Each year, during the season of college applications, students and their parents are caught in a whirl of forms and computations. While they fill out forms, write their essays, and check out the websites of different universities and colleges, they are also worrying about the cost of education. It seems that aside from the anxiety of not being accepted is exceeded only by anxiety of how to pay for the tuition once they are.

However many of those anxieties are based on misinformation—misconceptions that make people think that getting money is harder than it really is. Here are some common myths.

Myth No. 1: You can’t afford to go to the college you really want to go to.

A lot of people are simply overwhelmed when they see the total costs of tuition, dormitories, textbooks, and all the incidental expenses associated with college.
It’s true that going to school (especially a good school) is expensive. But there are many forms of financial aid that are available. In fact, a stunning 2 out of 3 students avail of financial aid, usually a combination of loans, scholarships, grants, and work and study programs.

So instead of saying “I can’t afford this!” outright, look for financial aid to help you cover the costs.
Myth No. 2: Only the smartest (or poorest) students qualify for financial aid.

That’s not true. It is possible to get financial aid even if you aren’t at the top of your class, nor do you have to come from the lowest possible income bracket. There are options open to everyone. There are many different kinds of financial aid programs. You can take out a partial loan, or look for merit-based aid (which aren’t always based on grades). If you are talented in music, drama, athletics, or debate you can try getting a grant. There are even scholarships available for those who have spent a lot of their time volunteering for the community. Parents can also ask for college loans from their employer, or apply for government assistance.

Before you give up try to find out what options are available to you. Look for directories or approach the guidance counselor of your school.

Grant institutions receive thousands of applications a year. How will yours stand out?

First of all, it’s important that you provide a good topic. Make sure that it’s relevant to the institution’s own goals. For example, if you are applying to a biology institution, then they would be very interested in a grant that looks at how to care for an animal species that’s very significant in biomedical research,

But its not enough to think of a good topic. You should create a question that will further the knowledge in an important area. For example, you can look at the improvement of one part of their habitat, or promoting zoo breeding. Don’t tackle a question that’s already been overdone and researched to death, nor should it be too broad.

You should also look at your personnel. It’s important to have experts in your field working with you on your study, someone who has a background in research and will act as your consultant or mentor. The best candidates are those who have published works in that topic.

Another important factor is your research method. Get inputs from a statistician or an investigator who has extensive experience in research. He should be able to point out any flaws in the method. This will help avoid wasting months of research (and a lot of money) on something that turns out to be irrelevant. Remember that any outcome of any study should be able to stand the scrutiny of scientific analysis. You should be able to name the controls groups and explain the reason why any types of controls aren’t included.

As for experimental groups, be able to explain your treatment listings in a table. Be sure to account for observer bias, environmental effects, draft or sequence bias, or any other factors that can affect the results of your study.

Your grant proposal should also include the kind of data you will gather, and how you plan to gather samples (such as the frequency, method, and the scope).

Don’t forget to include the objectives of your research. They should be concrete. “Saving the animals” is too broad and unachievable. Look for something that’s measurable, specific, and achievable given the amount of money you are asking for.

The first step to getting any form of financial aid—whether they be loans, grants, or work and study programs) is to fill out the application form. These are usually distributed to high school seniors, though you can get a copy from the guidance counselor. It is also possible to go to the websites and download the forms yourself—don’t worry, there will be step by step instructions.

There may be local organizations in your own community that offer scholarships and grants. There’s no harm in calling them or sending a letter of inquiry. Try the church, the companies, the community clubs, youth clubs, or even city hall. Many do as much as they can to support deserving students. Your school guidance counselor can also point you in the direction, and provide information on nationwide institutions that give student aid. Even the university or college you plan to attend will have financial aid programs. So you see, there is no reason why you should feel that you “can’t afford” to go to the school of your choice.

You can also find some of the best information on scholarship and grant opportunities in your school library, and one of the biggest libraries on the world—the Internet. However, one word of caution when surfing the web: for your own protection, err on the side of caution. Don’t immediately provide any personal information, especially if the institute is not well known. Use email addresses that don’t reveal your real full name, and never give out bank information or credit card numbers.

For an effective internet search, use key words, such as the field you wish to study. For example, typing “biology scholarships” will give much more specific results. You can also try typing in the name of the country or region where you live, or wish to study. Gender also helps (some scholarships are very specific about awarding it to males or females), age, ethnicity or minority status, and even disabilities. If your parents are veterans, that can also open opportunities for you.

Don’t forget to type in both the single and plural forms of your keywords (e.g., grant and grants) since you will generate different results.