College is expensive, but the sticker price doesn’t always tell the whole story. As our own kids have gotten older and we’ve navigated college decisions firsthand, I’ve become even more convinced that there are so many creative ways to lower the cost of a college education. Scholarships are a big piece of that puzzle!

I recently asked my Instagram community to share their best tips for finding college scholarships, and you all came through with some fantastic ideas and personal experiences. One thing that really stood out to me? You usually have to be willing to dig.

The biggest scholarships aren’t necessarily the only ones worth pursuing. A $500 local scholarship, a departmental award, an employer scholarship, and a few smaller essay contests can start adding up surprisingly quickly.

And sometimes the less obvious opportunities have far fewer applicants!

How to Find Scholarships for College:

If you’re trying to figure out how to pay for college without taking on mountains of student loan debt, here are some ideas to find college scholarships:

1. Start With the College’s Financial Aid Office

Several readers emphasized this, and I think it’s one of the most important tips on this list: Talk to the financial aid office!

Don’t assume the initial financial aid package is the only money available. Ask about institutional scholarships, departmental scholarships, grants, endowed scholarships funded by alumni, work-study opportunities, and scholarships that become available to current students after their freshman year.

One reader shared that her three daughters attend Colorado Christian University and have received a combination of academic scholarships, major-specific scholarships, grants, and even an endowed global studies scholarship.

Another important thing to know: If your family’s financial circumstances have changed significantly, ask the financial aid office whether you can request an aid adjustment through what’s known as professional judgment. Federal Student Aid says schools may consider certain special circumstances, such as a loss of employment or significant uncovered medical expenses, when reviewing financial aid eligibility.

It never hurts to ask, “Are there any other scholarships or financial aid opportunities we should apply for?”

2. Look For Scholarships Connected To Your Major

Don’t stop at university-wide scholarships. Once you’ve chosen a major, or at least narrowed down your interests, investigate the individual college or department.

One reader told me that the agriculture and engineering colleges at the University of Arkansas award a large number of scholarships and that her kids have received multiple scholarships that can stack together. Depending on your field, there may be scholarships specifically for future nurses, teachers, engineers, accountants, journalists, social workers, or other professionals.

Search phrases such as “[major] scholarships,” “[major] scholarships in [your state],” or “[university] [department] scholarships.”

Also ask your academic department directly and investigate funding through your academic program, in addition to the university’s main financial aid office.

3. Don’t Overlook Local Scholarships

This tip came up again and again: Start local.

National scholarships can attract thousands of applicants. Your local scholarship from a credit union, civic organization, business, church, nonprofit, or community foundation might have a much smaller applicant pool.

Check with your:

• High school guidance office
• Local community foundation
• Credit unions and banks
• Chamber of commerce
• Rotary, Kiwanis, and other civic organizations
• Churches and religious organizations
• Local businesses
• Parents’ employers
• Professional associations

One reader specifically recommended checking local credit unions because many offer scholarships to members.

Even if an award is “only” $500 or $1,000, remember that several smaller scholarships can add up to thousands of dollars.

4. Treat Applying For Scholarships Like a Numbers Game

This might be one of my favorite pieces of reader advice.

One mom told me:

“My daughter applied and received $80,000 in scholarships for college and was able to go to private college debt free. She applied to just about every scholarship that she met the requirements for. The guidance office should have lots of resources or try Googling. Something else that helped is my daughter took dual credit classes in high school, so then she was able to graduate college in 3 years. She also worked extremely hard and got wonderful grades and when she applied they gave her a very generous academic credit.”

$80,000!!

I love this example because there wasn’t one magical scholarship that made college affordable. They combined multiple strategies: scholarships, strong academics, dual-credit courses, and graduating early.

Don’t apply for three scholarships and give up when you don’t hear back.

Consider setting a goal of applying for a certain number each week or month. Keep a spreadsheet with the scholarship name, amount, deadline, requirements, application status, and notification date.

The more qualified opportunities you pursue, the more chances you give yourself to win.

5. Search For Scholarships That Require a Little More Effort

It can be tempting to focus exclusively on “no essay” scholarships because they’re so easy to enter.

But easy applications can also mean more competition.

One reader recommended The Scholarship System, which teaches families how to search for scholarships and put together competitive applications. One of her biggest takeaways was to pay particular attention to essay-based scholarships and learn how to write a strong scholarship essay.

