11 Private Scholarships to Help You Pay for College

Roughly 2 out of 3 undergrads use grants and scholarships to help them pay for college, according to the most recent federal data. But finding the best options can be a daunting task. Websites like Fastweb and Cappex allow you to create a free profile, research what's available and end up with personalized matches based on a variety of criteria, such as ethnicity, location, activities, academic interests and honors. Scholly, another scholarship matching system accessible on the web or through a mobile app, allows users to see choices, track deadlines and follow the status of their submissions for a $2.99 monthly fee. Through such platforms, applicants and students might find some ultraspecific awards that they might qualify for, such as the Travers Tool Metalworking Student Scholarship or the BMI Foundation's John Lennon Scholarships for undergrad songwriters and composers of contemporary music.