37 Top Scholarships for High School Sophomores and Freshmen

37 Top Scholarships for High School Sophomores and Freshmen SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It's never too early to start saving up money for your college education. Even if you are only in your first or second year of high school, there are plenty of opportunities to start bringing in money that will pay for your tuition, books, fees, and living expenses a couple of years down the line. You might be surprised to learn that there are actuallyhundreds of scholarships available to underclassmen.If you're just starting your hunt, use this list of the 37 best scholarships for high school freshmen and sophomores to get started. This list includes a variety of scholarshipsforfreshmen and sophomores. I've broken them down into the following categories: Essay Scholarships Special Interest Scholarships Creative Scholarships Hobby- and Activity-Based Scholarships Location-based Scholarships Easy Scholarships These scholarships arenot limited to one college or university,so students who win these awards will be able to use them for a variety of schools. How to Use This List of Scholarships for Sophomores and Freshmen Before we go over the scholarships you can apply for, let's quickly review the best ways you can use this list of scholarships for sophomores and freshmen. Rule 1: Play to Your Strengths Start out by looking at the different categories below. Are you creative? Then consider applyingto some of the scholarships that require artwork or a movie for their applications. If you're a strong writer, on the other hand, consider applying to scholarships that require essays. Rule 2: Apply to Many Scholarships The beauty of starting your scholarship hunt early is that you have a lot oftime! So use it wisely to apply to as many scholarships as possible. We recommend applying to anywhere between five and 30 scholarships.Most scholarships on this list and beyond are competitive, meaning many students will be applying for them. You'll increase your chances of winning money if you don't put all of your eggs in one basket! Rule 3: Pay Attention to Details Make sure you read all the rules carefully before you apply for a scholarship, and be certain that your essays and other application materials address what is being asked. It's a waste of time to apply to scholarships if you're going to end up disqualified simply because you failed to follow the instructions. Similarly, make sure tostay on top of important deadlines. You don't want to miss out on a great scholarship because you accidentally missed adue date! Rule 4: Do Your Own Research Keep in mind that this list is just a starting point. There are many more scholarships available to younger students, and there very well might be some that are more suited to your talents and interests. Don't be afraid to dosome Google searches to see whether there are any scholarships out there that correspond to one of your unique traits. Remember, the more obscure a scholarship is,the better your chance of winning it will be! Essay Scholarships To start, let's take a look at scholarships that require students to write and submit essays as part of their applications. Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum Student Essay Contest The Oklahoma City National Museum hosts an essay contest for students in grades 5-12. Topics revolve around ideas related to the Oklahoma bombings in 1995. Students ingrades 9 and 10 can submit 500-word essays. Prizes: 1st place: $200 2nd place: $150 3rd place: $100 Ayn Rand Essay Contest High school freshmen and sophomores can write an essay on one of several topics related to the bookAnthem by Ayn Rand. The deadline to apply is April 25, 2019. Prizes: 1st place: $2,000 (one winner) 2nd place: $250 (three winners) 3rd place: $100 (five winners) Finalists: $25 (50 winners) NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Essay Contest To enter this contest, high school students must write a 1,000-word essay answering the question, "What does the second amendment meant to you?" The deadline is December 31, 2018. Prizes: 1st place: $1,000 2nd place: $600 3rd place: $200 4th place: $100 Fleet Reserve Association Essay Contest Students in grades 7-12 can enter this essay contest by submitting an essay of no more than 350 words on "What Freedom of Speech Means to Me."The deadline is December 1, 2018. Prizes: Grand national prize: $5,000 1stplace: $2,500 2ndplace: $1,500 3rdplace: $1,000 Unigo $10K Scholarship Students 13 or older can apply for a chance to win one grand prize of $10,000. Your application must include a 250-word response to the prompt: "Imagine a historical figure is brought back to life. Who is it? What's their favorite mobile app?"The deadline is December 31, 2018. Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship High school studentscan submit a 250-word essay on a topic of their choice for the chance to be entered into a competition to win a $1,000 prize. There are two contests per year. The fall contest deadline is December 31, 2018, and the spring contest deadline is July31, 2019. Young Patriots Essay Contest All US high school students can apply to win. They must submit an essay of no more than 1,500 words on a topic related to current events and/or public policy. Prizes: 1stplace: $5,000 2ndplace: $2,500 3rdplace: $1,500 Profile in Courage Essay Contest Students in grades 9-12 can submit a 700- to 1,000-word essay about "an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born." Essays must have at least five sources.The deadline for this year's contest is January 18, 2019. Prizes: 1stplace: $10,000 2ndplace: $3,000 Finalists: $1,000 (five winners) Semifinalists: $100 (eight winners) We the Students Essay Contest US students enrolled in grades 8-12 can apply to this scholarship to win one of 15awards ranging from $500 to $5,000.You must complete the online application and submit an essay of no more than 800 words on the topic cited on the website. The deadline is February 14, 2019. Prizes: 1stplace: $5,000 Runners-up: $1,250 (six winners) Honorable Mention: $500 (eight winners) Optimist International Essay Contest US students under the age of 19 can submit an essay on the topic "When All the World’s Problems are Solved, is Optimism Still Necessary?" Club winners advance to the District contest to compete for a $2,500 scholarship. The deadline for submission is February 28, 2019. Visionary Scholarship Program Any currently enrolled US high school student can apply to receive a prize from $1,000 to $5,000. Applicants must submit a completed application, a copy of their most recent (unofficial) high school transcript, and a 500-word essay on "Why College is Important to Me." The deadline for this year's contest is May 1, 2019. Special Interest Scholarships These next scholarships require a special action on the part of the applicant, from volunteering to playing an online game. Humanity Rising Service Challenge High school students who volunteer for a non-profit that meets Humanity Rising’s criteria may apply for this scholarship by sharing their service story. You must make an account in order to access the scholarship details and apply for the challenge.Awards range from $500 to more than $2,000, and all deadlines are rolling. HR Block Budget Challenge US students in grades 9-12can apply to win one of 10 $20,000 scholarships. Students must play an online game that simulates adult life in terms of financial literacy. While students can't register themselves, teachers may register classes as well as individual students. Creative Scholarships Are you the creative type? This next set of scholarships for freshmen and sophomores is all about artistic ability and creativity. For these contests, you'll need to submit a piece of art, whether that's a story, painting, video, photograph, etc. Create Real Impact Contest Any student between the ages of 14 and 22 can submit either a piece of writing (100-600 words), a video, a work of art,or a piece of music they've composed on the topic of how to address reckless driving. Voting on entries begins October 2, 2018. Prizes: Grand prize: $1,500 (four winners, one per category) Top Schools prize: $1,000 (three winners) Top Online Vote Getter prize: $500 (four winners, one per category) Spanish Category Award: $1,500 (one winner) Sports Team Award: $1,500 (one winner) TeenDrive365 Video Challenge All US high school students at least 13 years of age canenter this contest by creating a unique 30- to 60-second video that highlights safer teen driving. The video must end withthe TeenDrive365 Video Challenge Call to Action slide, which you can download from the TeenDrive365 website. The submission deadline is in February 2019. Prizes: 1stplace: $15,000 2ndplace: $10,000 3rdplace: $7,500 People's Choice: $5,000 4th-10th place: $2,500 Regional prizes: $1,000 (four winners) Doodle 4 Google Students from kindergarten to 12thgrade can apply for this scholarship. Applicants must submit a Google Doodle related to this year's theme. All submissions are divided and judged by age group. The deadline is in March 2019. Prizes: National Winner: $30,000 (plus a $50,000 technology award for the winner's school) National Finalists: $5,000 (four winners, one per age group) Scholastic Art Writing Award Students ingrades 7-12with a keen interest in writing or art may apply to win a Best-in-Grade Award. Students in 12th grade only can also apply to win a Portfolio Award. Deadlines vary by region. Prizes: Portfolio Award–Gold Medal: $10,000 (16 winners) Portfolio Award–Silver Medal: $1,000 (30 winners) Best-in-Grade Award: $500 (24 winners, four per grade level) AutoPetsâ„ ¢ Out-of-the-Box Thinking Scholarship All current high school students can apply for this scholarship. Applications must include a 400-word essay about an innovative pet product idea. The deadline is in July 2019. Prizes: Grand prize: $1,250 First runner-up: $500 Second runner-up: $250 Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest US students who are at least 14 years old may applyfor this scholarship of $10,000. You must design a greeting card using a photo, piece of artwork, or computer graphic for the front image. Submissionsmust be submitted as JPEGs (.jpg). The deadline is March 1, 2019. Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest US high school students interested in art can apply to win one of eight national awards. Applicants must submit an original piece of art with a patriotic theme.The first-place winner receives $15,000 and a plaque as well as airfare to and two nights' lodging at the VFW Auxiliary National Convention. The winner's art will also be featured on the cover of the VFW Auxiliary magazine and the Auxiliary website. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2019. Prizes: 1st place: $15,000 2nd place: $7,500 3rd place: $3,500 4th place: $1,500 5th-8th place: $500 Hobby- and Activity-Based Scholarships If you've got a long-term hobby or activity you like to do, these next scholarships are right up your alley. WIA Student Pilot Scholarship Any high school student who is an active member of Women in Aviation International (WAI) may apply for this $3,000 scholarship. You must submit a completed WAI form, two recommendation letters, a 500-word essay, a resume, copies of all aviation licenses and medical records, and the last three pages of your pilot logbook, if applicable. The deadline for submission is November 12, 2018. Marine Band Concerto Competition for High School Musicians US high school students who play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument canapply for this scholarshipby submitting a completed application form, a recommendation letter, and an audio recording of their performing a piece of music chosen from a list of works. All submissions are due by November 15, 2018. Prizes: 1st place: $2,500 Runner-up: $500 SBO Magazine Music Student Scholarship Students ingrades 4-12can apply for this essay contest to winone of 10 $1,000 prizes.Essays must be250 words or less and answer the contest's theme: "What role has your music program played in bringing you closer to your school mates, friends and the community at large?" The deadline is December 31, 2018. Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship US high school students can apply to this for a chance to win a $1,000 prize. Applications must be submitted along with a 140-character message that completesthe following statement: "Instead of spending time with technology, I'd rather ... " The top 10 applicants will be contacted and invited to write a 500- to 1,000-word essay on technology addiction. The winner will be selected from this 10. Applications for this year's contest are due January 30, 2019. Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award Any full-time student aged 8-18 can apply to win one of 20 $10,000 scholarships. Applicantsmust show outstanding classical music achievement and demonstrate financial need. You must submit at least two audio samples of your music along with tax forms, transcripts, and other supporting documents. There are three application cycles each year, and this year's deadlines are October 1, 2018; January 7, 2019; and March 4, 2019. Davidson Fellows Award US students aged 18 or younger who have completed a "significant piece of work" in one of the categories listed here can apply to win a large scholarship. The deadline is February 13, 2019. Prizes: 1st place: $50,000 2nd place: $25,000 3rd place: $10,000 BMI Student Composer Awards Program Both US and international students (in the Western Hemisphere) younger than 28 can apply to win a scholarshipof up to $5,000. Each applicant must submit an audio recording of an original music composition along with legible manuscripts. Eagle Scout of the Year Award US students aged 15 or older who are active members of a Boy Scout Troop, Varsity Scout Team, or Venturing Crew can be nominated to win a $10,000 scholarship. Applicants must be active in their religious institutions and have received the corresponding Boy Scout religious emblemand Eagle Scout Award; they must have also shown practical citizenship in their churches, schools, Scouting groups, and communities. Nomination and application forms must be received by the applicant's corresponding department (state) headquarters by March 1, 2019. Prizes: 1st place: $10,000 Runners-up: $2,500 (three winners) National High School Oratorical Contest US high school students under the age of 20 can apply to receive a maximum scholarshipof $18,000. Students must first compete in their local oratorical contests and deliver a prepared speech on a particular topic. Winners will then advance to the national competition. Prizes: 1st place: $18,000 2nd place: $16,000 3rd place: $14,000 State winners who participate in the national contest's first round will receive $1,500, and those who advance past the first round will receive an additional $1,500. Location-Based Scholarships Some scholarships are only for students who live in particular areas. Check out the following list of scholarships to see whether there are any contests in your region. Meriwest Annual High School Essay Competition Applicantsmust beingrades 9-12, havea GPA of at least 2.0,and live in one of these California counties: Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, orSan Francisco. Students who live in Arizona'sPima County are also eligible. If you live outside these counties, you can still enter the contest if you're a member of the Meriwest Credit Union. The scholarship competition awards 12 prizes annually, or three per grade level. The deadline to apply is in January 2019. Prizes: 10th grade 1st place: $300 2nd place: $250 3rd place: $150 9th grade 1st place: $250 2nd place: $150 3rd place: $100 Take Stock in Children Scholarship Any students in grades 6-9 who attend a public school in Hillsborough County, Florida, have a 2.5 GPA or higher, and qualify for free or reduced lunches may apply. The application period will open in November 2018. Diverse Minds Writing Challenge Applicants must be US students in grades 9-12and attend a school in the metro area of New York City (all five boroughs); Washington, DC; Atlantic City, New Jersey; or the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware and Maryland).To enter, applicantsmust create a children’s book that addresses themes of tolerance and diversity, and promotes a greater understanding of different cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs. The bookcan be either fiction or non-fiction and should target children between kindergarten and 5thgrade.It must also include full-color illustrations. The deadline varies by region. Prizes: Grand prize: $5,000 (one winner per contest city/region) Oklahoma's Promise - Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program Oklahoma students currently enrolled in grades 8-10 and whose families make $55,000 or less annually can apply for thechance to receive full tuition for an Oklahoma public two-year college or four-year university, or partial tuition for an accredited Oklahoma private college. The application must include the first two pages of the applicant's most recent federal tax return. The deadline to apply is July 1, 2019. Easy Scholarships This final section of scholarships for sophomores and freshmen includes those that are extremely easy to apply for- all you have to do is register for a website or submit an online application and you're good to go! $2,000 "No Essay" College Scholarship Any student can apply by simply registering on the website. Awinner is chosen each month to receive $2,000. The deadline to apply is the last day of each month. $1,000 Cappex Easy College Money Scholarship Any high school student who registers and completesa profile at Cappex.com willbe entered into a monthly drawingto receive $1,000. The deadline to apply is the end of each month. Top Ten List Scholarship Any US student 13 or older can apply for thechance to win a $1,500 scholarship. Applicants must respond to the following statementin no more than 250 words: "Create a Top Ten List of the top ten reasons you should get this scholarship."The deadline is December 31, 2018. Wells Fargo CollegeSTEPS Program Sweepstakes Students aged 14 or older canapply for this scholarship by simply registering for the CollegeSTEPS program. Awards are $5,000 each. What's Next? Too old for these scholarships?Check out these scholarships that you can apply to in your senior year of high school! 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