College is one of the most expensive things you will ever invest pay for in your life. Most college graduates will end up with some sort of debt that can take decades to pay off, not to mention additional debt if you go for a Master’s degree. Free Application For Student Aid, or FAFSA, is everyone’s number one way of getting money to help pay for college but still end with monumental amounts of debt. Some people tend to forget that scholarships are an easy, accessible way to get free money to reduce the stress and burden that student loans cause.

Scholarships seem to be awarded to people who thrive academically or in athletics, but there are thousands of other opportunities to get scholarships or grants. My top resource for scholarships is Cappex, a free website where you fill in your information and they will update you monthly with scholarships that apply to you. These scholarships typically run between $250 to $10,000.

Another amazing resource is the school’s Student Center. During second semester, they put out the local scholarship applications. When the school receives your application, they will put you in a pool for all of the scholarships you qualify for. Alum Mallory Andre applied for this scholarship and ended up receiving 2 scholarships.

“You can receive an $1,000 scholarship that you applied for in 40 minutes or get $1,000 that you worked for for a month,” Andre said.

Scholarships are more than just about grades and sports, there is a scholarship fit for everyone, all you need to do is find it!