I’d encourage your student to create a folder containing a strong general essay, transcript, activity list, volunteer experience, work history, awards, recommendation letters, and other commonly requested materials.

You shouldn’t submit the exact same essay everywhere, but having a solid starting point can make applying for multiple scholarships much less overwhelming.

6. Use Google Strategically

Don’t just search “college scholarships.” Get specific! Combine words that describe the student with terms such as “scholarship,” “grant,” or “award.”

For instance, search for scholarships based on:

• Major or career goal
• State or hometown
• Volunteer activities
• Hobbies
• Sports
• Academic achievements
• Employer
• Community involvement
• Clubs and organizations

You can also combine categories: “Tennessee engineering scholarships,” “scholarships for high school musicians,” or “education major scholarships.”

Try several versions of each search and repeat the process periodically because new opportunities and deadlines are constantly popping up.

7. Use AI to Brainstorm Scholarship Searches…But Verify Everything

Several readers mentioned using ChatGPT to help uncover ideas, and I think this can be a great starting point.

You could provide details such as your student’s state, intended major, academic interests, extracurricular activities, volunteer experience, hobbies, career goals, and other relevant information and ask for categories of scholarships they might qualify for.

You could also ask AI to generate specific Google search phrases you might not have thought of. But here’s the important part: Don’t blindly trust an AI-generated scholarship listing.

Scholarships change, deadlines pass, and information online can become outdated. Always go directly to the organization offering the scholarship to verify the eligibility requirements, deadline, award amount, and application instructions before spending time on an application.

8. Prepare For the PSAT/NMSQT

If you have a high school student, don’t dismiss the PSAT as just another practice test. The PSAT/NMSQT is the qualifying test used to enter the National Merit Scholarship Program.

One reader told me her daughter received offers from schools that included free tuition after earning National Merit recognition.

Not every student will qualify, of course, but if your child is a strong test-taker, it may be worth preparing seriously for the PSAT/NMSQT and researching colleges that offer merit aid connected with strong academic performance or National Merit recognition.

9. Look For Employers That Help Pay For College

If your teenager or college student plans to work anyway, why not investigate employers that can help pay for school?

Many companies offer some type of tuition assistance, reimbursement, or scholarship program to eligible employees. Requirements vary widely, including how long you need to work there, which schools or programs qualify, and how much the company will contribute.

Before accepting a part-time job, compare the total benefits rather than just the hourly wage. An employer paying slightly less per hour but providing thousands of dollars toward tuition could potentially be the better financial choice.

And don’t just look at the student’s employer. Check whether a parent’s or guardian’s company offers scholarships to employees’ dependents, too.

10. Explore Scholarship Newsletters, Groups, and Databases

You don’t have to find every opportunity yourself.

One reader recommended the JLV College Counseling Scholarship Saturday newsletter, which regularly shares scholarship opportunities.

Another recommended the Facebook group Scholarship Help and College Talk for Parents as a source of free information and resources.

Candid can also be a starting point for researching student funding. It recommends that students complete the FAFSA, investigate state aid, contact college financial aid offices, explore scholarship directories, and look for assistance through academic departments and community or professional organizations. Candid also provides information about finding foundation grants and scholarships for individuals.

The goal here is to build a system where scholarship opportunities come to you instead of relying entirely on remembering to search.

11. Complete the FAFSA (Even If You Don’t Think You’ll Qualify)

Don’t assume your family’s income automatically means your student won’t receive help. Completing the FAFSA is the first step toward qualifying for federal student aid, including grants, work-study, and federal student loans. Some scholarships may also use FAFSA information when determining eligibility.

Federal Work-Study can be particularly useful because eligible students can earn money through part-time jobs while attending school. However, receiving a work-study award doesn’t automatically give you the money. Students still need to find and work an eligible job.

Even if you don’t expect need-based federal grants, I wouldn’t automatically rule yourself out before filling out the FAFSA and seeing what options are available.

12. Remember: Scholarships Aren’t the Only Way To Reduce College Costs

Finding more scholarship money is fantastic. But another strategy is simply finding ways to need less money in the first place.

• Dual-enrollment and Advanced Placement classes during high school could allow a student to enter college with credits already completed.
• Community college can dramatically reduce the cost of completing general education requirements.
• Living at home, working during school, choosing an affordable in-state college, and graduating early can all potentially lower the total bill.

That’s why I encourage families to look at the total cost of getting the degree, not just the amount of scholarship money offered.

