Maybe you can’t throw a football fifty yards.

Maybe you are not in the top ten percent of your class.

And, maybe you have not held leadership positions in school clubs and activities.

So, it looks like there’ll be no scholarships in your future, right?

Don’t be so sure. In reality, there may be lots of scholarships for which you may qualify. But, you’ll have to actively look for them.

First, go to your guidance counselor. Chances are, he or she will have information on dozens of scholarships (or more) offered by businesses and organizations in and near your hometown, and how to apply for them.

Next, make a list of your family’s affiliations. Where do your family members work? Where do they worship? To what clubs and organizations do they belong? Check out all of them and you may find more scholarships, including some totally unrelated to grades or test scores.

And then, go to the internet. You will find nearly seventy free, online scholarship searches.

The more you look, the more you’ll find not just standard scholarships for academic achievement, but also scholarships for students affiliated with particular groups, students whose family members work for a particular company, students who wish to enter specific professions, and scholarships in dozens of other categories.

You will also discover essay writing and other academic contests you can enter to win scholarships.

Millions of dollars in scholarships are out there. Just do some research to find them, follow all directions carefully when applying for them, and be sure to adhere to all deadlines.

Good luck!