Tips for finding scholarships aimed at college admission?

I'm trying to understand how to find scholarships that will help with college admission (not just financial aid). What are the most effective techniques or platforms for discovering these opportunities?

You're right to be interested in scholarships, as they can lower the cost of college and, in some cases, provide valuable experiences that can enhance your college application. Here are a few tips:

1. Start Local: Oftentimes, local businesses, organizations, or even your high school may offer scholarships. These scholarships tend to have less competition since they're localized, making your chances of receiving the scholarship higher.

2. Use College and Career Centers: Counselors are valuable resources and may able to guide you to some scholarships that you might not have come across on your own. They may be aware of scholarships from alumni, local businesses, or organizations that regularly give to students from your school.

3. Use Online Scholarship Platforms: There are several databases where you can enter your information and they will match you with potential scholarships. Platforms such as Fastweb and Scholarship.com are popularly used. You might also want to look at Appily. You can provide information about your academic interests, extracurricular activities, and demographic information, and these platforms will connect you to scholarships that you might be eligible for.

4. Reach Out To Colleges: If you have a list of colleges you're interested in, check out their websites or reach out to the Admissions Office. They might have merit-based scholarships or scholarships based on specific attributes (like being a first-generation student or majoring in a certain field).

5. Professional Organizations and Companies: Professional organizations related to your field of interest might offer scholarships, apprenticeships, internships, or awards. For example, if you're interested in journalism, the Journalism Education Association awards scholarships to high school seniors interested in pursuing a career in journalism. Major companies like Coca-Cola, Burger King, and McDonald’s offer significant scholarships to high school students every year.

Remember that applying to scholarships is a numbers game - the more you apply to, the better your chances of winning. However, you should also focus on opportunities where you meet all the criteria and can provide strong, tailored applications. Good luck with your scholarship search!