A private school offering $30,000 per year in scholarships isn’t necessarily cheaper than a public university offering $5,000. Compare what you’ll actually need to pay after grants and scholarships including tuition, fees, housing, meals, transportation, and other expenses.

We’ve shared many more ideas in our posts on Going to College Debt-Free: Our Best Tips & Strategies and How to Graduate College Debt-Free.

Don’t Assume the Sticker Price is What You’ll Pay

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from hearing other families’ stories, it’s that paying for college often requires creativity, persistence, and a willingness to ask questions.

Apply for the $500 scholarship. Email the financial aid office. Search your intended major. Check the local credit union. Fill out the FAFSA. Apply for another scholarship even after you’ve been rejected from five others.

And don’t assume a private college will automatically cost more than a public university. As one reader’s experience showed, a combination of academic, departmental, and endowed scholarships and grants can sometimes make a seemingly expensive school surprisingly affordable.

Most importantly, involve your student in this process. Searching for scholarships, writing essays, meeting deadlines, and communicating with financial aid offices are valuable skills. And when students have some ownership over figuring out how to pay for college, they may appreciate the opportunity even more.

What are your best tips for finding college scholarships? Have you or your student found scholarships in an unexpected place? I’d love to hear what’s worked for your family!

   

If you’ve ever searched for the best app for weight loss, you know there are plenty of options. Most help you count calories, track macros, log workouts or watch the number on the scale.

Those tools can be helpful, but knowing what to do doesn’t always make it easier to actually do it, or figure out what your body needs.

That’s what makes Nourish different. This app combines helpful tracking tools with personalized, one-on-one support from a registered dietitian.

I’ve been using Nourish since 2025, and it’s helped me make meaningful changes to my health, energy levels, and relationship with food. I’ve learned that the best weight loss app isn’t necessarily the one that tracks the most data. It’s the one that helps you understand what your body needs and build habits you can actually sustain.

What Is the Best App for Weight Loss?

There isn’t one weight loss app that’s best for everyone. But if you’re comparing your options, it’s helpful to look beyond calorie counting.

A good app should make it easy to track food, movement, and other health habits while helping you set realistic goals. Ideally, it should also provide personalized recommendations, accountability and support when your circumstances change.

Your overall health matters, too. Sleep, stress, hormones, energy levels and other factors can influence how you feel and the habits you’re able to maintain. Nourish checks many of these boxes, but it also offers something you won’t find in many traditional tracking apps: regular access to a registered dietitian.

What Is the Nourish App?

Nourish is a virtual nutrition platform that connects you with a registered dietitian for personalized nutrition counseling. Appointments happen virtually, so you can meet with your dietitian from home.

Nourish dietitians specialize in a wide variety of areas, including weight management, emotional eating, digestive health, women’s health, pre- and postnatal nutrition and general wellness.

The Nourish app also lets you log meals, track macros, set goals, and monitor your progress. But the goal isn’t simply to collect more numbers. Your dietitian can use information about your eating patterns and health goals to provide more personalized recommendations.

Instead of handing you a rigid meal plan or expecting you to overhaul everything overnight, Nourish emphasizes personalized care and sustainable behavior changes.

Want to see if you can get started for little to no cost? Check whether your insurance covers appointments with a Nourish dietitian.

Why Nourish Is Different From a Traditional Weight Loss App

Traditional weight loss apps can provide valuable information. Tracking your meals, for example, may help you notice that you’re consistently low on protein or that you tend to skip meals during busy days.

But numbers don’t necessarily tell you why you’re exhausted, constantly hungry, or struggling to make progress.

That’s where personalized support can make a difference.

Nourish dietitians provide individualized care based on each patient’s goals, and the platform describes its approach as focusing on long-term behavioral changes rather than short-term fixes.

In other words, you’re not left staring at a dashboard wondering what all the information means. You have a professional who can help you connect the dots and determine a realistic next step.

My Honest Experience Using Nourish

I started meeting with a Nourish dietitian in the summer of 2025. At the time, I was exercising and trying to eat well, but I still felt stuck and depleted. I assumed my dietitian would tell me to count calories more carefully or pay closer attention to my macros.

Instead, our conversations helped me look at the bigger picture. My body had been through years of pregnancy, nursing, fostering, caregiving, parenting six kids, and running a business. I began to understand that constantly pushing myself while under-eating and under-sleeping wasn’t necessarily helping me reach my health goals.

