The cost of a college education has risen to unthinkable levels over the last two decades. Few people can pay that kind of money directly, so many people have found themselves in debt and overloaded with loans. Imagine graduating with an outstanding debt of 50 to 100 thousand dollars. In fact, it defies the reason why one went to college to start with. With no end to tuition increases in sight, financial aid packages are essential for most students.
Thankfully, the last few years have also see a higher number of aid opportunities. In the past, scholarships were only for the very poor and for the over-achieving student. Today, things have changed. These days, almost everyone is eligible for some type of award.
Free money for college can be divided into two basic categories: scholarships (usually merit based) and grants (usually need based). Most award have conditions that must be met to be able to apply. Among those conditions are minority status, gender, career plans and field of study. Almost everyone can use one of these categories to focus their search for aid.
One of the best sources for college grants is the federal government. You should try to submit your application to FAFSA as soon as you can. This will tell you if you are eligible for a Pell grant, and colleges will use this information to determine if you qualify for a school-sponsored grant. Some private grant foundations might require the qualification with the FAFSA to consider you for an award.
The best thing to do would be to start looking in junior year during high school. This may seem early, but some awards require an application be submitted the year before you begin your first semester in college. Also, looking for names and contact information is very time consuming. And, you need to consider the time you will spend filling in forms, writing essays, and going for interviews.
In your search for scholarships, focus on three main sources. First of all, you should consider your community. Start with the high school councilor's office, your local library, churches, community organizations, and any corporation that is based nearby. Next, you should contact the financial aid office of the college you are considering. They should be able to provide a list of school-based awards. And, don't forget that information on the internet is only one click away. The standard search engine is of some use, but dedicated scholarship search sites are a tremendous resource. Some of these data banks have up to 800,000 awards indexed. You can even create a personal profile which will be matched to the right scholarships.
Reading this article is only the first step. College finding is not easy to come by and the search can be overwhelming. Approximately half of all college students receive some type of aid, so it is possible to succeed. With a dedicated and organized search plan, you can get your share too.
Thankfully, the last few years have also see a higher number of aid opportunities. In the past, scholarships were only for the very poor and for the over-achieving student. Today, things have changed. These days, almost everyone is eligible for some type of award.
Free money for college can be divided into two basic categories: scholarships (usually merit based) and grants (usually need based). Most award have conditions that must be met to be able to apply. Among those conditions are minority status, gender, career plans and field of study. Almost everyone can use one of these categories to focus their search for aid.
One of the best sources for college grants is the federal government. You should try to submit your application to FAFSA as soon as you can. This will tell you if you are eligible for a Pell grant, and colleges will use this information to determine if you qualify for a school-sponsored grant. Some private grant foundations might require the qualification with the FAFSA to consider you for an award.
The best thing to do would be to start looking in junior year during high school. This may seem early, but some awards require an application be submitted the year before you begin your first semester in college. Also, looking for names and contact information is very time consuming. And, you need to consider the time you will spend filling in forms, writing essays, and going for interviews.
In your search for scholarships, focus on three main sources. First of all, you should consider your community. Start with the high school councilor's office, your local library, churches, community organizations, and any corporation that is based nearby. Next, you should contact the financial aid office of the college you are considering. They should be able to provide a list of school-based awards. And, don't forget that information on the internet is only one click away. The standard search engine is of some use, but dedicated scholarship search sites are a tremendous resource. Some of these data banks have up to 800,000 awards indexed. You can even create a personal profile which will be matched to the right scholarships.
Reading this article is only the first step. College finding is not easy to come by and the search can be overwhelming. Approximately half of all college students receive some type of aid, so it is possible to succeed. With a dedicated and organized search plan, you can get your share too.
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