The average student working fast food might be able to pull down $8 an hour. Add a couple bucks to that pay rate if you are toiling away in retail at the Mall. Waiters might make off with some hefty tips, but there is an easier way to dent that USM tuition bill than flipping burgers, folding clothes, or balancing trays.
The USM General Scholarship takes just a couple hours to fill out, and pays out an average of $1000, meaning a respectable $500 an hour if you qualify for one of the 35 scholarships the application includes.
“An embarrassingly small percentage of students even apply for these scholarships,” said Lawrence Bliss, Director of Career Services and Professional Life Development. “That means the probability of receiving a scholarship if you apply is fairly high.”
The scholarships are open to all students who have completed at least one semester at USM, which excludes only first semester freshmen or transfer students.
Many of the scholarships require at least a 3.00 GPA, although there are some merit-based, taking an applicant’s background or achievements into consideration along with their academic performance.
“One or two are designed for women, one gives preference to students of Italian-American decent, and a few are for specific class levels,” said Bliss, “none are strictly based on financial need.”
The application requires a resume, and a two-page essay, and can usually be completed in about two hours.
Because some the scholarships are funded by USM endowment – much of which is tied up in investments – a tougher economy could mean less money to go around. “The return on those investments is significantly reduced, and therefore, the money available for scholarships is reduced,” said Bliss.
However, many of the scholarships covered under the general application are funded by individuals who “appreciate the quality of students here, and provide funds year after year to make sure that their scholarship continues,” according to Bliss.
Any USM student taking six credits and above can qualify for the scholarships, regardless of how many years they have been enrolled at USM. “We don’t ask how long they’ve been students,” says Bliss. “We understand that lots of students are full-time workers, trying to raise families, and juggle lots of other things.”
The USM General Scholarship requires five copies of all application materials to be turned in by 4:30 Friday, February 27th, at 100 Payson Smith Hall.