Forget Halloween and Apply for Scholarships

Scholarships, scholarship, scholarships!

Scholarships are basically the spoiled children of the financial aid family. They get all the attention, everyone likes them best, and they have to be first in line for everything. So even though the 2010 FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) won't even be available until January, a lot of scholarship applications are due in October.

I mean, classes just got started. Who has time to apply for scholarships?

Not many people. And that's a good thing!

Remember: scholarships are competitions. And the fewer people in the race, the better shot you have at making the medal stand.

Here are some scholarships due in October and November. Apply for them while everyone else is concerned with their Halloween costumes!

Horatio Alger Scholarships - due October 31st.

Prudential Spirit of Community Award - due November 2.

Wells Fargo UNCF Award - due October 31st.

Education Matters Scholarship - due October 31st.

There are lots of other opportunities out there for all you early birds. The point is, don't assume that scholarships deadlines coincide with federal financial aid application deadlines. There is money out there already just waiting to be claimed.