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Once you’ve filed the FAFSA and are awaiting financial award letters from colleges, students should take some time to pursue what are commonly referred to as third-party scholarships, or money awarded from organizations other than the colleges themselves. Third-party scholarships, also known as outside scholarships or private scholarships, can help fill unmet need that's not covered by your financial aid package. However, it's important to check colleges' policies on outside scholarships because different schools treat them differently. Here's what you…

Merit-based aid financial aid (typically scholarships) is financial aid that colleges give to students based on their grades and test scores. Maximizing merit-based financial aid is particularly important for middle-income families who don’t qualify for most of the need-based aid that’s available. Here are five ways to increase your student’s chances of qualifying for more merit-based financial aid. « Learn more about scholarships 1. Get good grades in college prep classes Having good grades (and a good grade point average)…