By tkrauseHow many times have you heard someone say that all you have to do is get good grades and you’ll have access to so much scholarship money that you won’t know what to do with it? We know it may seem like only the top students at your school, or those with cash-strapped parents, are being offered all the free money for college, but the truth is that there are plenty of opportunities for average students to win scholarships, too. So, if your GPA is hovering just above a 2.0 and your college entrance exams aren’t much to talk about, follow these tips for getting the free money you deserve — and need. Get busy The first thing you need to do is use one or two free scholarship tools, like our scholarship search. Why? These services can help you sort through millions of scholarships to find just the ones that are right for you. Once you have your list of personalized scholarships, pick at least six to work on over the next few weeks. Set aside time each day (10 to 20 minutes) to assemble your applications, gather documentation, and work on essays. Treat this like a part-time job and you could be rewarded with a very nice paycheck. Get creative Since you might not be spending your time crunching for tests or laboring over school assignments, you should have time to hone your other skills and talents. And, chances are there may be some pretty lucrative scholarships and contests that will reward you for those talents. Check out writing or poetry contests, art scholarships, or one of the many programs available to those with musical or vocal talents. Get lucky Someone once said that we make our own luck, and we agree. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to find scholarships that will let you apply again and again until you win. (If at first you don’t succeed, right?) Most of these reoccurring scholarships require very little work, and few ever ask for your academic record. So, there’s really no excuse not to throw your hat in the ring and see if you get lucky. And, there’s no time like the present to get started. Easy College Money Scholarship U.S. high school and college students can apply for this easy $1,000 scholarship. Just be sure to come back each month and apply until you win. Chegg Monthly Scholarship This $1,000 scholarship is open to U.S. high school students, with a new winner every month. Courage to Grow Scholarship All you need is a 2.0 GPA or higher to apply for this monthly $500 scholarship. It’s open to U.S. high school juniors and seniors, as well as current college students. “No Essay” Scholarship This monthly $2,000 scholarship is open to just about anyone, including adult students planning to enroll in college within the next 12 months. It literally takes less than five minutes to apply. Never assume that you’re out of the running when it comes to financial aid. With over two million scholarships in our database, there really is a scholarship out there for everyone — including you!