Scholly: The App that Helps Students Find Scholarships

by Shannon Pender
Summer 2016 Intern

When I was applying to colleges, I remember looking through lists of scholarships, and eventually deciding that most just weren’t a great fit for me. It was simpler to take out loans than to spend so much time searching for the scholarships that were right for me.

This isn’t a unique problem. Scholarships that are a good fit are often hard to find.

Luckily, there are options out there to simplify the process for students. Sites like Fastweb.com and College Board allow students to use a customizable search engine to find scholarships that work for them. There’s one search engine, however, that has expanded past computers—and onto smartphones and tablets.

Enter the Scholly app: a new way for students to find scholarships. The app provides a convenient and highly customizable database of scholarships that students can scroll through while riding the bus, waiting for a friend or watching TV. Scholly matches students to a scholarship based on their eligibility in several categories, and even provides sample essays from past scholarship winners to assist in the drafting process.

One of Scholly’s founders, Christopher Gray, was inspired to create the app after a long and frustrating application process for scholarship money to attend Drexel University. He recently took his idea to ABC’s popular show Shark Tank, landing a $40,000 investment for 15 percent equity from “Sharks” Lori Greiner and Daymond John. Once the episode aired, Scholly held the top spot in the iOS App Store and Google Play store for over three weeks.

For many, college costs are no easy prospect, but students can now take advantage of the technology that exists to help them find and apply to scholarships with ease, providing them with a chance to lessen the pain of college debt.

Did You Know?
A caffeine addiction could help you pay for college. CoffeeForLess.com, an online coffee retailer, will award a coffee-lover up to $500 for books and supplies for writing an essay about their educational goals—while mentioning their love for coffee.