Knowing where to look is the key to getting scholarships for high school students. While college is getting more and more expensive, many organizations are ready with money to help students afford college, ranging from civic organizations to colleges themselves. Knowing where to look for scholarships–and what you’re likely to find–is the key to making college cost less.

Need Based vs Merit Based High School Scholarships

First, note that scholarships fall broadly into two categories: need-based and merit-based. Need-based scholarships consider applicants based on their ability to afford college, while merit-based scholarships consider students based on other factors, such as their high school grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, and community service.

Many scholarships of both types are available from colleges and universities themselves. When a high school student applies for admission, many colleges also consider the student for scholarships that would be awarded if the student decides to attend. For the colleges, scholarships are a way to entice high-achieving students, even some who might not be able to pay, to come to their school.

FAFSA Requirements

While some colleges automatically consider all applicants for scholarships, others may require additional documents. Some merit-based scholarships might require an essay or additional application. Need-based scholarships generally require students to submit a statement of their families’ finances by filling out the FAFSA–the Free Application for Federal Student Aid–so they can assess the student’s level of need. Scholarship offerings vary from college to college–the best way to find out about a specific school’s policy is to check its Admissions or Financial Aid department web sites.

Examples of Scholarships from Outside Organizations

Although the most valuable scholarship offers are likely to come from colleges themselves, other scholarships are available from outside organizations. Some examples:

• Employers – Some companies offer scholarships to children of their employees, high school students in a city where they have a presence, or to students entering a career field they want to encourage. Check with parents’ employers or prominent companies in your area or field of interest.
• Credit Unions and Financial Institutions – Financial institutions, especially smaller, local banks or credit unions, sometimes offer scholarships to high school students. Usually, you must be an account holder to qualify, but signing up for a new account is easy.
• Civic organizations – Local chambers of commerce, Lions Clubs, Rotary, Kiwanis, and other business and civic organizations sometimes offer scholarships to students in their communities.
• Professional organizations – Search for organizations of professionals in a career field that you might pursue. Many of those organizations have scholarships established to encourage students to pursue a career in their field.

More Scholarship Application Tips

Local organizations’ scholarships are usually small–a couple of thousand dollars, at most. Don’t plan on getting a full ride to college from your credit union. However, every little bit helps, and you might actually have a great shot at getting the money simply by taking the time to apply, since only a small community of people is eligible. Large, high-value national scholarships are often very competitive, and the chances of winning are slim even for top students.

High school students whose families have comfortable finances or who don’t have overflowing resumes can still have plenty of opportunities for scholarships. Think about what makes a particular student unique. Does the student come from a minority background? Many organizations have scholarships specifically set up to help students from underrepresented demographic groups, including women who are entering certain career fields, get a jump on college. Does the student have any particular talents or interests? Special-interest clubs might have money to offer.

Maybe a student hasn’t been able to pursue many flashy extracurricular interests in high school because he or she has spent a lot of their time working at a part-time job. While many might think that such a pastime might not be worthy of earning a merit-based scholarship, some employers actually have scholarships for students who work.

Could a military career be part of your future? Generous scholarships are often available for students who plan to serve their country after they graduate. Moreover, veterans and children of veterans may find opportunities for college funding.

One great resource for high school students is their school’s guidance and counseling department, if available. Often, counselors have seen many students apply for scholarships and will know which are worth applying to and which are worth passing up. Perhaps more importantly, guidance counselors know whether specific colleges are likely to be generous or stingy when considering a student with a certain academic profile.

The bottom line is that colleges and other scholarship-giving organizations don’t just want to give out scholarships for high school students. They want to give out scholarships for the world’s next scientists, journalists, and musicians. They want to give out scholarships for students who worked hard, who pursued their passions, who made a mistake and got back on track, who have a story to tell. They want to give out scholarships to the hometown hero or the person who will bring new perspective from afar. So don’t just seek out scholarships for high school students. Seek out scholarships for the part of yourself that makes you more than just a high school student.