<p>I think it is very worthwhile applying for local scholarships if you are , say, in the top 10% of your class, with good ecs. Sports is another hook that, at least in our town, can help a student to snag some scholarship money. </p>
<p>I would echo what a pp said about checking the guidance dept. sites of other schools in your area. We found a few that were not listed on my daughter’s school’s site. I would also suggest that sometime in the jr. year one should research which state credit unions and banks you might be eligible to join that also give scholarships. </p>
<p>Yes, it is a lot of work, but even if you only get one scholarship for $500 with ten hours work, the return on investment is still pretty good. And, you may just find out, as my daughter did, that a few of them may be renewable. She did not know that at the time she applied—the scholarships did not state this in the application. Also, if you do your research, you may find that some of the scholarships do NOT automatically go to the tippy-top applicants. We noticed this about a few of the scholarships that were given out at her awards night. They may have been looking for an improving gpa, overcoming hardships, etc., so it is important to target the scholarships you apply to. </p>
<p>Btw, my daughter’s smallest scholarship was for $250, but she treasured it as much as the bigger awards, because it was funded by the teachers at her elementary school</p>