Q: I read your column about scholarships for minority students. What about websites for Asian Americans? Any scholarships here?

A: You could start by looking at the websites for Asian American Alliance and Asian Pacific Fund, but the best thing is to go to a comprehensive site that has a database of thousands of scholarship opportunities. FastWeb has one of the most complete listings, and you can also search for scholarships on collegeboard.com.

There is a great deal of information out there — you just need to do the research. And remember that ethnicity is just one of many factors on which you can do a search. There are scholarships for veterans, children of veterans, musical students, tall students, left-handed students, students who will be the first in their families to attend college, students who invent things — and many others.

One thing I will warn everybody about: Ignore any offer you read about or receive that offers you scholarships for a fee. Scholarship information is free. Applying for scholarships should be free too. Don't let anyone charge you. Likewise, "honor" societies that may inform you of your "nomination" or "selection" for membership — for which there is a charge — are not truly honor societies. They are businesses, trying to profit from students' college-admission anxiety. Look near the end of any such offers; if there is a price mentioned, just toss the papers.

Good luck in your scholarship search. It involves work, not just to research, but to enter, as essays are sometimes required. A $500 prize may not seem like much, but if you win several small awards, they can certainly add up!