Scholarships for undergraduates/pre-meds/science majors?

[Carmiche]

Hi all,

Did a quick search on this and it didn't turn anything up, but sorry if this has been discussed before.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any scholarships that exist for the general body of undergraduates or pre-meds or science majors. I have been searching around but can't seem to find any that aren't for really niche groups such as "african americans who live in X county", "native americans in the state of ohio", etc. My school is a small LAC that doesn't have many scholarships besides the typical merit-based ones that freshman applicants receive based on high school stats.

Thanks!

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[deleted393595]

Goldwater is a good one!

 

[Carmiche]

Goldwater is a good one!

Thanks! I'll check it out.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Hi all,

Did a quick search on this and it didn't turn anything up, but sorry if this has been discussed before.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any scholarships that exist for the general body of undergraduates or pre-meds or science majors. I have been searching around but can't seem to find any that aren't for really niche groups such as "african americans who live in X county", "native americans in the state of ohio", etc. My school is a small LAC that doesn't have many scholarships besides the typical merit-based ones that freshman applicants receive based on high school stats.

Thanks!

Depends a lot on your strengths. Do they lie in research? Service and altruism? Leadership? Do you have experience doing significant things abroad?

Goldwater ie is the best of the best and built for those with a serious interest in making research a significant part of their career. Only those with top research experience and grades even apply ( talking like 3.85+)

 

[Carmiche]

Depends a lot on your strengths. Do they lie in research? Service and altruism? Leadership? Do you have experience doing significant things abroad?

Goldwater ie is the best of the best and built for those with a serious interest in making research a significant part of their career. Only those with top research experience and grades even apply ( talking like 3.85+)

Strengths are definitely research, academics, and leadership. Should have 2 publications in clinical research by the end of this summer (going to be a sophomore in the fall), currently have a 4.0 GPA, and 3 leadership positions in various organizations. I have a lot of shadowing hours + hospital volunteer hours, but nothing extraordinary that would really make me stand out.

Although I do have a strong research background and plan on continuing to do clinical research throughout my career, I do not plan to get a MD/PhD. I went through the list of Goldwater scholars from the past two years and every single one listed their career aspirations as MD/PhD, PharmD/PhD, or PhD.

 

[GiveMeThatMD]

Fastweb is always a great one, too! It has an incredible array of scholarships that you can narrow down to specifics. The more in-depth you make your information, the more scholarships it's able to find.

 

[Carmiche]

Fastweb is always a great one, too! It has an incredible array of scholarships that you can narrow down to specifics. The more in-depth you make your information, the more scholarships it's able to find.

Have you had any success with these scholarships?

 

[GiveMeThatMD]

Have you had any success with these scholarships?

I actually have! One so far. It was very specific to parents within Law Enforcement/Sheriff's Department, though. The downfall surely is the sheer magnitude of people who apply for the scholarships. Kind of a rough analogy, but similar to a lottery, someone has to win.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Fastweb is always a great one, too! It has an incredible array of scholarships that you can narrow down to specifics. The more in-depth you make your information, the more scholarships it's able to find.

This is true. This is a resource to definitely look into

 

[GrapesofRath]

Strengths are definitely research, academics, and leadership. Should have 2 publications in clinical research by the end of this summer (going to be a sophomore in the fall), currently have a 4.0 GPA, and 3 leadership positions in various organizations. I have a lot of shadowing hours + hospital volunteer hours, but nothing extraordinary that would really make me stand out.

Although I do have a strong research background and plan on continuing to do clinical research throughout my career, I do not plan to get a MD/PhD. I went through the list of Goldwater scholars from the past two years and every single one listed their career aspirations as MD/PhD, PharmD/PhD, or PhD.

Goldwater is for those who intend to thoroughly pursue research for a career. ive met multiple people who write on their application they intend to pursue an MD/PhD(because honestly it's often advised regardless of how true it is that just putting down MD as your goal can affect your chances) but ultimately end up MDs. While there are many people who think they'll do MD/PhD but come time to apply actually realize an MD is the better move this is certainly a rather questionable ethical move and one I wouldn't endorse

You obviously are off to a nice start. While these awards for pre meds are often awarded for those who had basic science research experience Im sure there are people who have stuck with clinical work that have been able to warrant consideration for the award as well( one of my good friends got the award as an indistrial engineer doing IE research----hence it is a rather flexible award in that sense)

 

[bengirlxD]

You can also check out the Tylenol Scholarship. And if you are a newly naturalized citizen, there is the New American Scholarship which pays about 20,000 for two years I believe.

 

[md-2020]

Goldwater is exceptionally tough to get though, just getting your university's rec is tough (about 4 spots for 100 applicants at my undergrad)

 

[Carmiche]

You can also check out the Tylenol Scholarship. And if you are a newly naturalized citizen, there is the New American Scholarship which pays about 20,000 for two years I believe.

Deadline was June 30th . will definitely apply next year though.

Thanks for this!

 

[ruedjgtc]

I didn't find many premed scholarships, but there are a lot of research ones like people have listed. I think the best place to start is contacting your school's Office of Undergraduate research (or something analogous to that), and see what you already qualify for (might require poster presentations etc). If you already have a lab it's much easier to get money, and it sounds like your sort of do.

I used to work in an office of undergraduate research, so my advice is to read the requirements before being upfront about your MD goals. As someone mentioned when people openly declare their MD plans it may give them less priority in certain types of scholarships. But, this is only because that money came from a larger grant, and in the grant it said it would target STEMS majors and try to increase PhD post graduate applications by X%. So, that money is earmarked for research/PhD bound students. The reciprocal is also true, premed money doesn't go to pure research people either. With that said, plenty of people 'started' as interested in research and 'later' decided to apply to medical school — though I'm sure it's not written that way on their AMCAS application. Research stipends start off small, don't expect to get 10K (unless you have a grand idea/design, i.e. NIH like money) but do expect training, a few K, and a travel stipend/lodging etc. I caught on late, but at the tail end of my college career I noticed it's pretty easy to pick up a few grants here and there by just doing stuff you were already doing in your lab anyways. More established PIs will know where a lot of the low hanging fruit is for your situation.

Good luck!

 

[Carmiche]

I didn't find many premed scholarships, but there are a lot of research ones like people have listed. I think the best place to start is contacting your school's Office of Undergraduate research (or something analogous to that), and see what you already qualify for (might require poster presentations etc). If you already have a lab it's much easier to get money, and it sounds like your sort of do.

I used to work in an office of undergraduate research, so my advice is to read the requirements before being upfront about your MD goals. As someone mentioned when people openly declare their MD plans it may give them less priority in certain types of scholarships. But, this is only because that money came from a larger grant, and in the grant it said it would target STEMS majors and try to increase PhD post graduate applications by X%. So, that money is earmarked for research/PhD bound students. The reciprocal is also true, premed money doesn't go to pure research people either. With that said, plenty of people 'started' as interested in research and 'later' decided to apply to medical school — though I'm sure it's not written that way on their AMCAS application. Research stipends start off small, don't expect to get 10K (unless you have a grand idea/design, i.e. NIH like money) but do expect training, a few K, and a travel stipend/lodging etc. I caught on late, but at the tail end of my college career I noticed it's pretty easy to pick up a few grants here and there by just doing stuff you were already doing in your lab anyways. More established PIs will know where a lot of the low hanging fruit is for your situation.

Good luck!

Unfortunately my school does not have an office of undergrad research or anything similar. I go to a small LAC with not too much research going on. I should be in a lab next semester, though. I will ask my PI if she knows of any after i get started in the lab.

Thanks for the advice!