SATs… check!

College Apps… check!

Money for college… not even close.

Paying for college is definitely a hassle — no one wants to be left in thousands of dollars of debt. However, there is a way to beat the system… SCHOLARSHIPS!

People often believe scholarships are only granted from the college/university itself. That is completely false! Scholarships can be provided from private websites, private companies and contests too.

Sometimes it can be as easy as entering into a raffle (can be a scam, so make sure the company/ website is legitimate) to writing an essay on a specific topic.

Although looking into private scholarships is great, it is important to see what scholarship the college/university of choice offers. Most colleges offer the following:

1. Academic/ Merit-based Scholarships

Being “merit-based" students who maintain the best grades and are well rounded are likely to be awarded the grant. This is why it is important to maintain a high GPA (usually around a 4.0 GPA) and excellent grades.

Boston University, which charges $41,420 in tuition and fees, awarded seven percent of its first-time freshman an average of $19,960 in merit aid".

2. Athletic Scholarships

Excel at a sport? Want to play in college? This scholarship is one way to go. Let colleges recognize your physical strengths and be awarded for it.

However, colleges also compare academics along with athleticism. So keep those grades up!! These students are usually nominated by their schools (coaches usually) and by college recruiters. Chances for this scholarship are usually slim.

3. Minority Scholarships

These scholarships can be centered towards a general race and/or ethnicity or some colleges will provide grants within specific parameters. Meaning, some colleges gear their benefits towards one specific ethnic group rather than focusing on several.

Whether the applicant's ethnicity is partial or full, there is a chance the college will provide the scholarship. However, these scholarships require more than just being a minority… some are major specific (medicine, law, engineering, English, business, etc.).

4. Scholarships for Women

Similar to minority scholarships, as this being gender-based, scholarships for women provide for the career-focused and hardworking women. Statistically and historically, it is seen how many colleges were often pooled with solely the male gender.

Scholarships for women allows for the advancement opportunities for women. They help women “provide a pathway into the worlds of business, science, and politics." However, it is important to note that these scholarships tend to be major specific.

5. Creative Scholarships

Have a love for art? Want to pursue this passion? A creative scholarship could help jumpstart an applicant's future. As one of the most highly competitive scholarships, show them and prove to colleges YOUR talent.

These scholarships often require, portfolios and samples, depending on the medium. A creative scholarship in music or dance would call for a tape or live performance.

6. Community Service Scholarships

Been ranking up those community service hours? Truly have a passion for giving back to the community? Prove that to colleges and a scholarship might be granted back.

If a student is actively involved in community service activities, The Federal Work Study program may provide a certain percentage of their funding to the applicant.

7. Unusual Scholarships

This is where having that weird talent or skill can really come in handy! Colleges and universities do not usually sponsor these scholarships, however, private companies may go nuts over it. These scholarships are purely meant for fun... Duck brand duct tape holds a competition each year on who can make the best prom dress out of duct tape.

Everything that has to do with SATs ranging to applying then paying for college is extremely stressful. Why not have some fun along the way?

Mainly all colleges/ universities offer a decent amount of scholarships. In order to save money and pretty much have money to attend college, take the time to scour the website of the college or colleges of choice. There will always be a tab or another link that will provide further information on different scholarship opportunities.

As for where the money comes from for these scholarships/grants… private corporations usually play a big part in sponsoring colleges.

For instance, a minority scholarship might be offered at a certain college due to a specific group/ company providing the grant. Other ways scholarship money is funded is through the federal government and often the university itself.

8. FAFSA

Another tool many people miss out on is FAFSA. It is generally for need-based aid, but for those who would not fall under need-based, there is a chance they may grant something - even if it is a little amount. Some grants can go up to $4000. The amount of the grant depends on how much the applicant's parents make per year and how much the parents pay for siblings attending college, if applicable.

Besides obtaining funding from a specific college/ university, there are plenty of outside resources. These resources are FREE too! They provide FREE scholarship opportunities. All the applicant must do is usually write an essay on a specific topic. The following contains links to websites that provide a number of opportunities:

9. Carreronestop.org

10. Scholarships.com

11. Niche.com

12. Collegegrant.net

13. Unigo.com

14. Bigfuture.collegeboard.com

15. Cappex.com

16. Fastweb.com

17. Scholarshipowl.com

This website is NOT free. It will show features of a free scholarship site when making an account and viewing scholarships. But when applying for them through Scholarship Owl, the site will make users pay. If that is not an issue, go ahead and use Scholarship Owl to apply for different scholarships!

Please note: students can apply for scholarships sponsored by colleges AND private options/ outside resources. It is not just one and done after being granted a scholarship – keep applying to keep saving!