Where can college students find awards and scholarships?

I'm on the lookout for scholarships and awards as I plan for college. Does anyone have advice on how to track down these opportunities? Are there certain platforms or organizations that are more student-friendly?

Definitely! There exist a multitude of search platforms that can help you to uncover scholarships suited to your profile. One of the first checkpoints should be your intended college's financial aid office. Many universities have school-specific scholarships that they offer to their students.

Online platforms like Scholarship.com and Fastweb are a great resource. They aggregate scholarships from various organizations, and you can tailor your search based on your academic interests, career goals, extracurriculars, and personal background. When using these platforms, ensure you're thorough with your profile setup as it can help you identify opportunities tailored to you.

Chegg is another platform worth exploring; it not only offers textbook solutions and study resources but also lists scholarships. Appily (formerly known as Cappex) maintains a robust scholarship database and can match you to awards based on your academic profile.

In addition to internet-based search, remember to look into local organizations. Community foundations, local businesses, or civic groups often provide scholarships for students from the area. Ask your guidance counselor if they know of any local scholarships you might apply for.

Also, don't overlook smaller awards. Big scholarships can be more competitive, but smaller awards (under $1,000) can add up and are often less competitive.

Finally, always be on the lookout out for scams. Legitimate scholarship applications should never ask you to spend money or provide unnecessary personal information.

Keep these tips in mind as you commence your scholarship search. Best of luck!