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Gen Z college students are looking for scholarships on TikTok. There's a better way, experts say

Cnbc · · 682 words · By Annie Nova
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/22/gen-z-students-scholarships-tiktok.html

fact_checkFact-Check Results

9 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 3
verified Verified By Reference 3
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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“Around 1 in 5 Gen Z students search for scholarships on TikTok at least once a week, according to a recent survey from the private student lender Sallie.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web search results confirm the specific statistic (1 in 5 Gen Z students) and the source (Sallie/Fractl survey).
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Masters of Scale is a business podcast and media brand owned and produced by WaitWhat, the media company founded and led by former TED executives June Cohen and Deron Triff. In 2017, Masters of Scale …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_Scale
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Events of the year 2024 in England.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_in_England
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web search NEUTRAL — A 2020 survey conducted by the Center for Generational Kinetics, on 1,000 members of Generation Z and 1,000 Millennials, suggests that Generation Z still would like to travel, despite the COVID-19 pan…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Z
+ 2 more evidence sources
verified
“Roughly 1 in 3 students who used the platform to find scholarships believe they encountered misleading scholarship content.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While evidence discusses misleading content on TikTok generally (mental health), no evidence was found specifically regarding the 1 in 3 statistic for scholarship content.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The short-form video-hosting service TikTok was under a de jure nationwide ban in the United States from January 19, 2025, until January 22, 2026, due to the US government's concerns over potential u…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efforts_to_ban_TikTok_in_the_U…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — TikTok is a social media and short-form online video platform. It hosts user-submitted videos, which range in duration from three seconds to 60 minutes. It can be accessed through a mobile app or thro…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — TikTok Shop is an e-commerce feature of the video hosting service TikTok. Officially launched in September 2023, the feature enables users interested in starting a business and generating income to up…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok_Shop
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“For the 2025-2026 school year, the average price for a private, nonprofit college — including tuition, fees, housing and food — is $60,920, up from $58,500 the prior year, according to the College Board.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of dictionary definitions and general Wikipedia pages on the College Board and endowments, but does not contain the specific cost figures for 2025-2026.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board. AP offers undergraduate university-level curricula and examinations to high school students. Colleges…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Placement
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Board of Peace (BoP), or the Peace Board, is an international organization with the stated purpose of promoting peacebuilding around the world. Established by President Donald Trump and led by th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Board_of_Peace
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Many colleges and universities in the United States maintain a financial endowment consisting of assets that are invested in financial securities, real estate, and other instruments. The investment yi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colleges_and_universit…
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“At four-year, in-state public colleges, the total cost is $25,850, up from $24,920 in 2024-2025.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence provided contains general information about the Ivy League and a specific cost for UCLA, but does not confirm the general average for four-year in-state public colleges for the specified years.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term via the Electoral College. Under the U.S. Constitution, the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_Unit…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is the definite article in English. The, or THE, may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_(disambiguation)
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“More than $6 billion in scholarships are awarded to college students each year, according to an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data by Kantrowitz.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results attribute the 'more than $6 billion' figure to Mark Kantrowitz's analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.
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web search NEUTRAL — More than $6 billion in scholarships are awarded to college students each year, according to an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data by higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. To begin, scho…
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/business/money-report/6-bill…
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web search NEUTRAL — College Scholarships Statistics. Written by Mark Kantrowitz | Updated October 11, 2021. Each year, more than 1.7 million private scholarships and fellowships are awarded, with a total value of more th…
https://www.savingforcollege.com/article/college-scholarship…
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web search NEUTRAL — “He is an exemplary model of students supported by the Center’s programs.” Mr. Kantrowitz, President of Cerebly, Inc., is a nationally recognized expert on student financial aid, scholarships, college…
https://www.cee.org/newsevents/press-releases/congratulation…
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“The U.S. Department of Labor also offers a free scholarship search tool”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the existence of a free scholarship search tool, specifically mentioning the U.S. Department of Labor and Federal Student Aid.
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web search NEUTRAL — Scholarships can help pay for college or career school, and don't have to be repaid. Find scholarships using Federal Student Aid's free scholarship search tool.
https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/scholarships
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web search NEUTRAL — Join Us on Social Media Strengthening America's workforce. Sharing stories, news and info on U.S. workers, jobs, employment, safety and regulations.
https://www.dol.gov/
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web search NEUTRAL — The U.S. Department of Labor provides a scholarship search tool that allows you to search by award type, state of residence, level of study, and special categories such as race, disabilities, etc.
https://www.accessandequity.org/u-s-department-of-labor-scho…
info
“just around 1 in 8 college students has won a scholarship, Kantrowitz found.”
SINGLE SOURCE
One source mentions Kantrowitz's data regarding $6.1 billion awarded to 1.58 million recipients, but the specific '1 in 8' ratio is not explicitly corroborated across multiple independent sources in the provided text.
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web search NEUTRAL — Mark Kantrowitz, publisher and vice president of research for Savingforcollege.com has a real talent for breaking down all the college scholarship statistics. He writes, “A total of $6.1 billion in sc…
https://www.interviewcoachingsolutions.com/interview-coach-i…
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web search NEUTRAL — Students held a demonstration calling for lower tuition at Hunter College in the Manhattan borough of New York, Nov. 12, 2015.Kantrowitz’s data might be a bit old, but the numbers may be significant e…
https://www.ibtimes.com/who-pays-millennials-college-degrees…
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web search NEUTRAL — "Forgiving their student loans will free Morehouse College graduates to pursue their goals," Kantrowitz said.The Federal Reserve has found that a 10% increase in student debt decreases a person's like…
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/20/without-student-debt-morehou…
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“The average award is roughly $5,000.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence shows individual scholarships that are 'up to $5,000' or ranges of $2,500-$5,000, but does not provide a general average award amount for all scholarships.
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web search NEUTRAL — Award amounts fit within the national scholarship range of ARS $800,000–$3,200,000 per year. University Scholarships.Average scholarship awards range from ARS $800,000 to ARS $3,200,000 per year. Many…
https://www.educations.com/countries/argentina/scholarships
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web search NEUTRAL — Scholarship Details Award amount: Up to $5,000 Open to students pursuing a degree relevant to the tag, label, and/or package printing industry Applicable to two-year, four-year, and vocational degree …
https://www.scholarships.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Funeral services foundation scholarship award amount: $2,500 - $5,000 eligibilityThe application deadline is the last day of each quarter (March, June, September and December) and winners will be noti…
https://asumh.edu/pages/main/393/other-scholarships
help
“Just 0.1% of undergraduate students receive $25,000 or more in scholarships.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found for this claim in the provided search results.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.