Yet some scholarship offerings available to college-bound high school students have only a handful of applicants in the running, a notion that seems ironic considering the increasing costs of tuition and textbooks for higher education.

Rich Myers, assistant superintendent of the La Salle County Regional Office of Education, said a wide array of scholarships are available to students both through the ROE office and their high school guidance offices and, contrary to what some students believe, not all of them are awarded based on academics.

At Ottawa Township High School, about 20 to 30 students apply for most scholarships, but it is usually the same group of students that apply, said Karen Stachowiak, scholarship coordinator.

"We should have at least 100 (students applying)," she said in reference to class sizes of about 400 students and the long list of scholarships available.

Brad Brittin, counselor at Streator High School, said he has found the same scenario to be true.

"It depends on the class," he said. "Some years we have a great senior class that is really motivated and the next year we may have a class that is not as motivated."

Brittin recalls a $1,000 scholarship for students pursuing a degree in special education that went unawarded because no one applied, even though he knew several students who were pursuing that degree.

The key, he said, is helping students get motivated to apply for scholarships -- it almost has to be a part-time job, he said -- and staying on top of deadlines.

"They should pick up a copy of our database (of scholarships) and highlight the ones they are eligible for," he said. "Now they are not going to eligible for every scholarship, but of the 60 scholarships we have, they should be eligible for at least one."

Small, private local organizations who offer scholarships are sometimes the ones who do not find many people applying.

When Streator Elementary School's teachers' association conducted its annual scholarship program for students pursuing a teaching certificate, it also found that applicants were much fewer than anticipated.

Marilyn Scarbeary said that at $500 she expected more students to make the effort to apply.

"That's their first semester of books," she said.

But for other schools, it isn't the local scholarships lacking applicants, it is the national ones.

Cathy Noel, guidance counselor at Serena High School, said applications are fairly high for local dollars, but students don't think they have a shot at state or national scholarships.

"With local scholarships, they feel they have more of a chance," she said. "But it depends on the process."

Noel said students are also less likely to apply for scholarships requiring 500-word essays or lengthy lists of references.

Some scholarships also involve filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, which is an involved document detailing financial information from tax returns, something that many families find daunting, said Myers.

"They have a difficult time taking the time to do that," he said.

Stachowiak believes the reason more students don't apply is because they are unaware of the opportunities -- though all seniors receive a list of scholarships in their registration packets -- or because they are overwhelmed and miss the deadlines.

"Parents need to nag," she said, noting a complete list of scholarships is available online at www.ottawahigh2.com for parents to refer to in order to motivate their children.

While some scholarships are for specific majors or require students meet other criteria, many are simply general scholarships that are not necessarily awarded based on the highest grade point average.

Brittin points to a $5,000 scholarship at SHS awarded to the best autobiography submitted, with no restrictions on test scores or grades.

"It's not just for the valedictorian," he said. "If they can write a meaningful story from their life or about what they want to do with their life, that can go to anyone."

Scholarship deadlines for seniors begin in the fall and extend into the spring. Counselors often sees more applicants in the spring when the need for that cash becomes more imminent.

"Some of the deadlines come quick and students don't know where they are going yet and that can turn them off," said Noel.

Myers recommends that students approach their high school guidance counselor at the beginning of their junior year to stay well ahead of the time line for applying for scholarships, as well as tapping into online resources like the Illinois Student Assistance Commission at www.collegezone.com. Getting an early look at what those scholarships are asking for can put the student ahead of the game.

"Some require community service so they can get that done before they apply," he said. " ... They may compete for a scholarship for good character that is only $100, but every little bit helps."