There are thousands and thousands of dollars up for grabs each year; it's up to you to find them and simply apply. There is no way you can be awarded scholarship money if you do not try, so don't let this be the reason your tuition money comes out of your pocket.
There are plenty of academic scholarships offered to students with impressive grade point averages, as well as those enrolling in a specific major. Big donors create scholarship funds in certain fields because they work within them and would like to see more young people contribute and prosper. If you are enrolling in school because you would like to be an engineer, for example, search for scholarships that offer money just for taking coursework that pertains to civil engineering.
If you have been involved in a competitive athletic sport since high school, or would like to try your luck at a collegiate level, try searching for college scholarships offered to a specific sport. Almost all schools offer scholarship money - and even 'full rides' - to student athletes who can contribute to the overall reputation of the university simply by attending.
There are scholarships offered for the simplest of things; for example, did you know by reading a classic book of literature and writing an analytical essay on your thoughts afterwards you may get your semester's tuition paid for? By doing a more general scholarship search, you may stumble across random scholarships like these that are easy to apply for. All you are required to do is read a book and write a short essay, nothing you haven't done before. These essays could be the only ones you ever get paid to complete!
Many large companies like to have their products promoted on college campuses due to the sheer size of a target demographic all centered in one place. If you wear certain t-shirts, pass out merchandise, or even place a promotional sticker on your car you can be paid for your services.
Many nationwide groups such as the NAACP and other small ethnic equality groups like to see ethnically-diverse students attend college. You can earn scholarship money simply by being yourself! By filling out some paperwork to confirm your heritage, you could receive money for college.
Starting your scholarship search may seem like a daunting task. There are so many different scholarship programs out there, but not much help in the way of sorting through them all. This is where the help of a financial aid advisor comes in handy. If you contact the office in charge of these services at your school, you should be put in touch with someone who can help you in your search.