Unfortunately, scholarship committees don't just give away money. You have to work for it. That's why it's important to put a lot of effort into each scholarship application.

Almost every article about college financial aid has this to say: apply for scholarships first. Who wouldn't? If someone hands out money without expecting a return, take the money, say "thank you" and run. Unfortunately, scholarship committees don't just give away money. You have to work for it. That's why it's important to put a lot of effort into each scholarship application.

Some scholarship deadlines fall as early as the beginning of senior year, so start looking as soon as possible. The bulk of applications are usually due between October and March for the school year that starts the next fall. Quit complaining and get going.

There are a bunch of scholarship data-bases to check, such as fastweb.com, studentaid.ed.gov, collegeboard.com, and scholarships.com. These list a lot of national scholarships with large awards. Large awards mean more competition for the money.

Looking for local scholarships is essential--the smaller the area or group the scholarship covers, the better chance of receiving the award. Check with your guidance counselor, look on bulletin boards at local libraries or rec centers, and ask at religious or civic organizations and large local businesses.

Basic personal info

• Repeating your personal info (name, address, phone number, etc.) gets old really fast, but you'll look like an idiot if your name is misspelled, so keep it up and pay attention.
• All the information needs to be accurate.
• Email addresses are almost always required. Make sure the email address you provide looks professional (john.smith @ email.com, or janepdoe @ email.com). This is not the time to use your shadowhunter@email.com address.
• Some applications will require your Social Security number (SSN). For online apps, it's probably safe to provide it if the website is secure (look for the padlock on the lower right corner of the browser). For hard-copy applications, call the scholarship adminis¬trator and ask if providing your SSN is really necessary, and who will have access to it.

Résumé stuff

• Your résumé should be prepped to use with every application.
• Just like applying for a job, tailor the résumé info for each scholarship. Emphasize strong points to draw attention away from weaknesses.
• Include anything that seems relevant: captain of the baseball team, chess tournament champion, sophomore class president, etc.

The dirty E-word

Scholarship essays can be intimidating, difficult, esoteric, and generally a pain in the neck. They're also extremely important.

• Take plenty of time for writing and editing. Split them up over a couple of days to give you a chance to review the essay with semi-fresh eyes.
• Formatting matters, but there are no universal formatting rules. Follow directions for specific essays to the letter. If there are no specific formatting instructions, just make sure it would meet the highest expectations of any English teacher.
• Reuse essays (or at least parts of them) from other scholarship applications or classes whenever possible. You'll see a lot of similar questions (e.g. how do you want to make an impact on society, what have you learned from leadership roles, etc.). There's no need to do more work than you have to.

Forms and submission

Most applications are online, but hard-copy scholarships are still out there. These have to be typed, not handwritten. No one uses a typewriter anymore, so instead scan them into a computer and fill them out with a program like Miraplacid Form Professional (for images) or Blueberry PDF Form Filler (for pdfs). Find free versions of these programs at freedownloadscenter.com.

You received a scholarship. Congratulations. Send a thank you note to the schol-arship sponsor(s) or administrator right away. Not only is it polite, it might help you get the scholarship again next year.

Most scholarship money is disbursed directly to your school of choice. This can affect your financial aid package. Make sure the adjustment reduces the amount of your student loans rather than other grants or scholarships. Colleges can adjust financial aid packages, customizing them to students' needs. The last thing you want is the scholarship money reducing another scholarship or grant.

Sources: accessboston.org, fastweb.com, scholarships.com, collegeboard.com, braintrack.com, ncesd.gov, collegetoolkit.com, finaid.org