There are unclaimed scholarships and grants you can get to fund your education. Search online, check with your workplace or with businesses that you frequent or with your school to find scholarships that are not widely advertised but will definitely help make school more affordable.
Finding unclaimed scholarships and grants
Go online and search different scholarship-aggregation sites. Websites such as Fastweb and Scholarships work well. They take a quick survey in which you answer questions such as where you will be attending school, what your interests are and what you have done in the past. The websites then take this information and find scholarships that best match your needs. A personalized scholarship list will help you determine what to apply for quicker, since these scholarships are the ones you are most likely to receive.
Check out where you work or other businesses in your area. Many businesses, no matter how small, offer some type of scholarship or grant for those going to school. The first place to check is with your employer, especially if what you plan to study can be applied to your job. Some workplaces actually fund a majority of your education as long as you continue to work there for the duration of your education. If you are graduating from high school and do not yet have a job, consider going to local businesses in your area and asking if they offer private scholarships or grants. You will be surprised how many do, how little those funds are advertised and how quickly they can add up.
Go to your school's financial aid office. Many schools have grants and scholarships that are pulled from private funds donated by alumni. These funds are used to help new and current students pay for their education. The funds are usually given out on a need basis, so be prepared to share your financial aid information when you meet with a financial aid counselor. There are some, however, that are given out for your extracurricular record or high school scholarship record.