As the senior class at GHS creeps closer to graduation, the pressure for finding financial aid and stable funding for tuition becomes increasingly important. Scholarships give students a valuable opportunity to relieve themselves of financial burdens. There are thousands of options available when it comes to applying for scholarships, so it’s important to become educated and familiar with what you can apply for and how it will benefit you. These opportunities bring students closer to achieving their academic goals without the stress of future debt.
Some seniors have taken advantage of the Greendale Schools Scholarships page when it was introduced to them at the beginning of the year.
“I started applying for scholarships towards the end of January. I mainly used the Greendale Schools Scholarship page. I qualified for the Greendale Panther Athletic Booster Club Scholarship, Polish Center of Wisconsin Scholarship, and the Canterbury PTO Scholarship,” senior Jacob Mlot, who plans to attend UW-Madison for legal studies, said.
“My top choices for schools right now are Dartmouth College, University of Michigan, and UW-Madison. I was applying for scholarships in the summer but I am still in the process of applying for other ones. I applied for all different scholarships, some are based on certain activities, academics, or just because I have Italian heritage. I received a Chick Evans scholarship which covers full tuition and housing,” senior Nick Galusha said.
Senior Kylee Swenski is becoming a Warhawk this fall, attending UW-Whitewater to major in business.
“I was fortunate enough to have my mom help me with the scholarship process, but also the Greendale’s scholarship website. It’s important to me that I apply to all scholarships I am eligible for because you never know which ones you’ll receive,” she said.
Guidance counselor Trish Matlock, is the one in charge of assisting students with their scholarship process and making sure that they succeed in their future goals.
“We provide seniors with scholarship information within the first week of school to get them to start early. Our scholarship website is very comprehensive. The website allows students to apply for more than one scholarship, with one, general application. All local scholarships, as well as those that are national that were sent to us, is a great place to start,” Matlock said.
Scholarships aren’t the only way families have been able to receive financial support to get their students through school such as military benefits or your parents work.
“My dad is an army veteran and qualifies for the Wisconsin GI Bill that pays for 8 semesters of college for veterans and their dependents. I will begin receiving my dads benefits when I turn 18,” said senior Emilia Anders. “The benefits cover UW schools or Wisconsin Tech schools so I plan on going to UW-Madison for statistics.”
“I started applying for scholarships in the middle of November. I applied for a Uline Scholarship. My mom works there so I would be eligible to get 10k a year if I get it. My top two choices for schools right now are Marquetter or Minnesota,” senior Carly Belter said.
The application process for scholarships can be confusing and stressful, so it’s important to reach out to your parents or teachers about where to start. Our guidance counselors at Greendale help guide the senior classes to success without worry.
“The local scholarships we have would be great for almost anyone. We have scholarships available for those going to tech schools, 4 year colleges, specific programs in college, scholarships specific to an elementary school in Greendale and more. Our goal is for the application process to be easy for our students,” Matlock said.
Scholarships offer high school students an opportunity to reach their goals without having to worry financially. Students are able to make a huge cut in their tuition by taking the time to research and apply for scholarships. Although the application process can be long and exhausting it helps teach students skills like managing your time better and self-advocacy. Taking advantage of these opportunities pave the way for a more affordable future in education.
