Springfield, PA – Dr. Stephen Jones says there 90 billion dollars in scholarships for college bound students. Did you know that billions of dollars in scholarships go unused each year? For twenty years, I’ve counseled college students and their parents. The most frequent question parents ask is where can I find scholarships for college? The rising cost of college is causing tensions to rise across the country because parents cannot afford to send their sons/daughters to the four-year college of their choice. When parents receive information regarding their student’s financial aid award, they learn that they must find $5,000-$10,000 to fund their child’s education. One family sought after money by hiring a $1,000 scholarship consultant. Later the parents discovered that by researching the internet they could discover the scholarships on their own.

When parents ask how soon they should begin to look for scholarships, my first response is the ninth grade. By the time that your son/daughter reaches 11th grade, they should have a binder containing scholarship information. When your son/daughter reaches 11th grade they should begin to send out scholarship letters to organizations that allow for early submissions. Let the summer before senior year provide you with an opportunity to send out hundreds of scholarship forms and letters. In fact, here are 12 ways that a student can begin to uncover the 90 billion dollars in scholarships:

1. Send a letter to your local college fraternity of sorority requesting information about their scholarship.

2. Contact your local rotary club to ask about their scholarship application.

3. Visit your local legislator’s office to inquire about new scholarships offered by the state or federal government offices.

4. Visit local stores (i.e. Home Depot, CVS, super markets) to inquire about scholarships.

5. Contact local colleges to ask about a free list of scholarships that they offer

6. Visit the internet and conduct a search for scholarships. Some of the topics you can enter include (free money, scholarships, college financial aid, money for college, free scholarship, government grants of scholarships etc…)

7. Ask your local religious organizations about scholarships.

8. Start a family scholarship fund that allows family members to contribute funds. Set limits on the amount of money a family member can request.

9. Ask your employer about scholarships offered to children of employees. 10. Ask your company’s credit union representative about scholarships that they offer to students.

11. Enter writing/essay contests for college bound students. Look for opportunities in magazines like the Writer’s Digest and others.

12. Students can make a scholarship appeal on a local radio program and receive funding from their listeners.

If you implement these steps, you have the potential to uncover billions of dollars of hidden scholarships. Most students take too long to start their scholarship research. Getting started during the ninth grade will give you a tremendous advantage. You can establish a calendar that informs you of the submission dates for each scholarship. Take the time to get started and you will be greatly rewarded.