More scholarships are available than you may think. It's worth your time and effort to seek out relevant scholarships and apply for them.

Start looking for scholarships at least one year before entering college.

Consider whether you are a member of an underrepresented group, in financial need, or interested in certain fields of study. Scholarships are available for those with special talents in many areas, including sports, art, science and music.

Think about applying for a fellowship - a scholarship for graduate students - if you want to go to graduate school.

Recognize what you can expect from a scholarship when you apply for it. Some schools offer to pay all your expenses, while others only pay for room and board.

Use a No. 2 pencil to complete the application form.

Be prepared to answer general questions such as name, address, social security number, date of birth, citizenship status and marital status.

Provide any necessary financial information such as total family income, number of children in your household, and number of children in college. Round dollar amounts to whole number values.

Supply information about the talent required by the scholarship for which you are applying.

Mail all the paperwork to the address listed on the application.

Endure the weeks or months of waiting to find out whether you got the scholarship and how much money you will receive from it.