Teens
College Scams

Are you thinking about your college career? Looking into universities and community colleges opens your eyes to the fact that an education is downright expensive!! You search for an easy alternative, and find oodles of money out there in the form of scholarships. But beware!! These scholarships can be a scam, but very few people realize because it seems like a legitimate business. This information will help you choose the right track towards getting money for your education.

It works like this: a company advertises "guaranteed scholarships" for your college education and they tell you that, for a fee, they can locate scholarships for which you are "already qualified"!! If this seems too good to be true, that's because it is. The only service that these companies are charging you for is looking into their database which lists scholarships, and telling you which ones you are eligible for. In effect, they are doing something that you can do for yourself by taking a trip to the local library.

Helpful Tips

Start the scholarship process early. Most high school seniors feel swamped by it around May, and this can lead to unwise decisions. By starting earlier in the school year, or even the summer before, you can work at your own pace, and not be rushed into silly choices.
Many companies sound very official, but be wary of people who come looking for you. The majority of legitimate agencies don't go looking for customers.
Find scholarship information for yourself. The local library or bookstore has books which contain lists of scholarships you can apply for. Additionally, many of the scholarships out there never even get applied for, so basically, the money is out there for the taking.
Never give a company your credit card or account number. You might just find out one day that your credit bill is huge, or that your account has been emptied!!
These are some common scam techniques to watch out for

"The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back!"
"You can't get this information anywhere else!"
"We do all the work!"
"You have been selected by a national foundation!"
"You're a finalist!"
Bottom Line

The scams might not be easy to pick out, but an easy way to avoid being suckered is to never trust a company until you know more about them. Most importantly, don't be tricked into giving important information about yourself!!