College is expensive, and that is why scholarships are offered and provided to students to be able to afford to attend, but some students don’t even know how they work.
Students had different reasons as to why they have or have not applied to scholarships.
Naomi Ream, 18, and a nursing major, explained what she knows about scholarships and why they are offered. “I know that they are there to help with college finances and help for those less fortunate,” Ream said. “I did hear about that guy that donated $14 million to the school for scholarships.”
Ream was a recipient of a teaching scholarship in Tehachapi at her high school for a total of $1,000, but has not applied for any since then.
“I haven’t applied recently but since I found out about the donations yes, I will be applying,” said Ream. “It’s like an opportunity for students.”
Joan Wegner is the director of Financial Aid at Bakersfield College and she explained what she believes is the reason a majority of students don’t apply, usually because they believe that the application process is too long.
Wegner explained how BC receives between 600 and 700 applications each year and a total of about 500 awards are given.
“The majority of BC scholarships are awarded based on the students major and grade point average. Some scholarships require full time enrollment,” Wegner said.
Celia Tapia, 19 and a history major, told why she has never applied for a scholarship and what she knows regarding them.
“I have never applied for a scholarship but I should. I haven’t looked into the specific ones because there’s a lot. The requirements are more specific and most students aren’t qualifying and don’t take advantage of it.”
Wegner gives students more information on how and where to apply for scholarships. “The Bakersfield College Scholarship application is available online on our website and in our office from August through the last day of fall semester each year. There is also a list of free scholarship searches available on the financial aid website,” Wegner stated.
Some students have been able to win scholarships that most don’t qualify for by just taking the extra steps and filling in the specifications like Jared Vanderpool, 21, art major.
“I applied for six when I first started and I only got one. Especially when they require three page essays and six recommendations. I won the award for the city since I live in Shafter, it was $100,000 and it didn’t cover art school,” Vanderpool said.
Vanderpool ran out of the money from his scholarship award this year. He says that he’s taking a break from applying for scholarships because he said it was a little hard for him. He has a rare form of dyslexia and it makes it harder to apply for more scholarships.
Vanderpool is one of the students that went the extra mile to make sure he had a fair chance at winning a scholarship, similar to what Wegner would advise students to do.
Wegner says that if there was one thing she would want students to know about applying for scholarships, it would to explore all options, read all the instructions and meet the established deadlines.