A college education is quite expensive these days. Parents and students alike are looking for different ways to pay for their higher education. Scholarships are the holy grail of college financing. A scholarship does not need to be repaid, and can make college more affordable. If you'd like to learn more about where to find them, read on to learn how to get a scholarship.

• Scholarships are awarded by businesses and civic groups, by community organizations, and by colleges and universities themselves. They may be awarded for academic, athletic, or musical talent, as the result of an essay contest, or just because you meet certain demographic requirements. In order to get a scholarship however, you need to apply — and before applying, you need to find scholarships you're qualified for.

• Scholarships are awarded for all types of special talents and abilities. Although athletic scholarships may be the first that comes to mind in this category, scholarships are also awarded for band, forensics, and other abilities. If you excel in a particular area, identify colleges that have strong programs in those fields. A school will be more apt to offer scholarship money for a field they value.

• There is money waiting to be claimed within your community. Many local businesses, banks, Rotary organizations, chambers of commerce, and the like offer scholarships each year. Your school's guidance department should be able to provide you with a list.

Most college scholarship money, however, is awarded based on academic merit, using a mix of GPA, SAT scores, and class rank. The specific criteria can generally be found on a school's website, described as scholarships, merit aid, or presidential awards. The awards generally go to students who are at the top of the applicant pool. To maximize your chance of receiving this type of award, you need to apply to schools where you will be a very attractive candidate.

Most generally have money donated by alumni for very specific scholarships. These may require a student to be from a certain town, with a certain ethnic background, who is planning on pursuing a specific course of study. If you meet the criteria, you're in luck!

• The internet is a great place to begin your search. Be careful, however, reputable scholarship search sites do not require a fee to join.
  • U.S. Department of Education: Scholarship Search
  • FastWeb: Scholarships, Financial Aid and Colleges
  • StudentScholarshipSearch.com: College Scholarships