Some students seek out only scholarship opportunities that have very broad eligibility criteria--in other words, scholarships that a wide range of people can apply for. Conversely, other students look for nothing but scholarships that are open only to students with a unique personal characteristic, such as a particular disability, hobby, or ethnic background. Which approach should you follow?

Well, my best advice is that you should do both. Those who search only for broad, generic scholarship programs miss out on awards that may be designed specifically for someone with their unique characteristics... programs that are often less competitive because very few people can apply for them.

On the other hand, those who focus solely on scholarships for students with a notable personal characteristic--such as scholarships for undergraduates with asthma--lose perspective on the vast forest of scholarship money that is accessible to all.  To avoid leaving any potential scholarship money untapped, cast a wide net, yet focus narrow, too.

This principle also can be applied to scholarships with a particular geographic focus. Don't look only for nationwide scholarship programs, and don't search solely for community- or district-specific scholarships, either. Savvy scholarship searchers seek both national and local awards.