3 Signs a Scholarship Opportunity May Be a Scam, The Internet has made it easier than ever to find information about different scholarship opportunities. Unfortunately, while a web search may help you find more money for school, it also increases your chances of falling victim to a scam.
Hundreds of people are affected by scams and problems related to scholarships and educational grants every year according to the Federal Trade Commission.
The best way to avoid the Scholarship Opportunity Scam is to learn how to identify them quickly. Here are some warning signs to look for when applying for scholarships.
Asking for Money Upfront
If you’re required to give money before you receive money, then it’s probably a scam. However, there can be some confusion here because there are legitimate services that offer to help you find scholarships for a fee.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, there are some companies that lawfully require a fee to gain access to a list of scholarships, to create a curated list of award opportunities for a particular student or to compare a student’s profile with a database of scholarships.
The difference between these companies and a scam is that a scam will guarantee you’ll receive money in exchange for a fee. Legitimate companies don’t guarantee anything. And that “guarantee” probably comes with stipulations that make it nearly impossible for you to get your money back. While it may not make financial sense to use a fee-based service when you can find most of the information you need for free, it is legal.
The Use of High Pressure Sales Tactics
One example is a free seminar promising to provide information about specific scholarships and financial aid. According to The College Board, these seminars are usually long sales pitches to get students to sign up for a consulting service or an expensive education loan. At the end of the seminar, presenters use high-pressure tactics to urge participants to purchase whatever they are offering by warning that spots are limited or the offer will soon expire.
You should also be wary if someone offers exclusive access to a particular scholarship. This is just another sales tactic because any scholarship information you need to know is readily available for free. There are many online scholarship search tools to help you find information on scholarships, grants and fellowships, such as: CareerOneStop sponsored by the Department of Labor. Discover Student Loans also offers a free scholarship search tool with over 3 million scholarships.
Asking for Your Social Security Number
Scholarship applications may ask for a lot of information depending on the type of award, but typically scholarship applications will not request your Social Security number (SSN).
When completing your application, you’ll typically be asked to provide the following information: your full name, age or grade level, contact information, and other typical elements of a scholarship application. Those elements may vary depending on the type of scholarship, but they generally include essays, letters of recommendation, test scores and extracurricular activities.
In some instances, a scholarship provider may request a Form W-2 as proof of income if you are applying for a scholarship specifically for low-income students. If required, blacking out your Social Security number is recommended.
Bottom line: Protect your Social Security number. There’s no reason to provide it on a scholarship application.
What If You’re Still Unsure?
While there are companies out there who are trying to prey on students looking for scholarships, they are pretty easy to spot once you understand how they operate. If any of these red flags pop up, know that you’re better off walking away.
If you have any further questions about a scholarship opportunity, contact your school’s financial aid office. The more informed you are, the less likely you are to fall victim to fraudulent scholarships.
To assist you more, I reserached on these three scholarships listed below. They are legit and worth it. You can make your own reserach or browse for more through google search engine.
Tulsa scholarships
Adobe research women in technology scholarship
Masters in library and information science scholarships
Tulsa scholarships
Scholarship candidates are evaluated on a competitive basis. For new students, of prime importance are the student’s academic record and the results of national testing programs. These are only awarded to full-time undergraduate students (12 or more credit hours per semester).
Tusla Scholarships and grants, unless specifically stated, may be applied only toward tuition for full-time, first degree-seeking students. Unless otherwise noted, the amount(s) listed on the award notice are yearly awards with one-half applicable to the fall and one half to the spring semesters.
The Tulsa scholarships will credit to the student’s account no earlier than the first day of class each semester. These awards are made possible from general funds budgeted each year with approval of The University of Tulsa Board of Trustees. APPLY HERE
Adobe research women in technology scholarship
Here at Adobe Research they create innovative technologies for our software products to better serve consumers, creative professionals, developers, and enterprises. We bring together the smartest, most driven people we can find, and we give them the freedom to nurture their intellectual curiosity, while providing them the necessary resources and support to shape their ideas into tangible results. One part of creating the best products is bringing a diverse group of people together. To bring more gender diversity to the technology industry, adobe research is pleased to invite applications to the Adobe Research Women in Technology Scholarship.
The Adobe Research Women in Technology Scholarship recognizes outstanding female undergraduate and master’s students studying artificial intelligence/machine learning, data science, computer science or mobile/web development at North American universities (including Canada and Mexico).
Interested applicants shoul apply through ADOBE OFFICAL WEBSITE
Masters in library and information science scholarships
Masters in library and information science scholarships is open for students that are eligible for numerous scholarships from national and regional organizations and businesses. Deadlines vary and details may change, so please consult each scholarship’s website for more information.
The Masters in library and information science scholarships offers so many other scholarship such as:
AALL Scholarships
Alaska Library Association Scholarship
Alice L. Halton Educational Fund
American Indian Library Association Scholarships
American Library Association Scholarship Program
Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA)
Association for Library Service to Children Scholarships
Visit the Masters in library and information science scholarships official website to apply for any of the scholarships.
