When most students hear “College Board” they think of long tests, hard desks, and lots of stress. However, what if you could get a little back from the exploitative “”Not-for-profit” (they made $139,917,497 in profits alone in 2017, but that’s another story) company? Starting in your junior year, you have access to their new program for Opportunity Scholarships. This can help you earn up to $40,000 towards your educational pursuits.

To break it down, you get 6 chances at a $500 scholarship. To get entered into these drawings you simply have to do steps towards college admission that you are probably already doing. From creating a college list to filling out the FAFSA®, the steps toward earning these scholarships are easy and beneficial to you whether you earn the scholarships or not.

I personally won the $500 scholarship for “Practice” for completing one Diaganostic Quiz on the  Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy®. I was looking for a good way to study for the SAT and Khan Academy is known for their personalized lesson plans for students. By doing something I should have already been doing (studying), I was able to earn an admission to the $500 scholarship drawing. After that, it’s simply up to chance. However, with them awarding 500 Opportunity Scholarships every month in January, February, and March for just this one of the 6 mini scholarships, the odds aren’t completely out of your favor. 

Additionally, if your family’s income falls under $60,000 a year you earn an additional entry to the drawing. This is to give the students who need the money most a little bit more of a chance. However, its amiable that the scholarships are not limited to students with financial need, but instead allow all students a chance at the scholarship. 

You might be wondering about what happened to that $40,000 scholarship mentioned earlier. The $500 ones are much easier to obtain (seriously- if I can do it you can do it) and given out much more frequently. However, if you complete each of the 6 steps in the Opportunity Scholarship program -in addition to 6 chances at earning $500- you also get entered into the big drawing for $40,000. For the class of 2020, the College Board awarded 25 students this large sum of scholarship money. There’s a lot less likelihood of getting this one, but you never know.

The students who received the $40,000 scholarship are announced in March, so seniors get ready! And underclassman, don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity. Log in to your College Board and make sure you’ve signed up to be included in this program! 

https://opportunity.collegeboard.org/home