I've been digging into a report by the National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA) - the membership group for folks who give out scholarships -  and discovered some interesting facts you should know.

First, do you understand the difference between Eligibility criteria and Award criteria?  Eligibility criteria are the minimum characteristics that you must meet to APPLY for a scholarship.  This is usually listed on the cover sheet or in a short description about the scholarships.  Many students assume that they will be judged based on that criteria.  However, if you dig a little deeper, you will find that the award criteria are the categories used to JUDGE WHO WINS the scholarship. 

According to the report by NSPA, almost half of sponsors list their main eligibility criteria and "other" which might include your  age, organizational affiliations, citizenship, disability, etc.  The next most common were intended major/career, in-state/local and academics. 

When it comes to judging applications, NSPA members most often cited 1) Academics, 2) Service and 3) Need.  However, when asked to rank what was most important, the sponsors replied as follows:

1. Academics (42%)
2. Other (20%)
3. Talent (17%)
4. Activities (13%)
5. Need (6%)
6. Athletics (1%)
7. Service (1%)

What can you learn from these sponsors of private scholarships?  That while your activities, need and volunteer work are important to a well-balanced application, academics is the top criteria.