As compelling as it may be to pay someone to do a scholarship search for you, most financial aid administrators will strongly discourage you from doing so. Furthermore, despite the extensive advertising (flyers on campus bulletin boards and promotional materials in bookstore bags), Santa Monica College by no means supports or endorses any, "Scholarship Search Organizations."
There is really no secret network of information that is solely available to the "scholarship search agencies" that "guarantee" scholarship monies. In fact, there are many free scholarship searches that you can conduct right on the Internet.
Check out the Fastweb or Salliemae websites. When you are on campus, drop by the Scholarship Office we have some scholarship resource books. The office is located at 1738 Pearl St. Hours are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (during peak times, office hours may change).
A comprehensive Scam Alert has some instructions on how to protect yourself from becoming their next victim, it follows this page.
Scholarship Scams: Helpful Links