With spring on the horizon, deadlines loom ahead. As the window for scholarship applications closes, seniors often are overwhelmed by essay submissions, SATs and paperwork for college admissions. Many fear that their high school time has run out as they scramble to raise their GPA.

“I started looking for scholarships much too late in high school,” Isaac Gallegoes, Fresno State graduate, 01′, said. “It made it extremely difficult to find good scholarships. Grades were another important thing, I should have tried harder to get good grades; it would have made looking for scholarships much easier.”

By late winter juniors and seniors often begin thinking about and looking for scholarships to help pay for college expenses. Anyone can apply for a scholarship but age limitations generally limit applicants to juniors and seniors. Even a few college freshmen still apply for scholarships when they realize how much college can cost.

“Students need to look for criteria that matches their unique ability’s and characteristics,” Jon Endicott, vice principal, said. “Students may need to write essays or show proof of grades or their family’s financial needs.”

Endicott also lists senior scholarships on his counseling website, located at http://counseling.fresnochristian.com.

There are many sources to help find scholarships online. One such Internet source is www.Fastweb.com. Endicott said it is an excellent website to go to and find reliable information on college scholarships. They have over 600,000 scholarships that are worth over $1 million.

Applicants are required to fill out an online questionnaire; this process takes about an hour. Within a couple of hours of completing the questionnaire, hopeful students will receive an email telling them about scholarships that were found matching their criteria.

Candidates must now go back to Fastweb’s website where they can fill out the suggested scholarship forms. There is a deadline for each scholarship which can be anywhere from two to four weeks. For more information contact Endicott at 297-9464, ext. 126.

In addition, the campus Parent Support Network (PSN) is sponsoring a Financial Aid Workshop to help students and parents with the application process. The event will be held in the Jackie Johnson Hospitality Room on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.