarships.com, answer all the relevant questions and get a list of potential awards. This is also an easy way to keep your scholarships organized in one place.
You can also peruse the Scholarship Directory for scholarships. For example, if you’re a basketball player, it's easy to find a list of Basketball Scholarships simply by navigating to the page in our Scholarship Directory under "Athletic Ability". Create a spreadsheet with a list of potential scholarship terms and then mark down any awards that seem promising.
How to qualify for scholarships for high school sophomores
First, make sure you understand all the requirements. Most scholarships require that you be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. If you have DACA status, you may have a harder time qualifying for scholarships. Also, some scholarships may require that you plan to be a full-time student at a four-year school.
If you’re new to applying for scholarships, the best piece of advice is to pick scholarships within a certain niche. These may be easier to win than generic scholarships.
However, you don’t have to avoid generic or broad scholarships like the American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest. Contestants must be students under 20 years old on the national contest date, enrolled in grades 9-12 at any high school
Here’s how to qualify:
- Open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents
- Participants must be under 20 years old and enrolled in grades 9-12
- Early graduates may compete if not enrolled in higher education
The good news is that if you don’t win a scholarship, you can always apply again the following year, as long as you're still eligible.
Frequently asked questions about scholarships for high school sophomores
Before you start filling out those scholarship applications, make sure to read through the following questions to learn everything you should know about these awards:
College costs have only increased over time. And the only way to address this is to increase your financial aid.
It’s better to space out your applications throughout your high school and college career. The earlier you start, the more likely it is that you’ll win. Plus, you’ll be less intimidated by the actual scholarship application process.
Also, many scholarship applications reuse similar questions. Once you’ve crafted one potentially-winning essay, you can tweak it for your next application.
Plus, when you're a high school senior, you'll need to allocate time toward applying to college, which can leave less time and energy for scholarship applications. Also, if you win a prestigious scholarship as a sophomore, you can even include that in your college application.
Another important consideration is that knowing how much you have in scholarship funds can make the college search easier. If you’ve already won tens of thousands in scholarship funds, you can potentially widen your college search. But if you’ve only won $500 in scholarships, then you may have to cast a smaller net.
There are many generous scholarships that high school sophomores can apply for, including the Davidson Fellows Scholarship. This scholarship is worth $25,000, $50,000 or $100,000.
One interesting facet of this scholarship is that you’re allowed to apply as a team of two. However, both members must meet the eligibility requirements.
Here’s how to qualify:
- Must be 18 years old and younger (there is no minimum age)
- Must submit a piece of work in one of the following categories:
- Science
- Technology
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Literature
- Music
- Philosophy
- Outside-the-box
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Must be able to attend the awards ceremony in Cambridge, Massachusetts