Scholarship searching is like gold mining. You just have to dig to find the real stuff, and be patient about the overburden. It's tough work, but it can be very rewarding. Scholarships are big money even when they're not that big. Money for college comes from the family's disposable income, so a family usually has to earn 5-10 times as much money as is available.
Borrowing is easy, spending is easier, but paying back is hell.
Many students in their 40's are still paying for the college they went to in their 20's. I think scholarship hunting is the easiest way to get money for college. Grade 12 is way too late. And they need to be aggressive. Threaten if you have to.