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Malanie
Student
Brandywine, Maryland
1
Question
Updated
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What is the best way to search for college scholarships to help pay for school?
I am a senior in high school, and looking to attend a 4 year college. I am looking for the best way to find resources to pay for college.
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1 answer
Victor R
Business Transformation Director
11
Answers
Millbury, Massachusetts
Updated
Victor’s Answer
Hi Melanie!
First of all, it is incredibly smart of you to start thinking about scholarships now. College can definitely be expensive, but there is a lot of free money out there if you know where to look. Searching for scholarships can feel overwhelming at first, but with a good strategy, you can make the process a whole lot easier and actually fun!
Helpful Hints for Your Scholarship Search
Finding the right scholarships is all about working smarter, not just harder. Here are some of the best ways to focus your search so you actually see results:
Start Local: National scholarships (like the huge ones sponsored by famous brands) are highly competitive because tens of thousands of students apply. Local scholarships offered by your town's Rotary club, local businesses, or community foundations often have far fewer applicants. Less competition means your chances of winning are much higher!
Audit Your Unique Traits: Scholarships are not just for straight-A students or star athletes. There are scholarships for almost everything—whether you love creating art, are passionate about a specific career path, or even if you are left-handed! Make a list of your hobbies, your family background, and your interests so you can search for niche opportunities.
Talk to Your School Counselor: Your high school guidance counselor is one of your best secret weapons. They usually keep a running list of local scholarships that past students from your high school have won, and they can point you directly toward the ones you are eligible for.
Recycle Your Essays: Do not write a brand-new essay for every single application. You will find that many scholarships ask very similar questions (e.g., "What is a challenge you have overcome?" or "How will this scholarship help you achieve your goals?"). Write two or three really strong core essays, and then just tweak them to fit different prompts.
The Best Free Scholarship Search Engines
There are plenty of platforms out there that will match you with scholarships. A golden rule to remember: never pay money to apply for a scholarship or to use a search engine! Here are some of the most reliable, completely free resources tailored for high schoolers:
BigFuture by College Board: This is a fantastic, trustworthy tool created by the same people who make the SAT. You can easily filter scholarships by your interests, background, and affiliations. They also have their own monthly scholarship drawings just for completing basic college-planning steps. https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/scholarship-search
Scholarships360: This site is highly rated because it manually vets all the scholarships it lists, which means you will not have to sift through as much spam or sketchy sweepstakes. They organize scholarships into really helpful, easy-to-read lists (like "Best Scholarships for High School Juniors" or "Best STEM Scholarships"). https://scholarships360.org/
Fastweb: One of the oldest and largest scholarship databases out there. Once you create a free profile, it acts like a matchmaker, pairing you with targeted scholarships based on your unique strengths and interests.
You are already taking the right first step just by asking this question. Stay organized, keep applying, and don't get discouraged if you don't win your first few!
Scholarships360: https://scholarships360.org/
Fastweb: https://www.fastweb.com/
BigFuture by College Board: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/scholarship-search
First of all, it is incredibly smart of you to start thinking about scholarships now. College can definitely be expensive, but there is a lot of free money out there if you know where to look. Searching for scholarships can feel overwhelming at first, but with a good strategy, you can make the process a whole lot easier and actually fun!
Helpful Hints for Your Scholarship Search
Finding the right scholarships is all about working smarter, not just harder. Here are some of the best ways to focus your search so you actually see results:
Start Local: National scholarships (like the huge ones sponsored by famous brands) are highly competitive because tens of thousands of students apply. Local scholarships offered by your town's Rotary club, local businesses, or community foundations often have far fewer applicants. Less competition means your chances of winning are much higher!
Audit Your Unique Traits: Scholarships are not just for straight-A students or star athletes. There are scholarships for almost everything—whether you love creating art, are passionate about a specific career path, or even if you are left-handed! Make a list of your hobbies, your family background, and your interests so you can search for niche opportunities.
Talk to Your School Counselor: Your high school guidance counselor is one of your best secret weapons. They usually keep a running list of local scholarships that past students from your high school have won, and they can point you directly toward the ones you are eligible for.
Recycle Your Essays: Do not write a brand-new essay for every single application. You will find that many scholarships ask very similar questions (e.g., "What is a challenge you have overcome?" or "How will this scholarship help you achieve your goals?"). Write two or three really strong core essays, and then just tweak them to fit different prompts.
The Best Free Scholarship Search Engines
There are plenty of platforms out there that will match you with scholarships. A golden rule to remember: never pay money to apply for a scholarship or to use a search engine! Here are some of the most reliable, completely free resources tailored for high schoolers:
BigFuture by College Board: This is a fantastic, trustworthy tool created by the same people who make the SAT. You can easily filter scholarships by your interests, background, and affiliations. They also have their own monthly scholarship drawings just for completing basic college-planning steps. https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/scholarship-search
Scholarships360: This site is highly rated because it manually vets all the scholarships it lists, which means you will not have to sift through as much spam or sketchy sweepstakes. They organize scholarships into really helpful, easy-to-read lists (like "Best Scholarships for High School Juniors" or "Best STEM Scholarships"). https://scholarships360.org/
Fastweb: One of the oldest and largest scholarship databases out there. Once you create a free profile, it acts like a matchmaker, pairing you with targeted scholarships based on your unique strengths and interests.
You are already taking the right first step just by asking this question. Stay organized, keep applying, and don't get discouraged if you don't win your first few!
Victor recommends the following next steps: