(And, if you need even more help with getting organized, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the Fall Action Plan for High School Seniors coming in September!)

1. Take the ACT or SAT
Hopefully you already did this last spring, but if not, there is still time. Sign up now, and start studying. The next SAT test is October 10, 2009, but you must register by September 9. The next ACT test is September 12, with a registration deadline of August 7.  If you’re not sure which test to take (or whether you need to take both of them), check out Kaplan for a good run down on the ACT vs. SAT.

2. Make a list of colleges
Even if you already know where you want to go to college, it’s a good idea to keep your options open — at least until you have an acceptance letter (and a financial aid award letter) in hand. Start with a 15-20 possibilities, and be sure to include a number of different types of schools — small liberal arts, large research universities, private and public schools, local and long-distance options as well. Request application packets from the schools on your list and review the requirements for admission.

3. Set up college visits.
Get a feel for the different schools on your list by visiting as many of them in person as possible. Don’t rely on your best friend’s opinion — or your impression of the school’s website. The best way to know if you jibe with a particular college is by being there, in the flesh.

4. Prepare for AP Exams
Scoring well on AP exams is an easy way to receive advanced placement — which can save you a bundle by letting you graduate a semester or more early. (For more on how AP classes can help you to save money, see this article on 7 Creative Ways to Pay for College). The summer is the perfect time to start studying for your AP exams.

5. Review your resume & fill in any gaps
University admission offices are interested in your academic achievements, but they also want to know what kind of person you are. One way to assess this is by the activities you are involved in. Consider volunteering this summer or next fall, or explore some new extra curricular activities.

6. Research scholarships and grants
Unless if you have an extremely well-padded 529 Savings Plan for college, financial aid will likely be an important factor in your choice of school. Don’t plan to rely just on federal and university aid, however. Take charge of your own destiny by applying for as many scholarships and private grants as possible. You can learn more about scholarships for the Finder’s new Student Scholarship Search and our weekly Scholarship Announcement post every Friday.

Tell me, what are you doing this summer to get ready for college in 2010?

The average cost of text books is $1,000 per year, for example. And college fees aren’t cheap either.

One of the best ways to ensure that you graduate college without having to charge your way through is to apply for as many scholarships as possible. Whether you need an extra $2,000 or $20,000, the more scholarships you apply for, the better your chances of winning enough to cover your bills. Not sure where to find out about scholarships you might be qualified for? Here are five great ways to look:

1. Take advantage of free scholarship search engines.
Google scholarship search and you will end up with tens of thousands of links. How do you know which one to click on? The key is that these engines should be free. There is no such thing as a secret cache of scholarships, so don’t get sucked in by a website (or worse, a person cold calling you on the phone) promising access for a “low, low fee”. You should be able to search whenever you want, as often as you want, for free. For more on the most reputable search engines, check out our article on the top 5 Free Scholarship Search Engines.

2. Visit your college financial aid office.
Your college or university’s office of financial aid should have binders — or computer files — of scholarships, including private scholarships just for your school. Often endowed by alumni or university relations boards, these scholarships may target students from particular areas of the state or country, students majoring is specific subjects, or students of a certain ethnic, national or religious background. Set up an appointment early in the spring with a financial aid counselor and visit the office regularly for updated information.

3. Call you local community service organizations, religious groups, etc.
Open up the yellow pages and start making some phone calls to your local Kiwanis clubs, Chamber of Commerce, church, synagogue or mosque, and any other relevant community service group you can think of. These scholarships may not be big dollar, but your chances of winning them are much higher than with national scholarships. And five local scholarships worth $500 each still add up to $2,500 for school next year. Another tip: ask your boss or the company your parents work for if they sponsors any scholarships — and if they don’t, ask them if they would like to sponsor one now!

4. Meet with your academic advisor or department chair.
Just like your university may have special scholarships exclusively for enrolled students, your academic department may also have a limited number of opportunities for its students. While these gigs are fewer and farther between than the offerings on a free scholarship search engine, your odds of being ideally qualified for them are much better. You can learn more about student scholarships by college majors at the Financial Aid Finder’s newly expanded scholarship section. In the last week alone, we have added scholarships for biology majors, business major scholarships, scholarships for history majors, English major scholarships and more.

5. Read the Financial Aid Finder’s Friday Scholarship Announcement Post
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you probably already know about Scholarship Friday. That’s when I post about three scholarship opportunities with upcoming deadlines. I do my best to find national scholarships — so whether you are reading in Maine or California, you will still be eligible to apply. You should still be doing steps 1-4, but our Scholarship Friday is one very easy way to learn about great scholarship opportunities.

Have you found a great source for college scholarships? Tell us about it in the comments section!

Given the state of the economy, I’m hard-pressed to imagine that there are too many students who can afford to say no to some free money to school. But that’s just what you’ll be doing if you fail to apply for scholarships.

Not sure where to start? Each Friday, I make your search a little easier by posting three broad-appeal scholarships with upcoming deadlines. This week I have three essay-based scholarships: The No Population Growth Essay Contest, worth up to $2,000; the $1,000 Signet Classics Essay Contest; and the Ayn Rand Fountainhead Essay Contest for high school juniors and seniors, with a $10,000 grand prize.

