Harvard Independent

Word from the wise - kids, so you've passed your SATs and are hoping to earn a college scholarship, and you're on the verge of pestering Mom and Dad to let you use their credit card to pay for one of those scholarship search sites that promise you a scholarship, any scholarship for a membership fee. Well, we told your parents and now you're grounded - kidding, kidding, but seriously speaking, these scholarship searches are not worth your money, your parents' money or anybody else's money for that matter. Since these scholarship grants are given to qualified applicants, not anyone who becomes a member of the scholarship search site would be able to win a guaranteed scholarship.

So is there any reason or rhyme to paying for the right to search for scholarships when you aren't even guaranteed a scholarship in the first place? Is there some sort of magical prize, probably a date with football quarterback (for the girls) or head cheerleader (for the boys), that you get from a paid scholarship search as opposed to a free scholarship search?

It may not occur to you that free scholarship search serves only the same purpose as those scholarship search sites that ask for payment. Don't kick yourself for nearly making that mistake, because oftentimes paying for something gives you more than a similar product or service you can get for free. True that on most counts, but when it comes to the scholarship search? No sirree Bob!

The scholarship search is the one-stop shop for anybody who wants to look for the best prep school, college, graduate and post graduate scholarships. Well, as mentioned, scholarship search could be free and or with a membership fee. And now that you understand that you do not have to pay diddly squat to gain access to bajillions of scholarship listings, why not go for the free scholarship search?

The free scholarship search would still require you to register as a member. This is like signing up for paid scholarship search. The only difference is, you don't have to key-in your credit card number.

Once a member, you can access the site's database and find the type of scholarship that fits you. All it takes is a few easy registration steps and you're off to the races without paying a single dime for scholarship listings.

And another thing to remember: The success of your search will never depend on the site but to your will to find one. The free scholarship search will only help you find those scholarships, it is your job to make sure that you apply for it and make sure that throughout the process of your application, you do good and bring out all your best. In this way, your chances of winning the scholarship are bigger.