Escaping from college or graduate school with as little student debt as possible is one of the most important factors in setting yourself up to build wealth in the long term.
But with traditional schools raising tuition rates every year, graduating debt-free is increasingly difficult. However, a multi-pronged approach to defeating the costs can help you avoid as much student debt as possible. Some of the most important factors in avoiding student debt include:
- Choosing an affordable school (community college or a public university)
- Keeping living costs low (live at home, avoid car ownership if possible, have a cheap cell phone, avoid eating out, etc.)
- Working during high school and college
- Applying for tons of scholarships
Of the four of these factors, applying for scholarships may be the most underutilized option. It’s true that applying for scholarships takes a lot of effort, but students can find tools that will help them make applying for scholarships easier.
One of the best tools for finding scholarships is ScholarshipOwl. Here’s what you need to know about this free (and premium-paid) service.
Quick Summary
- A scholarship locator and application service
- Free and paid versions
- Could be a great tool to help find college scholarships
What Is ScholarshipOwl?
ScholarshipOwl is essentially a dating service for scholarships. Users fill out a profile. Then, based on the information in the profile, ScholarshipOwl’s algorithms match users to private scholarships. Users can even apply to some of the scholarships directly from the ScholarshipOwl website.
How Much Does ScholarshipOwl Cost?
ScholarshipOwl is a freemium service. Users can access the scholarship matches at no cost to them. However, if you want certain features, you’ll need to upgrade to the premium service.
The premium service automatically puts in applications for recurring scholarships and gives you access to a personal account manager who can help you understand application requirements. This level of access costs $60 every six months (or $45 per quarter or $20 per month depending on your billing preference).
ScholarshipOwl also has a VIP pricing tier where you’ll get access to six hours of webinars on college admissions, and someone will proofread a 500-word essay every month. This service costs $69 per month.
In my opinion, paying $69 for proofreading from someone you don’t know isn’t a good use of money. A high school English teacher that you respect, or even a friend who writes well may offer either a better price or a better service (or both).
Should I Subscribe to ScholarshipOwl?
If you’re not using a scholarship app, and you’re in high school or college, you’re missing out on valuable money. Since ScholarshipOwl has a free edition, it’s worth considering for current students. But be careful with your money. Don’t upgrade unless you’re convinced you need some extra help.
ScholarshipOwl Review
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Pricing and Fees
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Ease of Use
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Customer Service
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Availability of Scholarships
Overall
Summary
ScholarshipOwl is a scholarship search engine website that can help you find and apply to college scholarships.
Pros
- Find an apply to college scholarships
Cons
- Doesn’t have many smaller scholarships listed
Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page, or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.
He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared towards anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.
He has been quoted in major publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Fox, ABC, NBC, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.