Find scholarships to help pay for college

New York | This month, high school seniors around the country are anxiously awaiting thick envelopes signaling acceptance from the schools of their choice. But getting in is just half the battle.

After the excitement of acceptance wears off, the reality of paying for that primo education will surely set in. And though students will also receive financial aid packages, those are likely to be comprised primarily of loans.

But don't worry - there is still time to find free money. Though many scholarship deadlines have passed for this year, enterprising students can unearth a few more. And remember, college lasts four years (or more) - you can seek scholarships during your entire college tenure.

Here's where to look:

Start with local money. Check with your high school guidance counselor's office, which will have information about scholarships for students graduating from local high schools. Sometimes county offices or libraries will publish booklets of scholarships available to residents of specific towns, counties or states. Competition for a local scholarship is going to be less fierce simply because there will be fewer people eligible for it.

Head for the big boys. National organizations and corporations offer major scholarships, as well. Popular ones include Coca-Cola, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and Siemens.

Tap parents' networks. What organizations are parents affiliated with? Many of them, whether they are religious, fraternal, community service or professional ones, offer scholarships to members' children. And don't forget parents' employers for scholarships or tuition reimbursement programs.

Scour the Web. There are several free scholarship search services available, including FastWeb.com and SRNExpress.com. Just remember that you should never have to pay to find scholarship information. If you do, it's probably a scam.

Talk to your college or university. Many institutions will make a list of scholarships available to accepted students. Don't ignore it. They are often so specific or narrow that the competition may not be very strong. For example, an alumnus might be offering a scholarship to a student who comes from a specific county and is interested in photography.