Finding Cash Scholarships for College

As a high school junior starting to plan for college, I'm curious about cash scholarships. How can I find cash scholarships that are available for college students? Any tips or resources would be really helpful!

It's a smart strategy to seek out cash scholarships early! There are many resources and approaches you can take to locate scholarships.

First, start with your guidance counselor at school or your college advisor if you have one. They will likely have a list of local and national scholarships for which previous students from your school have applied. Many communities and local organizations offer scholarships that often receive fewer applicants, which might increase your odds of landing one!

Next, check with the colleges you're interested in. Many schools have scholarships for incoming first-year students and specific departments might offer scholarships targeted toward certain majors or programs. When looking at college websites, check both the financial aid section and the admission section since they may have different lists of scholarships.

In terms of online resources, some popular scholarship search engines are Fastweb, Appily (previously Cappex), Scholarship.com, and Chegg Scholarships. You might want to look at the U.S. Department of Labor’s scholarship search tool as well. Create profiles on these sites to match with scholarships that fit your information and qualifications.

Be mindful that you should not pay for scholarship search services or for applying to scholarships. True scholarship opportunities do not require a fee.

Finally, don't forget to consider contests or competitions as well - some offer cash prizes or scholarships as their rewards. These can range from essay contests to science competitions, or even talent contests, like art or music. Ask your mentors or teachers if they know of any contests in your range of interest or proficiency.

It can take time to sort through options and complete applications, but tackling this process incrementally can alleviate the workload. Best of luck in your scholarship search!