1. Consult the financial aid office: The largest amount of financial aid comes from federal, state, and institutional grants and tuition discounts. The financial aid office at the college you plan to attend can help you find
information on the available scholarships, grants, and loans according to your needs and background.

2. Contact your academic department: If you have already decided on a
major, your academic department may be aware of awards designated for
students in your area of study. The student aid office does not always have information on available scholarships on these highly specific programs, so be sure to check both.

3. Use Naviance or other free scholarship search engines: Online
searches help you focus on scholarships that fit your personal characteristics, helping you target your search to only those scholarships for which you are most likely to qualify. Some sites bombard users with promotional scholarships that turn out to be advertisements in disguise, however, so make sure you know what you are signing up for when you give personal information.

4. Never assume: Don’t believe that because you don’t have straight A’s and can’t shoot a 3-pointer, there’s nothing available for you. There are
scholarships available based on hobbies, interests, background, financial
need, etc. Again, you may use Naviance or other free scholarship search
engines to find these opportunities.

5. Write the essay: No one likes to write essays, so use that to your
advantage. Scholarships that require essays receive fewer applicants, giving you a better chance of qualifying. Keep copies of all the application materials you submit; often essays and other application materials can be tweaked and used again for future applications. Be sure to thoroughly proofread before submitting each application.

6. Stack up the small scholarships: Studies show that families often
overlook scholarships that are less than $500. You may be thinking these
awards won’t even make a dent in your college costs, but adding up small
awards can prove to be a benefit in your scholarship quest.

7. Apply early: The best time to apply is early in the fall. Waiting too long can result in missed deadlines. Seniors should start filling out applications tomeet the early or mid-fall application deadlines. Don’t wait to be accepted to a college to research and apply for private scholarships. If you don’t receive a scholarship this time around, don’t get discouraged. Most scholarships are not limited to freshmen; you may have better luck the following year.

8. Don’t get scammed: The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers
about scholarship scams, which promise that, for a fee, they can help
families access more student aid. Similar scams charge students high
scholarship search or application fees. According to the FTC, “Most
scholarship sponsors do not charge up-front fees to apply for funding, and no legitimate scholarship sponsor can guarantee that you will win an award.” The financial aid office at your college can help you apply for student aid, and free scholarship searches are available online.