How can children apply for scholarships for college?

I'm curious about the scholarships available for kids moving into college. What are some of the top scholarships that a high school junior like myself could be looking at right now?

There are numerous scholarships available for high school juniors, and they can cover a wide range of criteria like academic achievement, community service, or special talents. A great way to find scholarships is to use scholarship databases. Tools like Appily, College Board's Scholarship Search, and Fastweb are useful resources that can match you with scholarships based on things like your academic interests, demographic background, and extracurricular involvements.

A few top scholarships you might want to consider include:

1. Coca-Cola Scholars Program: It is a highly competitive program that awards 150 students each year with a $20,000 scholarship. You need a GPA of at least 3.0 to apply.

2. The Coolidge Scholarship: This is another merit scholarship that covers a student's tuition, room, and board for four years of undergraduate study. High school juniors planning to enroll in college after high school graduation can apply.

3. Reagan Foundation Scholarship: This program offers several scholarships, including the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship for high school seniors with leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship attributes.

4. National Merit Scholarship: This begins with taking the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall of your junior year. High-scorers can then be nominated for these prestigious scholarships.

In addition to these, don't forget about local opportunities – many community organizations, businesses, and foundations offer scholarships for local students. So, remember to also check with your high school counseling office for smaller, local scholarships that may have less competition.

Please remember, every scholarship has its own requirements and deadlines, so it’s critical to stay organized and submit all required materials by the due times. And never forget, scholarships are essentially free money for college, so every application is worth your time and effort!