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Each and every year millions of college students across the United States battle it out for scholarship contests, rather it be on websites, essay contests, academic scholarships, etc. As a college student myself and scholarship recipient, I know firsthand what it takes to ensure your college future is funded with free money.

One of my favorite sites for researching scholarships is www.fastweb.com. It is by far the largest database of college scholarship opportunities and most used by graduating seniors in high school on through college. This database allows student members to review scholarship opportunities ranging from essay contests put on by major corporations, to enter and win scholarships, and so on. It is very easy to use and if you take it serious, you are likely to find a scholarship that fits your needs.

Another great way to find scholarships and free aid for college is by contacting the college you want to attend. Most colleges will have a huge database of scholarships that you can apply for within their financial aid office. Also most colleges offer academic scholarships based on GPA and other factors. They can range anywhere from $500 to a full ride.

A lot of times colleges will also have scholarships available within each academic department. For example, at my college, the University of Tampa, the Theater Department, Science Department, etc. have scholarships for incoming freshman who plan to major in that field. All you have to do is apply and hope you are in the top bracket!

The most popular financial aid in America is student loans and grants. Most of these loans and grants are based on your parent's income, so those whose parents make very little will gain the most funds. But even if you are not eligible for financial aid, most banks such as Bank of America offer student loans to people of all income and your there are also loans such as the PLUS loan that parents can take out in their name to fund their child's college education.

There are also individual state grant and loan programs. For example, in my state, Florida, I have grants just because I'm attending a private university and a grant just for being a Florida resident.

Don't forget to fill out the FAFSA form, which will dictate what sort of federal and state financial aid you will gain. For more info on the FAFSA application and government loans/grants please visit http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

Never doubt your ability to get a good scholarship; because there is one out there for every student, you just have to willing to search for them.

Thank you to Joshua Murphy for this "Getting Financial Resources" article.