School Scholarship Resources

High schools, colleges and universities have the inside track on many scholarships and grants.

The best place to begin looking for scholarships is at your high school, college, or university. Ask your teachers, guidance counselors, professors, administrators, and your financial aid office. Another good source for scholarship information is fellow students. Some students may be reluctant to share information with you but others will, especially if they know they can't get that particular scholarship themselves.

Take a look at your personal information and make a list of all positive aspects of your life, especially any clubs or organizations that you have belonged to or have been associated with. You should also list your goals, interests, and credentials. This will help when you talk to your counselors and other people who may be able to assist you in finding scholarships and grants.

Schools have many resources that are can help students track down scholarships that may be awarded to students in the local area. The scholarships may be given to students who go to your high school only. Scholarships may also be given to students who go to high schools located specifically in your city, county, or state.

For instance, a company may give scholarships to the children of employees who work at an office or factory in a specific city or a division of the company located in that city. They may give this information directly to the administrators of your high school and not publish it anywhere else.

Many individuals and companies give scholarships to students at local high schools according to a specific branch of study. It may have to do with science, history, agriculture, music, medicine, engineering, or any other field of study. These awards may or may not be listed on a national database.

High schools often have scholarship information listed on bulletin boards, in guidance counselor offices, libraries, or career centers. Colleges and universities may advertise scholarships and grants on their websites and databases as well as in libraries and career guidance offices, or at locations devoted to specific fields of study. Certain academic departments may offer scholarships that are controlled by that department itself.

Students should meet with their counselor or a financial aid officer to discuss the types of scholarships they may be eligible for but they should seek other opportunities as well, such as scholarship books that are found at local libraries and internet scholarship directories.

• Students should not have to pay for information pertaining to scholarships, grants, internships, or for other financial aid opportunities because such information is usually free to the public.
  

Check with your states' Department of Education for a list of scholarships being offered in your state or click on MoneyMatters101.com sections Scholarships by States and Grants by States.

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