1. Colleges and Universities: The schools that you’ve applied to have a large variety of scholarships for admitted students. Most of the time, once your FAFSA is submitted, based on your need, along with you GPA, you’ll automatically be put into a pool to receive scholarships. However, that doesn’t mean you should stop there. If you know what you plan to major in, contact that department at each school and see if they offer scholarships to incoming freshmen. Leave no stone unturned!
2. Your high school counselor: Your guidance/college counselor is a super hero when it comes to scholarships! Reach out to your counselor to see what scholarship opportunities have come across their desk. What’s great is that most of these scholarship opportunities will be local, which usually means the amount of students applying won’t be as high as a national scholarship.
3. Local organizations and businesses: While they may not be advertised as much, local organizations and businesses in your community often offer scholarships. Be sure to check with your local banks, churches and even your parents’ place of employment to see if any scholarships are available.
4. The World Wide Web: The internet is a magical place where you can find information on anything, including scholarships! Don’t be afraid to look for scholarships online but DO be aware of scams. Any site that charges for scholarship searches isn’t the real deal and you should steer clear. Collegeboard.com, Unigo.com (formerly ScholarshipExperts.com), and Fastweb.com are great places to begin your scholarship search.