If you're a traditional student (that is, a high school student transitioning directly into a college or university) start with your guidance counselor. He or she will be able to point you in the direction of scholarships targeted for your specific circumstances. You might be qualified for academic, athletic, low-income or other types of scholarships. Or, your counselor might know of scholarships that are specific to your intended area of study, like nursing or engineering, liberal arts or journalism.
Whether you're traditional or non-traditional (as in, an adult re-entry student), check with the financial aid offices of the colleges or universities you're interested in attending. Like high school guidance counselors these individuals know about scholarship opportunities. Many post-secondary institutions offer their own scholarships. The financial aid office will be able to tell if you qualify for these.
Use the Internet to search for local scholarships in your area. Businesses, professional organizations, even communities sometimes offer scholarships to local citizens.
If you're a traditional student, have your parents check with their employers. Many companies offer annual scholarship programs for children of employees. If you're non-traditional, be sure to check with your employer about tuition reimbursement.
Use an online scholarship site like Fastweb or Student Scholarship Search.com. In particular, Fastweb returns automatic, targeted searches, it saves your notes and favorite scholarships, and it even sends you reminders about scholarship application deadlines.
Check your local library for the latest edition of "The Scholarship Book." This comprehensive listing of private sector scholarships--those not tied to specific colleges and it also includes informations on grants and loans.