Many students in their last year of high school wait until they are accepted to college to start considering scholarships and other types of external financial aid. However, the applications to some of the most generous awards close well before colleges send their admissions letters. 

Here are three great scholarships seniors can apply for starting this summer:

1. Questbridge National College Match

"The QuestBridge National College Match is a college and scholarship application process that helps outstanding low-income high school seniors gain admission and full four-year scholarships to the nation's most selective colleges...QuestBridge's partner colleges offer generous financial aid packages that cover 100% of demonstrated financial need, making them very affordable for low-income students."

2. Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship 

"The Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors each year. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, and their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. With the 26th class in 2014, the Foundation has provided over 5,400 Coca-Cola Scholars with more than $54 million in educational support. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship."

3. Wendy’s High School Heisman

"Since 1994, Wendy’s High School Heisman has honored more than 395,000 of the nation’s most esteemed high school seniors...The leadership award-honorees are well-rounded young men and woman who excel in learning, performing, and leading in the class room, on the field and in the community...The culmination of this process takes place in December in conjunction with the National Heisman Memorial Trophy presentation during Heisman Weekend in New York City."

Kohl's Corporation runs a very generous scholarship program that rewards young volunteers between the ages of 6 and 18. Students have until March 13th, 2015 to be nominated for the scholarship. Nominators must be older than 21 and should describe in detail the student's volunteering efforts and positive impact on people who are not related to the student. The nomination form can be accessed here. 

According to the program's official website: "Kohl’s will award approximately 2,300 local winners, 180 regional winners and 10 national winners...Each local winner will receive a $50 Kohl’s Gift Card. Each regional winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship and each national winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship for higher education. Kohl’s will also donate $1,000 to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization on behalf of each of the ten national winners."

Raise.me is a new site that allows high school students to earn "micro-scholarships" for college as a reward for concrete individual achievements such as perfect school attendance, taking AP or IB exams and participating in extracurricular activities. As early as ninth grade, students can register on Raise.me at no cost and log their achievements to earn scholarships from the universities that have partnered with the organization (over 60 to date). Students can later decide whether to apply to the universities that have granted them scholarships and, if accepted, receive the scholarships earned as a form of financial aid. Visit the Frequently Asked Sections that appear on the Raise.me website to get clarification on many topics such as getting scholarships for things achieved earlier in high school and the kinds of achievements accepted.