Reap Some Rewards: Get a Scholarship

Most high school graduates think that scholarships are reserved for superstar football quarterbacks or academic wunderkinds. Fortunately, for the 99.9 percent of high school graduates who don't fall into those two categories, there are hundreds of different scholarships available. Even if you don't finish first in the race for grants, there are student loan options that can help overcome tuition hurdles.

More scholarships than you can shake a syllabus at

The volume of scholarship opportunities has boomed in recent years. There are new scholarships based on a variety of categories, including:

• Academics. (Generally given to students with high Grade Point Averages and excellent standardized test scores.)
• Athletics. (Not only traditional sports like football and basketball, but less popular endeavors like golf, crew, and track can score you some aid.)
• Financial need. (Based on a student's finances. Can help low-income grads to attend prestigious universities.)
• Demographics. (Local organizations award hometown heroes grants on a yearly basis.)

Other options include scholarships based on military service, the arts, and various occupations. Do some surfing on the Internet. You'll be surprised at how many different types are available, including scholarships for left-handed students and the Klingon Language Institute scholarships. Don't be afraid to boldly research where no man (or woman) has gone before.

Create a fallback plan

If none of these scholarship programs work out, there are plenty of student loan packages available to you. A student can choose government programs, such as the Stafford Loans (given to students) and the PLUS Loans (for parents). There are also private student loans, which compete with government loans in terms of rate, but generally involve less paper work.

The early bird catches the worm when it comes to scholarships; so if college looms, it's best for a student to start a scholarship search early. Check with local lenders regarding the best time to apply for a student loan. Consider both options, and you'll have passed this crash course in financing a college education. Besides, it never hurts to have a bird's eye view of your financial options.