Gwen Thomas started preparing her son for college when he was just 13. Today, after helping him net $500,000 in scholarships for a higher-education experience that spanned some 30 countries, she teaches other parents how to get help sending kids to school. Talk about a smart business idea. According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2014-2015 school year was $31,231 at private colleges, $9,139 for state residents at public colleges, and $22,958 for out-of-state residents attending public universities. And that's for just one child. For my wife and me, parents of three fast-growing kids and living month-to-month and check-to-check, our best hope of getting them through school is to be like Thomas and help our children chase the right mix of scholarships. The (Green) Paper Chase Replicating even a portion of Thomas' success won't be easy. The key appears to be spending the time and effort required to unearth good opportunities, and then applying for all of them. Here are her three tips for college-bound students seeking financial aid: Start early. Thomas says she began getting her son into various leadership programs at age 13. She also advises parents to assess their children's "strong suits" and place them in programs that allow for unusual extracurricular success, whether that's sports, art, music, or making a significant contribution in a church youth group. Serve often. A service mindset is particularly important for those looking to win top dollars. "Gone are the days that committees simply want academics," Thomas says. "Instead they want to see the grades and the gas spent on getting kids involved in service and volunteering." Leverage the law of large numbers. Thomas started looking into scholarships when her son was in 11th grade. By the time college came around, he had applied for 100 merit scholarships and won 25. The more you apply for, the more likely it is you'll get the financial aid you need to send your child to a good school.
