Apply for scholarships

The dream goes like this: You’ve been admitted to your perfect school, you’ve worked hard to earn good grades, demonstrated citizenship in your community and even found time to compete on a sports team. You have worked hard and scholarship offers will start arriving any day, right? Only, they don’t.

Applying for scholarships takes work. There isn’t a single form or website where you can check a box to say, “Please send me free money now.” Be creative in searching for opportunities. Start at your school and local library. Research scholarships offered by employers of family members, organizations affiliated with your interests and even retail businesses you frequent. Sign up for reputable scholarship search engines to help you find opportunities.

Most importantly, don’t stop looking. Many students look for scholarships for their first year of college, but then stop. There are just as many opportunities after freshman year if you put in the time to look.

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