Wait. Did I just ask that question? I did. I asked it because many parents believe they are a scam. Their students work hard, apply, and never win anything. They are frustrated, discouraged and feel the promise of scholarships is a pipe-dream. You may have been there yourself, asking the same question: are scholarships a scam?

The truth? Scholarships are not scams. Students every day win thousands of dollars in scholarship money to pay for college. But you must roll the dice with the odds in your favor.

If your student isn’t winning, they could be making these mistakes:

You apply to the wrong scholarships

Many students apply to scholarships that simply aren’t fit for them. If you’re applying for a scholarship that requires the student to exhibit community service and there is not a record to back it up, you’re not going to win. If you apply for a scholarship that asks for exemplary leadership and you don’t serve in multiple leadership capacities, you won’t win.

Before you apply, read the criteria carefully. If you feel you are a poor representation of who the scholarship committee is looking for, don’t apply. Be honest with yourself and save the time and the frustration.

My daughter applied to the Coca-Cola Scholars program, a large scholarship of $10,000. The application reads, “Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, and their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities.” She had some service and very little leadership. She didn’t win, of course. Not because it was a scam, but because she applied to the wrong scholarship.

You apply to the scholarships that have thousands of applicants

The big scholarships for $100,00, $20,000,  and $10,000 have thousands of applicants. The national scholarships will have so many applicants, the competition for the scholarship rivals that of trying to gain acceptance to a competitive college.

The better bet is applying to local scholarships. There will be fewer applicants and a better chance of winning. My daughter won a substantial local scholarship because she was the best applicant in a smaller pool of applicants.

Your scholarship application is incomplete or doesn’t stand out from the other applicants

If your scholarship application arrives incomplete the scholarship judges will simply place it in the rejection pile. If your student can’t follow instructions, they won’t be placed in the viable applicant pile.

Imagine a scholarship with hundreds of applicants. If the application doesn’t stand out, isn’t properly completed, or doesn’t make an impression on the judges, your odds of winning will be slim. For tips on how to package a winning scholarship application, get How to Win College Scholarships–A Guide for Parents and Students in 10 Easy Steps.

Your scholarship essay has misspellings, grammar mistakes, or simply doesn’t answer the question

This goes without saying–proofread and proofread again. Answer the questions, check your spelling and grammar and have someone proof it before you submit it.

You haven’t focused your scholarship search

There are scholarships available for everyone in just about every category imaginable. Be specific in your scholarship search by doing a simple internet search. For instance, are you pursuing a STEM major, there are STEM scholarships available. Read this article: How to Search for STEM Scholarships. You can apply these tactics in any scholarship search.

You haven’t applied to a college where you are at the top of the applicant pool

Scholarships from the college are based on academic achievement and where you fall in the applicant pool. If you apply to a highly competitive college and have marginal test scores and a decent GPA, odds are there are applicants with better qualifications. The key is to apply to colleges that see you as a top applicant. These colleges will be happy to award scholarships to entice you to accept their offer of admission. You can research colleges on College Navigator. Look at the statistics for their applicants and see if you will be at the top or simply in the middle. Top applicants earn top scholarships.

You aren’t playing the odds

This is a simple formula. The more scholarships you apply for, the better your chances of winning. The time you devote to searching and applying for scholarships will pay off if you leverage the odds. If you aren’t winning, keep applying using the right tactics. Your efforts will pay off.