Scholarships are the best kind of financial aid, but students should be careful to avoid scams.
Because so many students are looking for scholarships, there are, unfortunately, a lot of bad actors that want to take advantage of these students.
Therefore, it’s important to be careful and make sure the scholarship offer is legitimate before applying or accepting the aid. Here are some things to remember:
- Read the fine print and understand all terms and conditions before accepting any award.
- Avoid companies or organizations that “guarantee” you a scholarship.
- Never provide confidential or personally identifiable information (PII), such as a social security number, until you have been awarded a scholarship.
- Talk to the college financial aid office if you are unsure about a scholarship
- Check the privacy policy of scholarship websites to make sure your information is protected.
To learn more about scholarship scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission website: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scholarship-and-financial-aid-scams
