How can high school freshman find college scholarships?

I'm currently a high school freshman and I want to start looking into college scholarships early. Does anyone know reliable sources or strategies to find scholarships I can apply for? Any advice or personal experiences would be helpful!

Curt, college admissions counselor

Prudent thinking! While many scholarships are intended for juniors and seniors, there is a range of scholarship opportunities that even freshman could apply for.

Here are a few ways you might like to consider:

1. Local scholarships: Begin with capitalizing on your local community. Many local businesses, clubs, and organizations provide scholarships for students in the area.

2. Talk to your school's guidance counselor: Your high school's college or guidance counselor can be a wealth of knowledge when it comes to scholarships. They may have information on scholarships that previous students have won.

3. Appily offers a scholarship search: Using a website like Appily can help you search for scholarships based on your profile and interests.

4. National scholarships: There are numerous national-level scholarships that, while competitive, can offer larger rewards (like the Carson Scholars Fund or the Americanism Essay Contest from the American Legion).

5. Explore your interests: Scholarships are often tied to specific segments or fields. If you have specific interests or career goals, look for scholarships in those areas. For instance, there are writing contests, science-fair type competitions, and even community service scholarships.

6. Set a regular scholarship searching time: Make it a regular habit to look for new scholarships. Some scholarships have very specific windows of opportunities, and staying attentive will ensure you don't miss out.

Remember to always be cautious of scholarship scams and never pay to apply for a scholarship. Keep focusing on your academics, extracurricular activities and leadership skills, as they often make a difference in scholarship awards!