First Year

As a first year student, you have so many options available to you that it can be tough to know where to begin. If you are interested in prestigious scholarships, there are plenty of things you can start doing now to prepare for your future applications. Prestigious scholarships are incredibly competitive, but if you start preparing early it will put you in a good position to win! Start by:

• Taking courses that will develop your academic interests and provide clarity for your career goals.
• Getting to know your advisors and faculty who can provide mentoring and build a relationship that will allow faculty and advisors to support your applications with a letter of recommendation.
• Getting involved with research opportunities by working with the Undergraduate Research Center (URC) and by researching and contacting labs you would like to research in.
• Joining campus clubs or volunteering with service organizations – especially engage in meaningful opportunities that develop your leadership and correspond to your interests.
• Visiting the Career Center for guidance on resumes. Build a detailed resume of your activities, awards, research, etc. 
• Scheduling an appointment with the prestigious scholarships advisor to discuss career goals, identify suitable scholarships, and to develop a plan to strengthen your application.

Prestigious scholarships you can apply for:

• David L. Boren (NSEP)  (summer is for STEM applicants only)
• NIH Undergraduate
• SMART
• Critical Language scholarships
• Fulbright US-UK Summer Institute

Planning for next year:

Look at the Barry M. Goldwater, DAAD Rise, NOAA Hollings, or Udall scholarships and decide if you will apply as a second-year student. Goldwater scholars will have a demonstrated record of research involvement and will be working towards a solution for a problem in their field.