Saffari was introduced to possible scholarship options by a supportive high school teacher
Guy began applying for scholarships after her first year at UBC and, over the next three years, she earned $50,000 in scholarships. What was most valuable, she says, was the peace of mind. “For me, the difference scholarships made was really being able to focus on my academics and my athletics,” she says. “It ultimately allowed me to work less during the school year.”
In high school, I worked from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Starbucks, went to class, and on some days worked at Hollister in the evenings. One of my teachers noticed me frequently running late to class and, when I explained why, she told me about scholarships and how many go unclaimed. She was the one who introduced me to the Bill 7 Award.
I want to pursue math and computer science, but I’ve heard that people’s interests often change in university. That used to worry me. If I pursue a particular subject and then I don’t like it, would I be able to afford to change my path? This scholarship makes that possible. It also made it possible for me to spend this summer building Teen Nerd Nite, which offers free programs that allow teens in my community to learn about the wonderful world of STEM, regardless of their circumstances.
If you’d read the article, or even just half of it, you could answer your own question.
The application process is daunting even if a parent helps their child with the application.
This is really good to know! My kids are growing up and we will certainly be searching for scholarship opportunities in a couple more years!