There are scholarships for almost every occupation and activity. There are scholarships for Ham Radio operators, farmers, journalists and a thousand others. Be prepared for a long hard search to meet your goals. Find money that is paid to the student, as opposed to the institution. It's no good to have all your school's fees paid, and you can't afford to eat. Start early and be smart.

A good place to start for financial aid scholarships is FinAid.com. Their website links to FastWeb.com which has compiled an extensive database of scholarship and loan information based upon student academics and social activities. Also, please be sure to view our tutorial on "How To Apply For A Scholarship".

Generally speaking, good grades are very important, as well as success with standardized tests. I would suggest taking a look at the SAT, GRE and ACT as soon as you feel your child is ready. For good students who join school clubs and volunteer, there are far more opportunities than for the average students.

Don't give up on scholarships if you don't find what you need right away. Keep trying. Don't borrow that money! Even if you can find only a few hundred dollars here or there, keep looking and apply for all the small stuff, because the small scholarships typically have less stringent requirements and are less competitive.