What grade in High school is the best time to start looking for scholarships?
I’d probably say late junior into senior year. Just don’t wait to long in senior year, or you’ll miss quite a few.
Spring of junior year.
The answer depends on you, your family situation, and what schools you are looking at. A 1st gen, URM, exceptional student (4.0 UW GPA, perfect SATs, lots great ECs) coming from a financially strapped family, may be anticipating a full ride at a need-blind elite school.
A white student from a much wealthier background, with similar grades, scores and ECs, would be better off chasing merit money, and may have a different list of schools because they might be ineligible for need-based aid at the elites (HYPS etc).
The first student may not need to chase outside scholarships, especially if they don’t stack.