By Mikayla Henault

In order to find scholarships you have the best chance of winning, they must match your needs, interests, and background. Finding the right scholarships may involve extra time and research, but they can really pay off. Check out these 5 best places to search for scholarships.

School Guidance Counselor

The first place to begin your scholarship search is with your guidance counselor. Most high schools have their own database of scholarships for students to start with. Many of these scholarships may be limited to just your graduating class, meaning you’ll have a higher chance of winning. Your guidance counselor can also help you brainstorm other scholarships based on your background, experience and interests. There are a lot of different scholarships out there for everything from merit and need to your height and favorite ice cream flavor, so sitting down with someone who knows what’s available, and knows you, can be very valuable.

Town Hall/Library

Most people don’t think to look in their town for local scholarships. Depending on your town, you can visit your town hall or local library for a list of different scholarships available to students who live in your area. Most of these scholarships are sponsored by nearby businesses looking to give back to local students. These scholarships are often a hidden treasure. Because they are limited to a small applicant pool and students don’t know where to find them, they typically receive less applicants, increasing your chance of winning.

Organizations You Belong To

Make a list of all of the organizations you belong to, chances are many of them offer scholarships. This includes different clubs and associations you are involved with at school such as the National Honor Society and DECA, as well as religious groups and professional organizations. You should also check with your employer and your parents’ employers to see if they offer any scholarships you may be eligible for.

College Financial Aid Offices

Another place people often forget to look for scholarships is college financial aid offices. Most financial aid offices post scholarships on their websites and social media accounts, and many of them are available for both current and incoming college students. Take a few minutes to check out the financial aid pages at your top schools to see what scholarships you can find.

Free Scholarship Sites

There are a lot of free scholarship search sites available to help you find the perfect scholarship. Sites such as collegeboard.org, niche.com and scholarships.com allow you to search through thousands of scholarships. You can refine your searches based on where you live, your major, your interests and your affiliations. A lot of these sites also showcase scholarships that are quick and easy to apply for such as “no essay” scholarships. Just be careful, the winner of some of the easier scholarships to apply for such as Niche’s $2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship, are determined by a random drawing, meaning your odds of winning are pretty slim. Try to apply for a mix of different scholarship types in order to increase your overall chances of winning.