Your New Side Hustle: Scholarship Searching

Have you been looking for scholarships but you've been feeling overwhelmed by the process? We have put together a list of tips from scholarship winners who have the "secret sauce" to help jumpstart (or strengthen) your scholarship search!

First, think of applying for scholarships as your "side hustle." If you spend a few hours per week applying, even if you win a $500 award, you've just made roughly $250 per hour! Not too shabby of a payoff, huh?

Follow these 6 tried-and-true tips to get you started!

#1 Set aside 20 minutes. You have a lot of other things on your plate, so by setting a 20-minute timer you will be able to tune out of everything else going on and put in some quality work. By using this strategy, you will know that you aren’t committing to doing all of the work in one sitting. Instead, you can break up the work into small chunks until you finish. Go ahead and try it!

#2 Organize your space. It's much easier to focus the task at hand when your physical and digital space is clear. So, go ahead and close all of those extra tabs.

#3 Keep your documents in one place. As your letters of recommendation, transcripts, and community service logs come rolling in, go ahead and save them into one Google Docs folder. Many scholarships require these, so having them ready to go in one place will not only save you time, but it will make the process smoother and faster.

#4 Zero in on your interests. When creating or updating your profile, be as specific as possible about your extracurricular activities, military affiliation, clubs and organizations. Use the Scholarships.com Directory to see all of the opportunities available by category.

#5 Reach out for support. Your teachers, college counselors, and community career centers are full of people waiting to help you if you're stuck in the process. If you have questions, they are very knowledgeable about scholarship and college applications, and they will be able to provide you with the resources you need.

#6 Take regular breaks. Don't let yourself burn out. Taking a 5-10 coffee break will help you recharge and reenergize. You will actually be more productive in the long run if you listen to your mind and body when it’s signaling that it needs a break.