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Finding Funds
A Guide to College Scholarships By Gwen Morrison
High school guidance counselors have a wealth of information and contacts for college scholarships, grants and other funding. Some scholarships require a nomination from a school official, so it is often best for students to set up an appointment to talk about scholarship options with their counselor early in their senior year. "This is probably obvious, but my son's guidance counselor was the biggest help of all," says Pat Evans of San Jose, Calif., about her experience with the scholarship process. "She submitted his name to a couple of scholarships that require nomination by a teacher or counselor, and he won one of them. It was a scholarship for a scholar-athlete who has overcome adversity. Sometimes the obvious is the best place to start."
Evans was thrilled to discover her son won the local scholarship from the Wedemeyer Foundation. "One of the nice things about local scholarships is that they can have a quick turnaround time," she says. "Guidance counselors receive a lot of information, but they may not know that it applies to your child."
William C. Nelsen, president of the Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America (CSFA) in Minneapolis, Minn., encourages parents to get their teenagers searching for scholarships by their junior year of high school. "Even as freshman they should learn about the qualities and achievements necessary to compete for scholarships: good grades, volunteer activities, leadership, meaningful summer jobs and other valuable experiences," he says.
Nelsen agrees that the place to start the search is with the high school guidance counselor. He also believes that the Internet has become a good way to do initial research.
"Students should also look in their own community," says Nelsen. "Fraternal and service clubs, such as Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary or American Association of University Women, as well as religious organizations sponsor scholarships for youth in their community."
There are so many opportunities for teenagers to find scholarship money to fund their college education. It takes only a little work for a lifetime of rewards.
