The mortgage meltdown and credit crunch have conspired to shake consumer confidence to its very core. Lots of people are trying to figure out how they’ll pay for college as key funding sources dry up.

In the midst of tough market conditions, there are some bright spots out there. Specifically, college scholarships continue to provide a way for students to pay for school. And, if my survey of various websites offers an accurate indication of things to come, scholarship money will still be plentiful in 2009, but with one caveat: the number of people looking for funding will increase sharply. Therefore, you’ll want to apply early and often to keep your chances of winning scholarship alive.

Over the past few weeks we’ve learned about some new scholarship opportunities, monies which can help fund your education. The award amount varies as does the application process, therefore please familiarize yourself with their rules before applying:

The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage challenges students in grades 6 - 12 to combat acts of hatred, discrimination and intolerance by participating in the Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out essay contest. Students who are currently in the 11^th or 12^th grade can apply for a special prize: a scholarship in the amount of $100,000 to an Ohio college or university.

Junior Achievement and Deloitte today announced the launch of their fifth annual “Excellence through Ethics” essay contest, in which U.S. high school seniors are asked to apply their knowledge of ethical decision-making and share their views on the importance of ethics in business. To enter, high school seniors must compose an original essay of 500 words or less in response to an ethical dilemma posted on Junior Achievement’s web site. Entries must be submitted online and will be accepted starting today, until January 2, 2009.

For more than 10 years, the Union Plus Scholarship program has supported working families pursuing post-secondary education. The Union Plus Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation. The AFL-CIO is behind this educational effort is accepting applications for the 2009 academic year right now.

Trico Electric Cooperative has college scholarship money to give students in their service area (parts of Arizona) for the 2009-2010 school year. All winners are selected on the basis of scholastic standing, participation in extracurricular activities, volunteer participation, leadership and special circumstances, including personal financial need. Scholarships are available for $4,600 for students attending a four-year college and $1,840 for students attending a two-year college.

The Fort Wayne Zoological Society is accepting applications for the Lawrence A. Ackerman Scholarship, which bestows a one-time $2,000 award to a college-bound high school senior pursuing an animal-related career. The scholarship award is based on an applicant’s character, commitment to the care of animals, personal financial need, and scholastic achievement. Graduating high school seniors in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley counties in Indiana are eligible to apply.

If your organization is offering scholarship money to worthy students and you would like to be mentioned herein, feel free to reply to this comment and add your own scholarship information for our readers.

Tags: college money, college scholarship, college tuition, education, grants, money, university

When arranging funding for college, you or your parents are probably tapping your savings, 529 college fund, considering private student loans and/or Stafford loans, and you may be looking at other borrowing opportunities. Though borrowing money for college can help you get the education that you want, keeping your debt to a manageable level is a wise decision.

Getting Free Money For College

Two areas of assistance that are worth considering are grants and scholarships. Grants, such as the Federal Pell Grant program and whatever state programs are available to you should be explored. These funds, if you are a recipient, never have to be repaid.  Whatever monies are awarded to you come right off the top of your tuition bill.

Scholarships work the same way though their availability can be limited, have strings attached, and in some cases other restrictions may apply. However, billions of dollars of scholarship money is up for grabs each year, something you should pursue when weighing your funding options.

Virtually every type of student can obtain a scholarship, not just the Dean’s List students or other academic leaders. Certainly, the better the grades, the more scholarship opportunities available to you, but not every opportunity is available to students just because they excelled academically.

Finding College Scholarships

There are a number of ways you can find college scholarships including:

Your Guidance Counselor — Your best contact at school for college assistance is your guidance counselor. She will know what local scholarships are available to you and what the eligibility requirements are. Visit her early in the school year to obtain that information from her; you may be required to submit a lengthy essay and apply by a certain date.

Search The Web — Beyond your school’s database, there are thousands upon thousands of places where you can find scholarships. Do a Google search for “college scholarships” and you’ll uncover an amazing variety of offerings out there. Visit our Search Scholarships page for more information and read our Fun and Wacky College Scholarships You Never Knew About article for some offbeat suggestions.

Ask Relatives — Companies will often extend scholarship money to children of their workers and, in some cases, to grandchildren or other relatives. If a parent works for a union, part of the dues they pay may be set aside to provide scholarship money to children like you.

Check With Your Club, Group, Church, Association — Membership has it benefits, therefore if you or your parents belong to a civic organization, church, community group, or even a specific ethnic group, you could qualify for a special scholarship. Some scholarships cater to young Latino males, others are for women returning to school, and still others to former members of the military. There are endless scholarships out there for every type of student imaginable.

Apply Early And Often!

Finally, when applying for scholarships, apply for as many as possible. Follow the instructions explicitly and be patient. Though many college scholarships are awarded toward the end of the academic year, others are awarded on a rolling basis or throughout the year. You may not get money for this September, but you could be awarded a scholarship for January, next summer, or even for the following academic year.

Tags: college, college scholarships, Federal Pell Grant, financial aid, grants, stafford loans, Student Loans, university