Blog written by DRDFS Awards Manager, Erin Talbot
Each November, during National Scholarship Month, we celebrate the impact of scholarships. Scholarships don’t just help students pay for college, they change their trajectories. At Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars, we’ve witnessed this firsthand. By awarding significant scholarship support and pairing it with coaching and other wrap around supports and resources, we help students access post-secondary education and obtain degrees.
Scholarships Matter
Scholarships help reduce student loan burdens, increase college access for students, and support persistence through graduation. One analysis concluded that “grant aid increases the probability of student persistence and degree completion between two and three percentage points and estimates that an additional $1,000 of grant aid improves year-to-year persistence by 1.2 percentage points[i].” Another study noted that scholarships are “one of the most effective tools to increase access to higher education for disadvantaged students” and that the benefits of scholarships extend beyond enrollment, to affect better academic performance and reduced financial stress[ii]. When students receive financial support in the form of scholarships, they’re more likely to enroll, stay on track, and complete their degree. And we see this with our scholars. 87% of DRDFS scholars enrolled in post-secondary education within 12 months of high school graduation, compared to the national average for students with low-income high schools of 52%. Not only that, but 64% of DRDFS scholars enrolled, completed and/or graduated within six years compared to the national average of just 29% for students from low-income high schools.
Our Impact
DRDFS is proud to support hundreds of students each year, across diverse backgrounds. We award the DRDFS and special scholarships to our high-school graduates headed to trades, two, or four-year programs, and we invest in completion scholarships, so our scholars don’t just start college, but finish college.
One of our scholarship initiatives is the DRDFS Opportunity Scholarship, which is a special scholarship designed to help support our college students beyond just the first year, by helping cover any gaps in tuition that financial aid doesn’t cover. One of our Opportunity Scholarship recipients, Fidel said, “The DRDFS Opportunity Scholarship has allowed me to expand my knowledge my craft of filmmaking by funding me with the means of academic opportunities, workshops, and travel. In addition, I’ve also been able to create connections and hear testimonials with industry professionals that I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for this scholarship. Nonetheless, DRDFS has had a huge impact in not just my academics but also my professional career.” Another scholar, Maya stated, “The DRDFS Opportunity Scholarship has helped me tremendously! I have been able to continue my education and continue working on my Theatre Arts major. By gaining the scholarship I have extracted many opportunities and internships from staying in school! Without the DRDFS scholarship, schooling would be even more complicated to pay for, but within this scholarship I have been able to stay in school and am almost done completing my first semester as a junior.”
Through scholarship, we can see the impact on our scholar’s enrollment, persistence and graduation. 87% of DRDFS scholars enrolled in post-secondary education within 12 months of high school graduation, compared to the national average for students with low-income high schools of 52%. Not only that, but 64% of DRDFS scholars enrolled, completed and/or graduated within six years compared to the national average of just 29% for students from low-income high schools.
How to Apply & Make the Most of It
If you’re a student looking for scholarship funding, or if you know someone who is, here’s how to take advantage of National Scholarship Month and apply for scholarship opportunities:
- Apply for scholarships that fit your background, interests, or future goals. Even if you’re mostly qualified, apply!
- Create accounts on scholarship search engines to find new opportunities all year.
- Keep track of deadlines and requirements and the scholarships that you apply for!
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Never pay to apply for scholarships –Legitimate scholarships are always free to apply for.
- You never have to pay back scholarships – Scholarships are not loans and do not need to be paid back, ever. If you’re being asked to, that’s not a scholarship!
- Stay organized – Track essays, recommendation letters, and application deadlines.
- Apply early and often – The more you apply, the better your chances at receiving funding.
At DRDFS, we believe that scholarships open doors that might otherwise remain closed. They reduce the financial strain that distracts from learning, allow students to engage academically and professionally, and ultimately push them toward degree attainment and a strong future.
So, this National Scholarship Month, use the resource guide, apply early, tell your story, stay on track and leverage scholarships to help open doors to your future.
“I grew up without a clue of what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to go in life, until I had the opportunity to join Dollars for Scholars my sophomore year of high school. From visiting campuses, to SAT prep, the guidance I received from the program changed my entire outlook.
“From college tours to financial aid, Dollars for Scholars has greatly impacted my path to higher education. As a first generation college student, deciding where I would want to continue my education and figuring out how I would get there was a difficult process. My family and I lacked the time and transportation necessary to visit schools, and this limited me in figuring out my future.
“When joining Dollars for Scholars, I was eager to visit colleges and earn scholarship money. Being able to look at all the different schools with other students I could relate to was so reassuring. Dollars for Scholars was able to answer my questions about the ins & outs of post-secondary education, as well assist me with applications. This extra help was so motivating.
“Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars is a life-changing program. Before high school, I was going down a path that if most kids took, they’d end up either dropping out of school or going to jail. Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars helped inspire me to get on a better path by showing me how to prepare for college. Hearing other students’ stories made me feel like I could be successful both in high school and post-secondary education.