Getting a scholarship for college is a hassle that most of us middle and working-class kids are a little bit too aware of, but it is the nature of the game if you want to attend college and don’t have load parents who can buy your way into college. Trust me when I say I know the struggle of a broke college student because that was the life I was living a few months back before I graduated with an English degree. Yes, you read that right, I went to uni and took thousands of dollars in debt to get a degree in English, but I can confidently say that I love where my degree brought me and the people I met along the way. All this is thanks to the scholarships I received to finance my college journey, though I had to land myself part-time jobs and thousands of dollars in debt to do this. Without further ado, let’s get into the most popular scholarship that you can get and that you should apply for if you are going to college next.
Coca-Cola Scholarship
It is one of the most prestigious scholarships and has allowed more than 6450 students to college and universities. Each year the Coca-Cola foundation receives more than 100 000 applications for this specific scholarship, and out of those, 150 students are chosen and given a scholarship of $20 000. To apply, you have to be a US citizen, refugee, or based on guides dictated by the US Department of Education of Federal Financial Aid Eligibility; you have to have a GPA of 3.0 or above and pursue a degree in an accredited US college. You have a few more days to apply for this scholarship; it ends on Halloween, on October 31, 2021.
Learn to budget and stick to one
I know college is the one time when you can wild out prior to being a fully functional adult, but you need to manage your finances in college itself. Sure, you may have a scholarship, but it usually doesn’t cover all your college costs, and you’ll most likely have to take out a small fortune in student loans in order to make it through college barely. And I’ll be the first one to tell you to have fun in college and to go to frat parties and make friends and live the life of any college student, but you also have to be conscious that you are living on your own and need a certain amount of money to make it through a month. To do this, you need to make a budget and stick to it. I’ll be the first one today. I didn’t always stick to my budget, but as long as you are trying, that’s all that matters. And ramen noodles aren’t known as the college student’s best friend for nothing. You can live off ramen; trust me, I would eat only ramen noodles when I was broke. And I’m fine, well, more or less; the fact is you can make it through college with the bare minimum but don’t let it get to that point.
Advice from a Veteran Gen z college graduate
Remember, when you go to college, have as much fun as you are studying. College is a time for you to socialize, make new friends and be independent; you will have your ups and downs, but as far as you can, try to be self-sufficient and don’t rely on your parents too much. Make friends and explore ourselves because most of us discover ourselves in college. And above all, irrespective if you got a scholarship or not, get yourself a part-time job as this will help you during hard times and help you stay grounded and be your anchor in college. Having a part-time job and pursuing a degree that you are passionate about will put you on the right track for your future. Remember, college is the time for you to have fun but also to work hard. To quote Oprah: “doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” Enjoy your college experience because, after that, you will be a full-fledged adult and won’t have many things to enjoy the little things.
Sound off in the comments section below and tell us if you plan to go to college next.