“I thought I needed more discipline. What I actually needed was personalized support and permission to nourish my body.”

My dietitian gave me clear, manageable steps I could implement without making me feel guilty or overwhelmed. That experience began changing the way I thought about health. Instead of focusing so much on trying to be skinny or seeing a particular number on the scale, I’ve been learning to focus on becoming stronger, having more energy, and making sure my body is actually nourished.

How Nourish Helps You Track Progress

One thing I appreciate about Nourish is that progress doesn’t have to be defined by the scale. The app can help you keep track of meals, eating patterns, nutrition goals, and other information that can help you and your dietitian identify patterns over time. Nourish’s app currently includes features for logging meals and macros, setting goals, and monitoring progress.

Depending on your individual plan, you might also pay attention to things like hydration, movement, sleep, digestion, energy levels, mood, or habits your dietitian recommends.

Progress can take many forms. Maybe you have more energy in the afternoon, feel satisfied after meals, sleep better, get stronger during workouts, or simply spend less time thinking and worrying about food. Those wins matter, too.

Can Nourish Support Weight Loss Without Restrictive Dieting?

Yes. Nourish has dietitians who specialize in weight loss and weight management, but the approach can extend well beyond simply telling you to eat less. A dietitian can help you look at portions, meal balance, hunger cues, and eating patterns and create realistic habits based on your individual goals.

My own experience taught me something especially important: The healthiest next step isn’t always eating less and exercising more. Sometimes your body may need adequate nutrition, better sleep, less stress, or a healthier relationship with food before you focus on anything else.

Of course, everyone’s body and circumstances are different. Working with Nourish or using any other nutrition or weight loss app doesn’t guarantee that you’ll lose weight, and individual results will vary.

How Much Does Nourish Cost?

Here’s one of the biggest potential benefits: Nourish currently reports that 94% of its in-network patients pay $0 out of pocket. However, your actual cost depends on your insurance plan, and some patients may have a copay, coinsurance, or deductible.

Nourish offers a coverage calculator so you can check your benefits before getting started. It also has a Nourish Guarantee designed to provide a no-surprise billing experience. For patients paying out of pocket, Nourish currently lists its self-pay rate at $145 per session.

Since insurance coverage and pricing can change, always confirm your expected cost directly with Nourish before scheduling.

Who Might Benefit From Nourish?

Nourish could be worth considering if you’re overwhelmed by conflicting nutrition advice, tired of starting and stopping diets, or want to work toward weight loss in a more sustainable way.

It may also be helpful if you want personalized guidance and accountability without shame, struggle with low energy, want to improve your relationship with food, or need help understanding patterns in your eating and health habits.

Nourish probably isn’t the best choice if all you’re looking for is a basic automated calorie counter. Its biggest differentiator is the human support behind the technology.

Is Nourish the Best App for Weight Loss?

There isn’t one best weight loss app for everyone. However, I think Nourish is a strong option if you’re looking for personalized, professional support instead of another restrictive diet plan.

My biggest takeaway from working with my dietitian has been that genuine progress doesn’t have to come from becoming more obsessed with food or the scale. For me, it came from learning how to better nourish and care for my body.

Check whether your insurance covers Nourish and connect with a registered dietitian who can help you create a realistic plan for your health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nourish a weight loss app?

Nourish is a virtual nutrition platform rather than a traditional calorie-counting or weight loss app. Its registered dietitians can help with weight-related goals while considering other factors such as eating habits, energy, sleep, stress and your relationship with food. Nourish offers dietitians with specialties including weight loss, emotional eating, women’s health and pre- and postnatal nutrition.

Does the Nourish app include food tracking?

Yes. Nourish’s app includes tools that let users log meals, track macros, set goals, and monitor their progress. This information can also provide useful context when working with your dietitian.

Is Nourish covered by insurance?

Nourish reports that 94% of its in-network patients currently pay $0 out of pocket. However, insurance coverage varies, and some people may have a copay, coinsurance, or deductible. Nourish recommends using its coverage calculator to verify your individual benefits before scheduling.

Can a dietitian help me lose weight?

A registered dietitian can help you develop an individualized nutrition strategy, identify barriers to your goals, and establish realistic, sustainable habits. Nourish has registered dietitians who specialize in weight management and weight-related goals, but individual outcomes will vary.

Go here to sign up for a Nourish account.

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