The vast majority of scholarships are given to students from the colleges they apply to, and are typically awarded based on grades or for some other special skill such as athletic ability or artistic talent.
However, there are also many scholarships from other sources which can include private businesses, charities, or non-profits. These are known as "third party" scholarships, and can be an excellent source of funding to help you cover college costs.
We are considering adding a feature that would allow you to search and browse a database of 3rd party scholarships. If you are interested in such a feature and would like to be part of the pilot project (with advanced access) let us know.
Some excellent places to start looking for scholarships include your school, your parent’s workplace, local banks and credit unions, your church or charity organizations.
Most third party scholarships require you submit an application. This could be as involved as a 15-page essay or as simple as filling out a form on line. By all means, apply to as many scholarships as you are eligible for, but remember that the easier a scholarship is to apply for, the more competition you have. You may have a better chance at winning a scholarship with a more difficult application process.
To avoid being scammed, don't apply to scholarships that require you to pay a fee or input a credit card number. Always seek out contact information if you have any doubts as to the legitimacy of the offer. If you get notified that "you won" a scholarship you never even applied to, be careful about responding.
Think outside the box! There are scholarships available for almost anyone and you don’t always have to have amazing grades. You can receive a scholarship for being left-handed, or being exceptionally tall.