College Scholarship Searches

By: Jennifer Bailey

Because of the rising cost of college tuition, more and more students have to apply for scholarships to augment their financial aid package. Luckily, there are many college scholarship sources available. The government, private companies, individuals, and nonprofit organizations grant scholarships, and there are many ways to access information about how to apply..

Using college scholarship search engines

Log on to free online scholarship databases and research websites. These very powerful tools can save you time and money by matching your profile to hundreds of scholarships that you may be eligible for. College scholarship search engines are continuously updated, making access to the latest grants and aids always available for free on the Internet.

Other sources

Pay a visit to local fire and police departments and to local civic and community organizations in your area – they may be offering college scholarships. Most state governments also give financial help to in-state students, so make sure to take advantage of local resources.

Many of the best scholarship programs are offered to students with extraordinary talents and interests in fields such as music, writing, community service and science, to name a few. You don’t have to have very high grades to qualify for these scholarships – a GPA of about 2.0 is all that is needed. You will be judged on your character, background and statement as to why you feel qualified to receive the grant.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that you can maximize your chances of winning a scholarship by putting your time and efforts into just one or two specific programs. Remember that applying for college scholarships is largely a numbers game – so the more scholarships you apply for, the better your chances of winning one or more of them.