I'm all about finding resources that can help make college more affordable. Are there specific places to look for free scholarships and grants that might not be super competitive to land?
Absolutely, there are a variety of resources available where you can look for less competitive scholarships and grants.
First, make sure you're applying for financial aid through FAFSA. Some students assume they won't qualify and don't apply, which means they can miss out on federal grants and work study opportunities.
Next, check out your school's financial aid office. They often have information on institutional scholarships that are exclusively for students attending your school, and may be less competitive as a result.
Don't forget about local scholarships either. These can be awarded by community organizations, high schools, local businesses, and so on. Since they're only open to a local pool of students, competition for these is usually less fierce.
For a broader search, there are several scholarship search platforms such as Fastweb, Scholarship.com, and Appily (formerly Cappex). They list numerous opportunities and you can filter them based on your qualifications.
Lastly, think about any distinctive qualities, characteristics or talents you have. There are scholarships available for all kinds of unique attributes including hobbies, career interests, backgrounds, etc.
Keep in mind that every bit helps and small scholarships can add up. So even though a scholarship may appear to be small on the surface, if you can win a few of them, it can make quite a difference.
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