When my kids were planning for college, I struggled to get them to apply for scholarships. I sat on scholarship committees, so I thought it was a no-brainer that they would listen to me but — nope. It was like pulling teeth and often ended in frustration for both of us.

One day, at a parent college information session, a father raised his hand. He said that he had the same challenge with his child. It was good to know I wasn’t alone. It turns out, a lot of parents struggle with getting their children to apply for college scholarships. It seems students just don’t see the benefit of applying for anything that isn’t guaranteed. Of course, their schedules are often packed with after-school sports, activities and jobs, so they also don’t have or won’t make the time.

So, why do I insist that you suffer through all of the attitude and tears from your teen? Well, because it will save you a ton of money. According to a 2017 College Board report, the cost of college (specifically public, four-year institutions) over the course of the last decade has increased at an average rate of 3 percent per year beyond inflation and shows no sign of stopping. It’s important that your students chip in with some free money.

Though it was a battle, what I did with my children was a modification of what I did to get scholarships for my own education. Follow these steps and start as early as possible. You might be surprised to find that some scholarships are available starting in junior high. 

Original article published on Go Banking Rates. Click here to view the full article.