From now until August 25th, watch and vote for your favorite video from among the ten finalists to determine the Grand Prize and Second Place Winners. Each individual may only vote one time per day. Winners will be announced as part of National College Savings Month in September!

There is always a great deal of publicity given to the millions of dollars in scholarships that are available for college. While this is true and worth pursuing, the more attainable and larger scholarships usually come from the colleges themselves. One of the best ways to obtain optimal financial aid awards is to integrate finances into your college search.

At many colleges, merit scholarships are available. They are a powerful way for colleges to recruit desirable students; however, “desirable” will vary in definition from school to school. Typically, grades and standardized test scores are the most critical components, but this doesn’t mean a student needs to have perfect SATs or straight As to qualify for merit scholarships. Instead, scholarship recipients are usually at the top of the applicant pool at a particular college in a particular year. Additionally, colleges have been known to offer more appealing need-based financial aid packages to students who have strong profiles.

So what can a student do to be awarded these scholarships? It starts when the student creates their list of target colleges.

• Gain a strong understanding of how you compare to other applicants at that school.
• Ask the school if they have certain criteria (e.g., GPA or SAT scores) to qualify for merit scholarships.
• Determine if any additional forms are required to secure these scholarships and complete the necessary items on time.
• Appreciate that there may be a trade off between the most selective school you are accepted to and the one that is more affordable.

Give yourself options so you can make a choice based on academic, non-academic, and financial criteria when the time comes. The good news is that because of merit and need-based aid, financially conscious students can expand their college searches beyond schools with the lowest price tags.

Do you have creative ways of saving for college? Tell us about it — in a 30-second video. From turning down the air conditioning to biking to work, show us your best and brightest ideas on how to spend less now to save more for future college costs. Sallie Mae^® wants to hear how you are saving to achieve the dream of higher education — whether it’s for yourself, your children, grandchildren, niece, nephew, or family friend.

With our Saving for College Video Contest, one grand prize winner will be awarded $5,000, one second place winner will be awarded $1,000, and eight semi-finalists will receive $250 each. Share your video with us and you could be one of them!

The public will help choose 10 finalists by voting up to once a day between now and the Aug. 1 deadline. Entries will also be judged on quality, creativity, and fit to theme. Once the finalists have been selected, America will again be invited to vote for the grand prize winner between Aug. 10 and 25. Winners will be announced in early September as part of National College Savings Month.

Enter your video between June 15 and August 1 at Tuition Tales and you could be a winner!

Can you guess the most common question we are asked at our scholarship presentations and workshops? There is always at least one person who asks, “When is the best time to apply for scholarships?” It’s a good question. And while we always say that many scholarships have deadlines clustered around the fall and early spring, we always remind students that they need to be applying year round.

Not a single month goes by without a deadline for a great scholarship. Even now, in late spring, you can still find some awesome scholarships. For example, Sallie Mae® awards a $1,000 scholarship every month throughout the year to people who register for their free scholarship search. Or how about the Writers of the Future contest that gives awards each quarter (the next deadline is the end of June.) These are only two examples of awards with deadlines throughout late spring and even summer. To find more scholarships with upcoming deadlines, do a scholarship search or visit your local bookstore or library to get a scholarship book. You’ll be surprised at just how many scholarships are available throughout the year.

It’s also not too late to apply for scholarships if you’ve already graduated from high school. A lot of college students make the mistake of thinking that once they receive their high school diploma, they can no longer win scholarships. In reality, there are thousands of scholarships available for college, graduate school and adult students. Many organizations make their awards only open to college students because they want to support students who have selected their majors and are serious about entering a specific career field.

If you are in college or graduate school and looking for scholarships, besides online searches, tap into the resources of your school. You’ll find scholarships from the financial aid office and the department of your major. Plus, check out professional associations related to your career field. Whether you want to become an aerospace engineer or zoologist, there is a professional association for your future career. Many of these organizations award scholarships to students entering the industry.

So that’s why we say it’s never too late to apply for scholarships. When other students have their minds focused on summer vacation or when they stop applying because they’ve graduated from high school, you’ll still be zeroing in on all of the dollars that are yet to be won.

Recently Sallie Mae’s Upromise launched the second annual Tuition Tales Video Contest, which awards $10,000 to three Upromise members for future, current, or past college costs. Participants are invited to submit a 30-second video on www.upromise.com/tuitiontales to convey their tale of saving, paying, or repaying for college in a humorous, dramatic, or entertaining way. The contest runs through May 3, and videos will be judged on quality, fit to theme, and creativity.

One contestant in each of three categories — Saving for College, In College Now, and Paying it Back — will win $10,000 for college education expenses. Those three winners and nine finalists will win a $250 Bed Bath & Beyond^® gift card and a $250 Bank of America^® Visa^® gift card. The top 12 videos will be selected by a combination of online votes and a panel of judges. Once selected, all 12 finalists will be posted online and the public will vote (May 12–20) to determine which Tuition Tales video wins in each category. Contestants can submit entries on behalf of themselves, a family member, or friend. Winners will be announced on May 20.

So far nearly 150 entries have been submitted. Visit www.upromise.com/tuitiontales for complete details and to view and vote for your favorite videos. And remember, if you think you or someone you know deserves money for college, be sure to tell us about it. You still have time to submit your own Tuition Tales video!

Did you know there are millions of scholarships that reward nearly every talent? Did you know many scholarships are based on career paths, leadership, and community service? How about talents? Do you have any? If you do, you’ll like this: A lot of scholarships are based on talents like debate, art, music, sports, and even the ability to bake an apple pie. Yes, apple pie. Pretty cool!

That means having straight A’s and financial need are not always a prerequisite for winning scholarships. The key is to identify your strengths and then find the awards that are right for you. But before you do that, it’s time to learn the basics about scholarships.

What are scholarships?

Scholarships are financial awards to students that do not have to be repaid, also known as “free money.” Scholarship awards can range from just a few dollars to covering the full tuition bill.

Who offers scholarships?

A variety of sources offer scholarships, including federal and state governments and private sources, such as employers, individuals, professional associations, and educational institutions.

Where to search for scholarships?

Sallie Mae’s free scholarship search provides to a database containing more than 3 million scholarships. Start searching today and check back often. Every time you log on or update your profile, a new search matches you with the latest scholarship opportunities. You can even use it on Facebook!

Plenty of scholarships may be perfect for you. Once you identify them, you can dramatically increase your chances of winning. We can help you devise a strategy with this useful information:

• Get tips for a successful scholarship search.
• Learn how to write a winning scholarship essay.
• Avoid scholarship scams.
• Download a checklist to track your scholarships.
• Access a free scholarship database containing more than 3 million awards.

When it's time to pay for school, there is a simple way to cut through all the financial information. It's as easy as "get the cheapest money first." And that's as easy as Sallie Mae's 1-2-3 approach to paying for college.^SM

1. Get the free money first. Scholarships and grants are funds that don't have to be paid back. Ask around, visit Sallie Mae's free scholarship search, and get all the "free money" you can.
2. Apply for federal student loans. Step two is federal student loans. They generally have below-market interest rates and more flexible repayment options. Even if you think you are not eligible for federal student loans, you can't be sure until you try. Submit the FAFSA and start the process.
3. Fill any gap with private loans. After you've exhausted free and federal money, private student loans can make up the difference. There are a variety of private student loans, each with its own requirements and features.