Many, many organizations -- from local organizations, religious groups, minority organizations, and civic clubs -- offer scholarships and grants -- often decided purely on merit qualifications -- to students who apply for them. The trick? You need to research the opportunities and apply for them.

So, you thought once you finished all those pesky college applications that you could go back to enjoying your senior year of high school? Unless you are independently wealthy or a gifted athlete expecting a full scholarship, your task in the spring of your senior year is to track down scholarships and grants that you can apply for to help pay your educational expenses.

Here are some examples of the many scholarships that are out there waiting for you to apply:

• AES Engineers
• AICPA Scholarship
• American Chemical Society Scholars Program
• Best Buy Scholarship
• Gates Millennium Scholarship
• George A. Nielsen Public Investor Scholarship
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund
• John Gyles Education Awards
• National Italian American Foundation
• The Point Foundation
• Seeds of the Future Scholarships
• Vegetarian Resource Group College Scholarship

For a list of opportunities, use one or more of the books and Websites we list later in this tutorial.

Next up? A quick overview of the various types of student (and family) loans available.

Need help with any of the terms described on this page? If so, find the answers in our High School College-Bound and College Planning Glossary.