Beef up your qualifications.
Try a new extracurricular activity, volunteer and bump up your GPA to qualify for more scholarship funds and increase your chances of earning those scholarships.
Update your information.
As you accomplish more, update your qualifications listed for your accounts on scholarship search sites, such as scholarships.com, BigFuture and Fastweb, to find more results.
Keep searching for new opportunities.
Perform new searches through free scholarship sites on a regular basis. Remember, many non-academic entities offer scholarships and make information available at different times of the year.
Touch base with your support crew.
Let teachers, coaches and family friends who have agreed to write letters of recommendation or proofread essays know when you will need help. Allow them enough time to help you while still meeting all their other commitments, and offer to help any way you can.
Stay on top of deadlines.
Plan your priorities to ensure you submit applications and supporting materials before their due dates.
Reread all your upcoming scholarship submissions.
Check for any typos, make sure you've followed all instructions and submit everything required.
File for financial aid.
Complete and submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) the fall before any college term. The FAFSA is a primary tool to qualify for scholarships awarded by colleges and other types of financial aid. If you need help completing your FAFSA, contact ICAN or attend a free FAFSA Ready Iowa event near you.
Contact your college.
If your FAFSA doesn't accurately reflect your financial situation or if you have questions about scholarships available at your college, contact the college's admissions or financial aid office. Also let the admissions office know if the final price tag will make the difference in your college choice; the school may have some flexibility in scholarship awards.
