Dr. Robert Shumake Clears up Myths about College Scholarships

Thousands of college scholarships of many types are offered by various agencies and organizations, including your own school, colleges and universities, local government, large corporations, community groups and many more on the internet. The process of finding and applying for scholarship grants can be overwhelming. Students can be discouraged for several reasons. Here are some common myths about applying for college grants and scholarships:

Myth: Scholarships are only available to high achievers

Truth: A lot of students are discouraged because they do not have a 4.0 GPA. Many people believe that you must receive all A’s in order to be considered for a scholarship. Though one of the most popular scholarships is an academic achievement scholarship, there are other factors that are taken into account. Students with B and C averages can also get scholarships.

Myth: Scholarships are only for the poor

Truth: Many institutions offer scholarships for the under privileged; however, there are scholarships that do not fall into this category. Many scholarships are awarded to middle class people and individuals who can afford to pay for college. Though most scholarships are based on need; some are based on merit.

Myth: It cost money to apply

Truth: There are groups and institution who charge a fee to do the work for you. They will search for a scholarship that fits your needs and process your application. Be careful working with these types of services as some of them are scams.

Myth: You can only apply for one type of scholarship

Truth: This is not true; you can apply for several different types of college scholarships as long as you meet their required criteria. For example, if you are very proficient in sports, do not apply for a scholarship for the disabled.

This article was written by Robert S. Shumake, founder of the Robert Shumake Scholarship Relays. The Robert Shumake Relays started out as the vision of a Detroit business owner who attributes his success and business achievements to the positive experiences he had as a member of Detroit’s Edwin Denby High School’s track team.