Q. My daughter is a high school junior. We want to start visiting colleges this year, and we want to know of programs or colleges offering scholarships to minority students (we are Haitian-Americans). We have heard of a program called "Posse" do you know anything about this? Also, my daughter plays the cello. What about academic or music scholarships? Thank you for any leads you can offer.

A. You and your daughter are at exactly the right point to start researching both colleges and scholarship opportunities. First you'll need to research potential schools that can offer your daughter the academic, cultural, and social life that will help her thrive; then over spring break, on occasional weekends, and over the summer, you will need to make some campus visits so you can see things for yourselves.

At the same time, you need to research scholarship possibilities. Scholarships and grants, as opposed to college loans, are gifts. They will allow your daughter to pursue her education with reduced financial burdens. There are two kinds of scholarships: institutional and non-institutional. Institutional scholarships are those awarded by a specific college or university. Almost all schools have some form of scholarship, and these can range from full-tuition to a token amount; generally, all applicants to these schools are automatically considered for scholarships when they apply for admission.

The non-institutional scholarships are offered by outside organizations, and these will require research and separate applications. The application process usually begins at the start of the student's senior year. Again, this outside help can range from full tuition to small grants of $100 - $500. The Posse Foundation is one of a number of organizations that seeks out talented public high school students "with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes." In partnership with a number of colleges and universities, Posse offers these students 4-year, full-tuition scholarships. Students must be nominated by their high school or by community-based organizations.

Another great resource is BlackExcel.org, which offers a scholarship directory for minority students. You can find many leads here! Try also Studylands which lists 100 scholarships from African American colleges and universities. 

Some other organizations that seek out minority students include the Hispanic Scholarship Fund , the Asian and PacificIslander American Scholarship Fund, and the Gates Millennium Scholars.

And there are even more opportunities! The college office at your daughter's high school probably has the College Board's comprehensive Scholarship Handbook 2009. This is for all students, not just minority students, and lists 2,100 scholarship programs offered by organizations nationwide. They are indexed by state, by organization, and by subject area. So you can look up, for example, science scholarships, math scholarships, scholarships for students who are leaders in community service, and scholarships for military dependents. In some cases, essays are required, while in others there are specific forms to complete. Your daughter can also go to the "Paying for College" section of the College Board's website to perform her own scholarship search. The more information she provides at this site, the more she will find scholarship information attuned to her interests.

Your daughter's musical talent could possibly be another source of scholarship funding if she plans to major in music, colleges may ask her to audition and then make awards based upon her musical talent. Specific talents and interests are another whole area of scholarship potential. The website of Boston's New England Conservatory of Music offers a long list of music scholarships offered by many different organizations.

There are many organizations, large and small, that are committed to assisting all students in financing their educations. Unfortunately, the financial situations of a number of these groups may have changed during the current economic crisis. Still, there will be many viable opportunities. Now, in the middle of your daughter's junior year, is the perfect time to start the research!  (updated December 2014)