If you are new to college scholarships, click over to the Financial Aid Finder’s scholarship section, where you can read up on the scholarship application process, the mechanics of writing a great scholarship essay, and the best free scholarship search engines.

1. No Population Growth Essay Contest: $500 – $2,000
No Population Growth (NPG) is a non-profit organization devoted to raising awareness about population issues. NPG annually provides three scholarships to high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors, with the aim of encouraging young people to study population issues and their long-term effect. To win this year’s contest, you must write an essay in the form of a 500-750-word letter to your Representative or Senator, asking him or her to help reverse the problem of over-population in the United States. You must recommend the creation of a U.S. Commission on Over-Population and provide concrete examples of ways to reduce population growth at home. Your letter may be forwarded to its recipient at the end of the contest. A panel of judges will select three winning letters on the basis of writing quality, originality and critical thinking. 1st prize is $2,000, 2nd prize is $1,000 and 3rd prize is $500.  All awards will be paid directly to the winners’ college bursar’s office. All entries must be received by April 24, 2009. Winners will be announced by July 15, 2009 on the NPG website.

2. Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest: $1,000
If you are a fan of classic literature, then the annual Signet Classics Scholarship Contest is perfect for you! This year, the Essay Contest will award five high school juniors or seniors $1,000 each for their winning essay on Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel, Jane Eyre. See the Signet website for the four essay topics. Essays should be two to three double-spaced typed pages and must be submitted by your English teacher on your behalf. If you are homeschooled, your parent may submit your essay. Essays will be judged by a panel of literary experts on the basis of style, content, grammar and originality. All applications must be post-marked no later than April 15, 2009 and received no later than April 22, 2009. Winners will be notified by June 15, 2009.

3. The Ayn Rand Fountainhead Essay Contest for 11th and 12th Graders: $50 – $10,000
The annual Ayn Rand scholarship contest, open to high school juniors and seniors worldwide, is looking for the best essays on her classic book, The Fountainhead. See the website for this year’s choice of three essay topics. Essays must be between 800 and 1,600 words, and will be judged on style and content. Winners must demonstrate an outstanding grasp on the philosophic meaning of the novel. One 1st prize winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship; there will also be five 2nd prizes, worth $2,000 each and ten 3rd place prizes of $1000. The panel of judges will select 45 finalists ($100) and 175 semifinalists ($50) as well. Essay must be submitted online or postmarked by April 25, 2009, no later than 11:59 PM, PST. Winners, finalists, semifinalists will be notified by July 27, 2009.

By the way, if you are a college student who loves Ayn Rand, your chance for a scholarship is coming. The essay competition will be based on Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged. The deadline for the Shrugged scholarship will be September 17, 2009.

Good luck with your scholarship applications!

As I have been mentioning the past few weeks, we are in the middle of scholarship season. Late winter/early spring is high tide for scholarship deadlines, so if you are serious about winning scholarship awards, you will definitely want to dedicate a few hours each week to finding and applying for scholarships. This week, I’ve found three great opportunities with upcoming deadlines for you … But remember, these are just the tip of the iceberg!

1. The Advancing Hispanic Excellence in Technology, Engineering, Math, and Science (AHETEMS) Scholarship Program
AHETMES is a series of scholarship opportunities for Latino students studying engineering, math and science. There are both merit-based and need-based scholarships, ranging from $1,000 – $5,000, for Latino high school seniors, undergraduate students and graduate students. Applications can be completed online or on paper, but only one application is necessary for all AHETMES scholarships. Eligibility requirements differ for each scholarship, but all require a minimum GPA of 3.0 and full-time enrollment (current or planned) in a science, technology, engineering, or math discipline. Application requirements include a personal statement, transcript, letter of recommendation and resume, as well as an application form. The application deadline is April 1, 2009. For more information or to apply, visit the AHETMES website.

2. The Thoroughbred Scholarship
The Thoroughbred Scholarship is a $6,000 annual scholarship sponsored by The Race For Education (RFE) to support young people of any background interested in pursuing a career in the equine or agriculture industry. Students may be studying disciplines such as Equine Science or Equine Business Management, or be enrolled in farrier school or other equine- and agricultural-related programs. Qualified applicants must be no older than 24 years, have a minimum GPA of 2.85 and have a family household income of no more than $50,000. Application materials include an essay, personal statement, letters of reference, transcript,  and completed FAFSA and/or financial aid award letter from your college or  university. Materials must be submitted by mail, no later than February 28, 2009.

3. SAMMY / Body By Milk Scholarships
Calling all high school seniors, living in the “lower 48″, planning to attend a non-voc/tech school next year, who have participated in a high school sport or club sport during the 2008-2009 school year. (Oh and by the way, no one with criminal records, please.) You know those “Milk. Does a Body Good” commercials? You could be the next milk model … and winner of a $7,500 scholarship. Applicants must write an essay of no more than 250 words about “How Milk Has Helped In My Academics and/or Athletics”. Winners will also be invited to attend an all-expenses plaid awards weekend in Orlando, Florida. The scholarship will be paid directly to the designated college or university. Applicants must be nominated by a faculty member or coach at their high school. The application deadline is March 10, 2009. Winners will be notified in June.

