Finding Scholarships to Pay for College

By Joe Taylor Jr.
Career Colleges Columnist

Your list of high school accomplishments and activities may have served you well in successfully applying to colleges. Before you retire your high school resume, however, use it to apply for scholarships that could help pay for college. All types of groups award scholarships, which can range from $50 to full college tuition. These merit-based competitions sometimes pay for college completely.

A good place to start looking for scholarships is your home state. States distribute money to help students pay for college. In addition, most schools manage their own scholarship funds, so your college admissions officer will be able to help you uncover additional scholarships.

Finding Private Sector College Scholarships

Many students mistakenly believe that they won't get scholarships unless they are the best student at their high school. As long as you have tried hard and done reasonably well in school, you may qualify for college scholarships sponsored by companies and organizations. You may also qualify based on where you live or what your major is.

Here are a few ways to find scholarships:

Talk to your guidance counselor. He or she may know about scholarships offered in your community. Churches, civic groups, and large corporations often offer scholarships.
Talk to your school. Most colleges offer scholarships, and the financial aid office can direct you to those for which you are eligible.
Ask your parents. Employers, social organizations, and local governments frequently provide scholarships to help pay for college. Your parents may qualify for these funds without even knowing it.
Check the Internet. Several Web sites will search scholarship databases for free after you fill out an online profile. You do not need to pay a service to find scholarships.

Apply for as many scholarships as you can. That will increase your odds of putting a dent in your college tuition bill.

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