First, complete the FAFSA form because it will qualify you for need based government grants, need based scholarships from the college itself, the federal work study program, and subsidized student loans. It is based on a percentage formula of your parents’ income and savings along with your income and savings (counts at a higher rate than your parents’ income), and it takes into consideration your family size along with how many family members are in college. This needs to be completed every year until you graduate from college. I recommend completing it in January or early February to receive the most need based scholarships. However, do complete it well before the financial aid deadline for the school itself.

Second, a high school student can locate local scholarships and state scholarships at their high school guidance office. The best chance to receive a scholarship is a local one.

Third, the local public library has a book listing college scholarships with some not even listed on the web.

Finally, join several free membership scholarship search websites. You enter a profile based on your life, and it will search scholarships in its database for scholarships matching it. There is a college scholarship for just about anything out there including wearing duct tape to the high school prom.

Good luck!

Some really big scholarships from the colleges themselves have deadlines as early as December 1. Get on their website and look up their scholarships.

Good luck.