Third, find and read detailed information about the process of winning athletic scholarships. You might start with the site, www.collegesportsscholarships.com, created by an athlete and his dad to help other athletes understand the scholarship process. It’s all free and it looks like a good starting point. Also, The Arkansas Scholarship Connection, www.arkansasscholarshipconnection.org, provides a lot of good, free information.

Academic Awards

These merit-based scholarships are awarded by your college for academic achievement. Inquire about these awards at your school’s financial aid office though you may not even have to apply for an academic award; they are often wrapped into the financial aid package offered by the college, based on your college application.

Departmental Awards

Specific departments may have scholarships available to attract or retain student in the department’s field of study. If you know what your major will be, contact that department to inquire about scholarships.

Private Organizations

There are thousands of private organizations that offer scholarship awards, ranging from $50 to $20,000 and more. Within the “private” category there are many types of organizations to consider.

Corporations

Corporations offer scholarships to attract and retain employees, support the communities where the business is located and encourage entrants into the business’ field of work. These are often the scholarships that go unawarded for lack of applicants.

Search for corporation scholarships by checking with your parents’ employers for possible programs, researching businesses in your region and searching your newspaper’s archives for award announcements. You may have a much greater chance of receiving a private corporation award because geographic, employment and other restrictions narrow the number of candidates.