Chloe Taft wished she had known about the LLCC Foundation Scholarships.

“I didn’t even know that was a thing,” said Chloe Taft.

Taft’s twin sister, Mia Taft, was one of the many students who had received this scholarship.

“I would’ve applied for scholarships, but I didn’t have enough time,” Chloe Taft said. “I was originally going to attend UIS, but decided to go where Mia was planning on attending.”

Chloe Taft wished she would’ve been informed of this scholarship earlier, that way she wouldn’t have to worry about student fees to come in the future.

Student loans, books and school supplies carry a hefty bill for students, so Lincoln Land offers a variety of scholarships to new and returning students. However, many students don’t apply for all the scholarships available.

“There’s so many untapped scholarships that students never apply for,” said Michelle Burger, scholarship program and alumni services administrator.

While many are national scholarships, Burger spoke about how more students need to take advantage of the Lincoln Land Foundation Scholarship program, which she administers.

The foundation scholarships provide funds for books and classes and can be used for rent, gas and food.

“I applied last year for all different types of scholarships, and I didn’t receive any. I couldn’t use FASFA because I made ‘too much money,’ and so I just decided to use student loans,” said sophomore student, Carolyn Baldwin.

Baldwin has been attending Lincoln Land for two years now and wasn’t told either by faculty that this scholarship was a realistic option.

LLCC student Alicia Blood was informed by one of her high school teachers that she should apply for it.

“I applied for as many scholarships as I could for financial reasonings. I had earned the ‘Dr. Pilapil Award’ last year and was granted $500, and this year, I was awarded for the ‘Foundation Scholarship,’” Blood said.

To apply, you can either do it online or have an administrator assist you in the financial aid resources office. It takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes, and all you have to do is write a personal essay on yourself and why you chose Lincoln Land to be your alma mater.

“I feel like some students don’t feel worthy enough to apply for such a generous scholarship,” Burger said. “Students say that they feel as though they’re taking away someone’s scholarship, so they tend to stick with what FASFA gives to them.”

They award about 50 percent of the students who applied, with an average award of $1,500.

“I don’t understand why students won’t write a personal essay,” Burger said.

The earlier you apply for scholarships, the better. It shows that you care about your schooling and gives the impression to the staff that you are ready to receive such a gracious award, Burger said.

“I was awarded the ‘Foundation Scholarship’ last year, but this year I decided not to because of how time-consuming it was trying to write about myself. It helped a lot, but I couldn’t handle the stress of trying to get in a good essay on time,” stated sophomore student, Madison Wagner.

Overall, this scholarship is very helpful not only for financial reasons but for peace of mind as well. Students can use the money for housing expenses, gas to and from school and food.

Lincoln Land’s Scholarship and Alumni Services Coordinator, Michelle Burger, among many other faculty members, highly suggest you take some time out of your day to apply for this scholarship.