Your key to this massive treasure chest is the FAFSA, otherwise known as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The application, which can be filled out on paper or on-line, calculates your family’s ability to pay for your college degree. Calculations are based on income, assets and other factors, such as the number of additional dependents in college.

The FAFSA is used not only by the federal government to determine your aid eligibility, but also by your college or university to allocate its own scholarships, plus state and private assistance.

In short, the FAFSA is the most important document you will fill out in your quest for college – second only, perhaps, to the college application form. To maximize your award, follow these four easy tips for filing your FAFSA:

# 1. Be Prepared
Before you even start filling in your FAFSA, make sure you have gathered all the required materials, including:

Social security cards

Income tax returns from the previous tax year

Your spouse’s documents – if you are married; your parents’ documents – if you are a dependent

Current bank, mortgage and investment statements

#2. Beat the (Filing) Buzzer
The FAFSA’s deadline is June 30th, but many schools offer “priority processing deadlines”. In other words, getting in your FAFSA early will qualify you for first-come, first-serve aid through your college. Therefore, aim to return your completed FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1st.

#3. Be Pedantic About the Particulars
Double and triple check the accuracy of the information on the FAFSA, because even minor mistakes can cause costly delays. Be on the look out for these common errors:

Use only your legal name

Confirm all social security numbers

Count yourself as one of the members of your household attending college during the award year

If your parents are divorced and remarried, include your step-parents’ income and assets

#4. Go Virtual
Applying on-line is faster – not to mention preferred, by a growing number of colleges and universities. To apply on-line, go to the FAFSA site. In lieu of signing your application, the on-line FAFSA requires a secure, individual PIN number, which you can apply for here.

The First Rule of Financial Aid is to apply! It should be rule number two and three as well, it’s that important.

Why is it so important? Because you will never know how much money you can receive until you apply, if you don’t apply you are guaranteed nothing. This may seem quite obvious but a recent article in the WTOP (Capital News) has shown that lower income earning families are not applying for federal aid.

The FAFSA can be a pain to fill out but think of how much more of a pain trying to juggle all your debt will be down the road. Federal aid comprises the bulk of financial aid so filling out the FAFSA is a good idea. The form is now online and the FAFSA website can be read in both Spanish and English. In addition there is information that will help you to fill the thing out.

The WTOP article brought up another good point: don’t wait until the deadline has passed. This may seem like common sense but there are a lot of people that wait until the deadline has passed and then apply. When their bill comes around they are surprised at the amount but since the deadline passed they really never applied, pay attention to those due dates!

Don’t let the sticker price scare you off and if your reading this article your on the right path to find money for school. But make sure you apply for aid at every kind of school, whether it be private, public, community or trade get your application for aid in and try to do it as early in the game as you can.

Student Financial Aid >>>

Throughout most of the application process the potential student is courting the college but as a recent article in the New York Times points out, when decision making time approaches the roles are reversed.

Some schools will lay on the charm extra thick to entice students to choose their acceptance. Personal e-mails, letters, phone calls from Professors, small receptions are all just a few examples of how the college will court their acceptees. According to some college admission staff high quality students have more options to choose from because they are applying to more schools, therefore to them it is increasingly important to lay it on thick.

I don’t know about you but I missed the boat when it came to personal invites to sail on the dean of admissions yacht before I made my decision on where I ended up. But if it had happened I’m pretty sure I would have based my decision on which school was going to cost the least.

It’s a tough time to be applying for college these days. Not only are college tuition rising but the number of applicants are increasing in droves while the number of spots for admittance are staying the same.

This translates into lower admission rates and a sharp increase in competition. Enter the new college counselor or the Independent College Consultants.

College Consultants are offering their services to parents and their high school students to help these kids get an edge over the competition. The consultants look at scores, admission rates, geographic representation, extra curriculum and diversity factors to determine which colleges need the kind of students their clients represent.

The college consultants spend quality time with their clients but it comes at a hefty price. Enough research and time can accomplish the same thing for any student or parent who really does their homework but many parents and student s claim that paying someone else to do this time consuming research is worth the large sum the consultants charge.

Contact your local high school college counselor for information on where to find a college consultant or perform a search on google or your favorite search engine.

Many gay students in the past have tried to downplay their sexual orientation when trying to earn scholarships or grants. Today the number of scholarships for gay students are on the rise.

Organizations such as the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association offers various student awards and scholarships for aspiring gay and lesbian journalists. With some dedicated research gay students can find a plethora of scholarship opportunities. Many private donors to organizations that offer the scholarship cite the lack of help and support they had when they were going through the process.

It is always a good idea to be specific as possible when applying for scholarships and grants. Embracing and capitalizing on what makes you different will open up a whole new range of scholarships that may be closed to may others.