The most popular sort of "free money" is in the form of a scholarship, and there are all kinds out there. The first step is to investigate the schools you are applying to. See whether or not they are offering any scholarships that you may be able to apply for. Public universities are more likely to do so than private colleges or universities, but it never hurts to look. One thing that both have are merit scholarships, given to students who are well-rounded with extremely high test scores and grade point averages. So for those well-rounded scholars, you're in great shape! Information about these sort of scholarships is sometimes mailed to you, if the university is just ever-so-eager to hook you in, or on the school's website. Never fear, Average Joes and Janes, the schools you applied to are probably more than willing to assist you financially as well. For example, most schools offer Out-of-State scholarships to students who have decent grades and test scores, as well as several more for those who have shown interest in both academics and activities within their own state.

Whether you're thinking close to home or far away, there is money out there for you. Information about these and other scholarships have probably been sent to you in any brochures or information packets from the schools, and is additionally available on their website. Here's a tip: Pay attention to deadlines. Most college-given scholarships are finalized not long after the school begins cranking out acceptance letters, so it is in one's best interest to apply early. However, don't be too hasty and slap a scholarship application together the night before its deadline, because it is unlikely you will get it if there is not any thought put into it. It must be neat, and most scholarships require a short answer or essay of some sort. "Why do you deserve a scholarship?" There's something to ponder while you read the rest of this and your eyes roll back into your head.

If that's done, it's time to make yourself a profile. I'm not talking about MySpace or Facebook, either. FastWeb.com is where it's at. This is only one of the numerous sites that offer you scholarship searches based on your academics performance, interests, activities, or any special needs or privileges you may have. First you fill out a bunch of questions about yourself, and this site spits out hundreds of scholarships that apply to you. There may be one for those who are blonde and looking to pursue dentisry. There may be others for people who are under 5'2" and of European descent. There is a $200 scholarship for submitting a bumper sticker design! It may not seem like a ton of money, but it's worth about the same as a paycheck from the gas station down the street you could be working at.

Whatever your situation, FastWeb has money to offer you. There's no need to pour through hundreds of Google searches to find money. It's all right there in front of you! It also tells you which scholarships have deadlines in the next two weeks, so you know where to begin. FastWeb is not the only website that provides such a service. Collegeboard.com provides scholarship searches as well as information about colleges, for those of you who are still unsure or undecided. A few others include Scholarships.com, Collegeanswer.com, College-scholarships.com, and BrokeScholar.com. Take some time to set up a profile on these websites and do a quick search. Devote half-an-hour each day to applying for some of them, and take your time with the bigger ones that require essays and such. Ridgewood's guidance staff has also been very helpful in keeping students informed about scholarships that are available to them. Each teacher receives a current list of scholarships that apply to Ridgewood students, and oftentimes this information is posted up on the walls of classrooms, as well as in the guidance hallway. The "free money" is all around you.

Similar to scholarships are government and private organization grants, which is federal or private money that you do not have to pay back. They go hand-in-hand with scholarships but are more specific in which fields of study they pay for, and which schools. Grants require a lot more involvement, such as proposals and outlines of future plans, because of this specificity. A large number of grants are given to entrepreneurs or small business people. (exforsys.com) But it never hurts to try. Grants, also, do not necessarily have to be used for college. They apply simply to people with big ideas who want to try them out, whether its in school or on their own. Some websites to look into when applying for federal grants include Financialfreedomexpress.com, ThePell.org, and the Grants section of Collegescholarships.org. They are also often listed among scholarship searches on sites such as FastWeb.

If you've gone through and applied for as many scholarships as you could, there is now another step. On January 1st, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) becomes available. You may have heard the term FAFSA being thrown around, but you may not have known what it meant. Google it now if you're curious. If you are expecting to receive any sort of government aid in paying for college, this is your silver bullet. When it becomes available, get a hold of it and get to work on it so that it can be filed and your estimated student aid package can be sent to you. The sooner, the better, so that you don't forget, and the sooner you'll know how much more money you need to search for. Even if you're not sure how much money you need, fill it out. This is the key element to paying for college, if you don't want to graduate buried in loans that you'll be paying off until you're on Social Security. Bottom line: mark your calendar and fill it out. For the necessary forms and documents, visit fafsa.edu.gov.

If scholarships and financial aid aren't going to pay your way through college, welcome to the loan zone. It sounds cheesy, but this is not a laughing matter. Loans do not come with a pleasant connotation. They are a government fund that must be paid back once you graduate from the desired university. Unless you're planning on doing something that will bring in plenty of money from the start, it's recommended to keep the amount of loans you take out to a minimum. Apply for as many grants and scholarships as you can, get a part-time job, do anything else to get money before taking out loans. If found in a situation where there is no other choice, there are some options concerning loans. Banks are often very helpful when it comes to student loans, but there are many organizations that offer them. Some to look into include Nextstudent.com, Student-Loans.net, and Alternativestudentloan.com. Next Student provides, from my research, the lowest interest student loans, which will be beneficial when you have bills and college loans to pay in the future. The main thing when taking out loans: do a lot of comparitive research and make sure you know what you're getting into.

The important thing is perserverance; if you don't get one scholarship, there is always going to be another shot at one that you will likely get. Nothing is more crucial right now than your education, because it will prepare you for the life ahead. Even if you've already gotten enough money to pay off a good portion of your college costs, don't quit. Some spending money will always be necessary, and the more scholarships you have, the less strain will be put on your bank account.

The choices you make now effect your lifestyle in the future, and that's what makes it so necessary for you to pace yourself but also keep in mind your goals when applying to and paying for college. Juniors should begin to look into scholarships and grants as well, or at least begin discussing college finances with their parents to see how their situation looks. It's never too late to begin investing in your future, so why not start now? Take your chunk out of that $15 billion starting today.

Excerpt of an article written by Staff Writer Monica Kozaczka in the December 13, 2007 issue of The Rebellion, Volume 22, Issue 3. Used with permission.