It is no secret that the cost of college makes it unaffordable for many families. If you are smart and know where to look, however, you can wind up with many scholarships that will pay your way through.
Look Locally
Most students, if they apply for scholarships at all, apply for large national scholarships. The problem with this is that these scholarships, while large, have a tremendous amount of competition who are also trying to earn them. In comparison, local scholarships by local groups and businesses are easier to obtain.
Start with local chapters of service organizations, such as the Lions Club or the Rotary Club. Local businesses often sponsor scholarships as well. You can check with your local chamber of commerce, town hall and the community pages of your local newspaper to learn about local scholarships.
Make Your Major Work for You
Niche scholarships can be plentiful. Basically, these scholarships are only open to students who wish to study in certain areas, making them easier to win. So if you will be studying banking, then check the banking industry for available scholarships. Are you interested in botany? Check with botanical associations.
Employer Contributions
Many companies have scholarships available to their employees or the families of their employees. Check with your current employers to see if there are any scholarships available. Sometimes these scholarships are even available to students doing internships, so do your research as soon as possible. It might be worth taking on an internship or even volunteer work in order to qualify for a scholarship.
Corporate Contests
Did you know that the makers of Tylenol and Wells Fargo offer scholarship contests? Sometimes all you have to do is complete an open book test. While for many of these contests it is more a matter of luck than smarts to win, the opportunity is there, so take advantage of it.