If you are a high school student, it is not too early to start the college scholarship search. In fact, with an essay required for many scholarships, a clever student will want to spread out the process over four years.
1. Start looking at places where you and your family belong:
- Do you belong to any club or organization that offers scholarships?
- Do you belong to a church that offers a scholarship to church-affiliated colleges?
- Do your parents belong to any organization that offers scholarships?
- Does your bank or credit have a scholarship program?
2. Sign up on national websites such as:
- Scholarships.com
- Fastweb.com
- zinch.com
- finaid.org (including a section for students 13 and under: http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/age13.phtml)
3. Look at your state’s website. Many have state-specific scholarships.
4. Look at these federal websites that lists scholarships or have scholarship information:
- http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c21963.htm
- http://www.careerinfonet.org/scholarshipsearch/ScholarshipCategory.asp?searchtype=category&nodeid=22
- http://studentaid.ed.gov/types/grants-scholarships/finding-scholarships
5. Go to the library
6. Pay attention to the newspaper for scholarships funded by community organizations, businesses big and small, occupational and professional organizations, non-profit organizations, civic groups, etc.
Lastly: Don’t pay for a scholarship search!
