First-gen student trying to navigate scholarships — I feel so lost 😰

[BenTiller]

I'm the first person in my family to go to college, and trying to figure out scholarships is like learning a new language. My parents can't help — they don't know what FAFSA is, let alone how to find scholarships. I'm completely on my own.

The Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid has a list of state programs , but honestly, reading through all the requirements is overwhelming. I qualify academically (3.8 GPA, 28 ACT) but I don't know if that's enough.

What I've found so far:

HELP Grant

• Covers full tuition and fees
• Requires 29 ACT (I have 28 — ONE POINT away. This hurts.)
• 3.5 GPA (I have that)
• Financial need (I definitely have that)

MESG (Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant)

• $2,500 per year
• Requires 29 ACT (again, one point!)
• 3.5 GPA (have it)

MTAG

• Up to $1,000 for upperclassmen
• Requires only 15 ACT (so I qualify)
• Need-based

So basically, because I missed the HELP cutoff by one ACT point, I'm looking at much less money. Is there any flexibility? Can I retake the ACT and apply later? The website says "priority deadline March 31" but I don't know if that's final.

Also, I keep seeing references to "institutional aid" — does that mean individual universities have their own scholarships? How do I find those? Do I have to apply separately for each school?

A friend mentioned that some Mississippi schools have scholarships specifically for Delta residents or first-gen students. Has anyone found these? I need to cast a wider net.

For other first-gen students: how did you figure this all out? Who helped you? I'm scared of missing deadlines or overlooking opportunities because I just don't know what I'm doing. Any advice is welcome.