Local scholarships are scholarships from local donors, including:

• Community Organizations

• Local Banks

• Churches

• Student/Parent Employers

• Booster Clubs

• Memorial Foundations

Local scholarships may be offered only to FDSH students, or they could be offered to any graduating seniors in the Fort Dodge area.

Many local scholarships are due Monday, February 3rd, 2025. However, scholarship due dates vary. Be mindful of due dates.

Students may apply for scholarships by filling out either the general FDSH application form, or the required special form.

Some scholarships use the general application form, while others require a special form. You will find this information on the scholarship packet given at the Senior Meetings. You can find the special form online, or ask Gail in the Counseling Office for a copy.

We encourage you to spend the majority of your time applying for local scholarships, as there is a smaller applicant pool, which increases the likelihood you will receive a scholarship.

Students can also apply for state and national scholarships. However, students are no longer competing with just their graduating class or area students, but all graduates in Iowa or the United States. The applicant pool is much larger, so the likelihood of receiving a scholarship is lower.

Prioritize local scholarships first, then use the resources below to help locate state/national scholarships you may be eligible for.

• fastweb: The Iowa Student Aid Commission encourages this scholarship search tool. Students can enter information about themselves and it will give them free information about scholarships they are eligible for.

• Scholarships.com: Since 1998, this free scholarship search tool has been a valuable resource for finding money for college, with more than 3,000 scholarship sources worth up to $3 billion. It's privacy practices have been approved by both TRUST and BBB.

There are other websites available as well. If a website asks you to pay money to use it, do NOT use that website. There are plenty of great scholarship websites that students can use free of charge.

Institutional Scholarships: Students can also go to their college's website to see which scholarships are available to them through their institution.

Letters of Recommendation: Some scholarships require one or more letters of recommendation to apply. Be sure to give your writers ample time to write their letter, and give them a copy of your "brag sheet" (below) to help them write their letter.

Student "Brag Sheet": The brag sheet is a sheet that compiles all of your successes, achievements, awards, and extracurriculars that you have earned or participated in during high school. This tool is helpful both for your writers when they write a letter of recommendation for you, and also to use when creating a resume for college or a job.

Scholarship Essay Tips: Some scholarships require students to write an essay and submit with their application. Don't be afraid of the essay! It's not as bad as you think, and less people apply for these scholarships, which increases your likelihood of earning the scholarship.