Maybe you are not in the top ten percent of your class.

And, perhaps you haven't been very involved in clubs and activities.

So, you can forget about winning a college scholarship, right?

Don't be so sure. In reality, there may be lots of scholarships for which you may qualify. But, you'll have to actively look for them.

Your first stop should be your school's guidance office. Most guidance offices maintain a list of scholarships awarded by local churches, businesses, and organizations, and the requirements for each.

Next, make a list of your family's affiliations. Where do your family members work? Where do they worship? To what clubs and organizations do they belong? Check out all of them and you may find more scholarships, including some totally unrelated to grades or test scores.

Then go on the net and try a few of the many free .

The more you investigate, the more kinds of scholarships you will discover, including scholarships for students interested in teaching, future scientists, members of specific religions, students with disabilities, students from particular ethnic groups, students with talent in the fine arts, and many, many other kinds of scholarships.

There are even scholarships you can win by writing an essay or participating in an academic competition.

There is no shortage of scholarship money out there for ambitious students of all ages. But, you have to spend some time and energy finding them, you must fill out your scholarship applications carefully, and you must be aware of and adhere to deadlines.

Happy hunting!