College & Career
College & Career
Planning for Your Future After High School
Do you know what you want to do after high school but need the resources to get there? Or maybe you don’t know what the future holds and need guidance on which path to take – whichever step you’re at in your planning, we are here to help! Washington has many options and supports to help you get the education or training you need, or decide which path is best for you! Check out Washington Student Achievement Council’s website for resources to help you take your first step.
College & Scholarships
As a high school senior, the pressure is on to find scholarships for college. At this point, high school senior scholarships are just as important as getting into the dream school. Fortunately, that means there are plenty of scholarships for senior high school students to apply to.
Applying for scholarships is a numbers game, and the more scholarships you apply to, the better your chances of actually winning. The key to a great scholarship search is to start applying as soon as possible!
As you plan to take your SATs and are scheduling your college tours, add searching for scholarships to your college checklist. Not every scholarship for high school seniors is based on academic performance or financial need. There are scholarships for high school students based on ethnic background, field of study and even extracurricular activities. Your hobby or interest could get you money for college.
Start your search for scholarships for high school seniors with scholarship searches. It’s free and lets you customize your search based on your interests, age, grade level and more. You can even set up special alerts to notify you when there’s a new scholarship opportunity that matches your profile.
Scholarship Application FAQs
When are scholarship application deadlines?
Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do I need to know which college I’m attending to apply for scholarships?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit to how many scholarships I can apply for?
There’s no limit on the number of scholarships you can apply for or win, so apply for as many as you can. There are scholarships for current college students, too. Apply for scholarships each year you’re in school.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—certain scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
Types of Scholarships for High School Seniors
The following are some examples of categories of scholarships for high school seniors that could apply to you.
Local Scholarships
There should be local scholarship opportunities in your community. You can ask your school counselor/academic advisor for help on how to find them and to see if you qualify.
College Foundation Scholarships
College Foundation scholarships are funded by generous donors that include community members, corporations, alumni, faculty, staff and students. Scholarships are typically awarded annually to current and prospective students. Scholarship awards are based on academic merit, financial need, personal history or achievement, or for specific areas of study. Often, with one application, students are automatically considered for the majority of the college foundation scholarships. Check with the colleges you are considering applying to for more information on their college foundation scholarships!
Scholarships for High School Seniors with Military Parents
Most states offer state-sponsored scholarships for students with active-duty, retired or deceased military parents. Each state’s programs are different and have distinct sets of requirements. For Washington students who are family members of veterans, visit the state’s Dept. of Veterans Affairs website to learn about available scholarship programs.
Scholarships for Students with High SAT Scores
If you’ve scored highly on your SATs, there are scholarships you can apply to that award students based on their scores.
If you’re looking for more types of scholarships for high school seniors, there are many sources to help you search based on the type of scholarship you’re looking for:
- The financial aid office at a college or career school you are applying to
- PCIA academic advisor
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship tools, like the ones we’ve listed below
Scholarship Resources
- Access Scholarships Free Search Engine
- FastWeb: Scholarships for High School Seniors
- Federal Student Aid
- Scholarship Finder
- Scholarships for High School Juniors
- Scholarships for High School Seniors
- Scholarships360
- Scholarships.com
- theWashBoard.org
- Washington State Opportunity Scholarship
- Ready Set Grad
- Scholarship Search Strategy Tips & Tricks
- How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay
Government Financial Aid Resources
Career
PCIA is committed to helping students prepare for life after high school, whether that means heading to college or getting started on a particular career path. Your academic advisor will be with you every step of the way as you navigate your career options and decide what direction you want to go in. We use Washington state-approved career guidance curriculum to help guide you in your division making.
Your academic advisor can meet with you to help you explore career opportunities that might be a good fit based on your values, beliefs, and interests. Use these online career exploration tools to help you decide what career opportunities you’d like to explore in more depth, then, make an appointment with the academic advisor to talk through your options.