It's a dream for tens, if not hundreds of thousands of young Americans to further their education and feel a sense of pride when they graduate with flying colours. For many this dream is brought crashing to the ground when they realise just how many thousands of dollars it will cost every year for them to attend the college or university course of their choice. This should not be the case! Every effort should be made to make them aware of the scholarship and financial aid opportunities that are available.

There are hundreds of billions of dollars out there in the form of scholarships and financial aid waiting for eligible students to snatch up every year. You just have to go get!

It is important to note at this point that there is no such thing as one application form that can enable you to obtain scholarship and financial aid such as federal grants and federal loans. Therefore, it's probably easier if we focus on scholarships and financial aid separately.

Scholarships normally have to be applied for in addition to any federal financial aid application you make. Thousands of scholarships are granted every single year. They are awarded either based on the financial need of the student, the academic merit of the student or as a specialist scholarship specific to the college or university you have applied to. They can be obtained from a number of sources such as businesses or, more obviously, colleges themselves. You should investigate the full range available, determine which scholarships you feel would be attainable and apply for them.

Before you go full gung ho on the scholarship front, you should not forget that there is a range of financial aid available that will contribute to a scholarship and financial aid fund that will help you to go to college or university.

The federal government has a range of federal grants and loans that can contribute significantly to the cost of attending college. By submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you will be able to determine what, if any, federal financial aid you are eligible for. Most federal financial aid is needs based and will be awarded to those students that couldn't afford the full cost of attending a course by themselves.

There are other sources of financial aid available such as private loans, but these should only be used as back up if the scholarship and financial aid you obtain doesn't equate to the total cost of your course and your parents cannot afford to contribute any more.

Start making your dream a reality and get the scholarship and financial aid you need and deserve.