It's perfectly alright to chill out, but you should always keep your eyes peeled when it comes to scoring cash for college. Whether it's the weekend or between classes, never turn off your "scholarship radar."

Turning off your scholarship radar can cost you cash! Don't believe us? Imagine you're in one of those Hollywood alternative-life sequences (think "Lost")... follow along through your alternative-self's typical day.

7:00 a.m. - Get up lazy bones, it's almost time for school. You still have a few minutes to leaf through the local paper, though. And lucky for you that you did -- otherwise you might have missed the news that the local chapter of the Elks Organization is accepting scholarship applications.

9:15 a.m. - You just made it through another social studies snooze-fest, but because you at least appeared to be alert during class, your teacher has selected you as the class' best candidate to represent your school in a history essay contest worth $1,000 for the grand prize winner.

12:00 p.m. - Aah, lunchtime, glorious lunchtime! Where should you go today, you wonder? Why not stop off at the local fast-food grease pit for a burger and fries? While you're there, you may as well inquire about their local scholarship program. It's true -- area businesses really do give away financial assistance in addition to extra calories. McDonald's, for instance, has one for New York-area students. Other chains like Wal-Mart and Target are scholarship givers, too.

1:30 p.m. - Your math teacher is da' bomb. She lets you out a little early. What ever will you do with those precious minutes before gym class? How about stopping off at your guidance counselor's office to see what's new in the world of higher-ed'-dollar-help or checking school bulletin boards for college-related information?

3:00 p.m. - School's out. Before heading over to soccer practice, you give mom or dad a call to see what's for dinner, and remind them to find out if their place of employment offers a scholarship program.

5:00 p.m. - You finally take a much-deserved plop on your couch before you hit the books. Don't channel-surf during the local news, though -- or you might miss hearing about scholarships, contests, and financial aid programs.

7:30 p.m. - Time to type up your homework assignment. Since you'll have your Internet browser minimized so you can keep track of which "buddies" are online anyway, click into leading scholarship Web sites when you need a writer's block break.

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