November is National Scholarship Month, and with many deadlines quickly approaching, now is the time for students and families to take advantage of the free tools available to search and apply for scholarships. With more than 3 million scholarships or “free money” worth more than $18 billion -- a $2 billion increase from last year -- Scholarship Search by Sallie Mae® is the all-in-one resource for families when it comes to searching and applying for scholarships.

Students who register for Scholarship Search by Sallie Mae create a profile at salliemae.com/scholarshipsearch. The database matches students to scholarships based on their profile, and each match provides detailed information including deadlines, requirements and award amounts. Students receive email alerts when new matches are posted, and they may share scholarship information through social media.

Available scholarships run the gamut and extend well beyond the traditional academic or athletic scholarship to a wide range of activities, interests and affiliations. From scholarships for dart players and vegetarians to filmmakers and those fluent in Klingon, Scholarship Search by Sallie Mae offers awards that match all kinds of interests. What’s more, half of scholarships are available to students already enrolled in college.

“Scholarships play an increasingly important in role in meeting the cost of college, and securing them requires a little extra credit homework on the part of students and their families,” said Martha Holler, senior vice president, Sallie Mae. “Our scholarship search tool takes some of the mystery out of the process and makes it easier to match scholarships with your interests, and ultimately, reduce your out-of-pocket college costs.”

According to the Sallie Mae study “How America Pays for College” 44 percent of families used scholarships in 2014, and scholarships covered 17 percent of college costs in the academic year 2013-14. The average annual scholarship amount per family was approximately $8,000.

Sallie Mae recommends the following scholarship search tips for students and families:

  • Don’t assume that scholarships aren’t available for you. There are scholarships open to students as early as grade school and more than half of scholarships are available for students already enrolled in college.
  • Prioritize your results. Research and find the scholarships that are the best fit and apply for those first.
  • Dedicate time to your search. Set aside time to follow up on the latest matches from your scholarship search, fill out forms or work on essays.
  • Be mindful of deadlines and follow up. While there are many scholarships available, missing a deadline will most certainly eliminate a student from consideration. Staying organized is critical. Students should also reach out to the organization to make sure the application was received.
  • Courtesy can go a long way. Something seemingly as small as sending a thank you note can have a disproportionately big effect on an application.

In addition, students and families should be mindful of potential scholarship scams. Students and families should never pay for a scholarship, and they should beware of promises of guaranteed money. Free tools like Scholarship Search by Sallie Mae can accomplish the same results without a fee.

Scholarship Search by Sallie Mae is part of Sallie Mae’s suite of planning-for-college tools available at salliemae.com/planforcollege.

Join the conversation on how to save, plan and pay for college at Facebook.com/SallieMae.

Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM) is the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company. Whether college is a long way off or just around the corner, Sallie Mae offers products that promote responsible personal finance including private education loans, Upromise rewards, scholarship search, college financial planning tools, insurance, and online retail banking. Learn more at SallieMae.com. Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.