Joey and his best friend Justin did everything alike to beat scholarship stress...They both made straight As, scored 1300 on the SAT, volunteered with the same community projects, participated in sports, and ranked in the top 10 percent of their graduating class.So why did Justin win over 13 scholarships, totaling $30,000, yet Joey secured only $3,000 and three student loans? Perhaps Joey didn't apply for enough scholarships, or didn't know where to look. Then again, maybe he didn't put 100 percent into each essay.

Although this is a hypothetical scenario, it's a reality for many. So how can you be a "Justin," with $30,000 toward tuition under your belt? Follow these five tips:

1. Go on a Scholarship Campaign.
That's what Benjamin Kaplan did. It paid off, too - nearly $90,000 worth. Now, Kaplan, a 1999 Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) graduate and a self-proclaimed scholarship coach, talks about getting "shown the money" in his real-life-inspired book, How To Go To College Almost For Free (Waggle Dancer Books, 2000). Use Internet search databases, school and community resources, state scholarship agencies, specialized organizations, corporations, and associations.

It works, says Lauren Falkowski, now a freshman at Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ). Lauren visited her high school guidance counselor every week to check for scholarships. "If you put aside the extra time, you have a better chance of getting scholarships," she says.

2. Apply for Everything.
That's everything, says Mike Darne, director of business development for WiredScholar.com, a site that provides scholarship leads and information.

"You keep yourself out of the recipient pool when you only apply for one or two scholarships," he explains. And, adds JoAnn Acocella, assistant vice president of marketing for Sallie Mae (the student loan big-wigs), there are all types of scholarships to apply for, including ones based on your ethnic background, geographical location, your hobbies, and nationality.

Lauren found quite a few she was eligible for, and went for it. Out of 30 scholarships she applied for, she won 11, totaling $11,000.

3. Study Essays of Past Winners.
That's what helped Kara Choi beat out the competition. A recipient of College Bound Magazine's Student of the Year 2000 scholarship, Kara read every essay she could get her hands on that were written by scholarship winners.

"I checked for their writing styles," explains Karen, who won $1,000, a computer, money for textbooks, and more. "I also looked for the types of topics covered."

4. Focus the Essay on a Special Event.
In the "Essay Excellence" chapter of his book, Kaplan demonstrates how to write essays that stand out from the competition. "Make the essay intensely personal," he says. It should be one that "no one else can write... because no one has shared your life."

No one could describe the emotions Kara felt the first time she worked in a hospital, that's why her essay about that experience became her signature piece. The same goes for Rick Herbst, now a freshman at the University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, Indiana), who was Kara's Student of the Year 2000 co-recipient. His personal experience about learning a piano recital piece and how it helped him understand himself and others, hit just the right tune with the judges.

5. Spend Lots of Time Writing, Editing, and Rewriting.
Who wants to sit in the house for hours on a Saturday night writing a paper? Isn't that what the weekdays are for? Thinking like this may cost you thousands of dollars, say Kara, Benjamin, and Lauren. You can kick back and chill or party 'til the sun comes up -- after you've written, spell-checked, rewritten, and absolutely fine-tuned your essay!

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