Jon Arnold asked:


If you are already in college, you are already aware of this, and if college is still a year or so away, you will be made keenly aware of it soon – the costs of getting a good college education have gone through the roof. Tuition costs are rising every year, and it seems like the cost of just BOOKS for a semester can be enough to finance a small car.

If you are a high school junior and especially if you are a senior, you should be looking at colleges right now. Applying late, even with a 4.0 GPA will get your application declined if the college of your choice has already reached the maximum number of incoming students for the next semester.

But the real question is how to finance your college education? Some people view that as the question of the decade, but it does not need to be, if you know where to look. The college financial aid offices has tons of brochures and literature about various loans that you can apply for, many at extremely reasonable interest rates, but I would encourage you to “think outside the box” … wouldn’t it be much better to get loans or grants that do NOT need to be paid back?

That is where a college scholarship comes in. Although most people do not realize it, there are scholarships available for a huge variety of reasons, where some are even awarded because nobody else applied for it! Most scholarships do not require the family to have “financial needs” as is the most common myth. And scholarships, although traditionally thought of only to be awarded to the top athletic jocks or the outstanding musicians, are no longer limited to those types of students. Although GPA will still usually (although not necessarily) play a part of scholarship award decisions, there is a tremendously large range of different things that a scholarship can be awarded for. Also note that any student can be awarded MULTIPLE scholarships, sometimes to the point where they will have graduated and it may not have cost them a nickel out of their own pockets.

The trick is in knowing where to look for scholarships. Many people stop searching at the college’s financial aid office or the government student loan web site. That is far from exhaustive and there is a mountain of additional resources for you to look into for scholarships. There are scholarships available that virtually nobody has even heard of. Whether one of your scholarships comes from, say General Motors, or a scholarship of the same amount of money comes from Bubba’s Twine Manufacturing Company, do you really care? A scholarship is a scholarship, and you can probably assume that there is far more competition for the General Motors scholarship than there is for the Bubba’s Twine Manufacturing Company scholarship. But at the end of the day, money is money and it really does not matter!

Bottom line: The scholarships are out there, and a surprising number of them even go unawarded each year simply because nobody applied for them. Be aware of the resources available to you so that you can keep the cost of that college education down to a much more affordable level.



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Dale Clifton, The Scholarship Doctor asked:


A mother was at home, and there was a knock at the door. She opened the door and was surprised to see a person standing there with a bouquet of flowers. It wasn’t a holiday, birthday, or anniversary. The flowers were a total surprise!

They turned a rather ordinary day into an exceptional one to be remembered for weeks to come.

Little remembrances are cherished. And, the person who sends them is not forgotten. We all like to be remembered in unusual and caring ways.

The teachers and staffs of high schools aren’t any different and yet, it does not happen very often for them. Kind words are good, but a thoughtful note is better, and a small gift is best.

A teacher remarked that she once had a student who had many physical issues. It created some unusual classroom problems in her chemistry class. The mother of that student knew this

and constantly thanked the teacher with complimentary notes and small gifts throughout the school year not just on holidays. It made the teacher feel appreciated, needed, and

respected.

A typical high school has administrators, teachers, and a support staff. Who will be affecting your student? Who will your student have for classroom teachers in the coming year?

Find out who they are. You will want to know the

receptionist at the main desk. Don’t forget the secretary in the guidance office. Who cooks the lunches, sweeps the floors, and empties the wastebaskets? Bus drivers often have a particularly difficult situation. Also remember the principal and vice-principal. Many times all of these people are only remembered when something negative happens. Letting them know that you recognize and appreciate the jobs they’re

performing, for the benefit of your child, will make it easier for your student.

Favors and kindnesses are always returned. Find out when those birthdays and anniversaries happen and remember them with a card, note or even cookies. And, in those few short years, when college scholarship time rolls around, people

will be happy to write glowing testimonials for your student.

Remember this: everything in life is a decision, make the right ones today for your college scholarship success.



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S. Michael Windsor asked:


About College Scholarships and Grants

Some of the best ways to pay for a college education is by focusing on either scholarships or grants. With college scholarships and grants, none of the money has to be repaid, in contrast to Federal student loans as well as private loans. Access to these types of funding usually has to do with the student’s past achievements in school and more. There are many types of scholarships and cannot be listed in full here; however, a good site to look at all the different scholarships would be college-scholarships.com which lists each one as well as some descriptions available. It is important to know that each scholarship may be different from the next and they may all have different terms and conditions applied to them which you will need to review prior to applying for the scholarship.

In addition to scholarships are grants. As a result of the US government’s No Child Left Behind Act, our government now offers more college grant opportunities than ever. Some of the Federal grants include the Pell Grant, National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (aka SMART) grant, as well as the Academic Competitiveness grant. The money provided by these grants and more are provided in order to help pay for college expenses such as for books and tuition. These grants and more can be obtained through federal and state governments, colleges, universities, as well as other public and private organizations.

There are several different categories for grants such as student-specific grants, degree level grants, subject specific grants as well as grants specifically for lower income students and minorities.

As for the student-specific grants, there are several categories such as those for low income or disadvantaged students, graduate grants, doctoral grants, undergraduate grants, non-traditional grants as well as military grants for college.

When considering subject-specific grants, subjects such as nursing, teaching and healthcare may offer grants for schooling which in many cases will be sponsored by corporations hoping to acquire interns and future employees to their companies after graduating from college with a degree in the corporation’s industry. In addition to the grants provided by many corporations and such, there are also those grants which are offered by your state and information about these types of grants that are offered by your individual state can be found be simply contacting your state offices and/or contacting financial aid offices at your college which you will be attending. There are many opportunities for students to get the funding for a great education and they can all be found by contacting those organizations or their websites for more information. If you are in high school, try a guidance counselor. It is important to get this information earlier on as the more you know the easier things will be once it comes down to getting that education funded.



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Donald Saunders asked:


When most people think about college scholarships they tend to think about scholarships being awarded by major companies and by the larger academic bodies and these are certainly very good sources of funding. However, they also carry one major problem and that is that competition for these scholarships is fierce with hundreds of thousands of applications pouring in from all across the country. It might be a great feather in your cap to get one of these scholarships but your chances of doing so are almost as good as they are of winning the lottery.

For many students a better alternative would be to look for an institutional scholarship.

Almost every college will award at least one institutional (in-house) scholarship each year and many of the larger colleges will award several, often having scholarships available within each department of the college. If you are attending one of the larger colleges it is possible therefore that you could be eligible to apply for several scholarships within your own institution.

Although institutional scholarships have been around for many years, surprisingly a relatively low percentage of students tend to apply for them in comparison to the better known and well publicized national scholarship programs. Now one thing to note here is that not all of these scholarships will cover the full costs of attending college and many will be limited to just tuition fees, or to covering only housing costs. Nonetheless, the sums of money available are often substantial and they can certainly reduce your college costs considerably.

Many of the larger colleges will also have departments dedicated solely to student financial aid, including scholarships, and will provide you with details of just what scholarships are available and how to go about applying for them. This can be a very good place to start as you can get a great deal of information to point you in the right direction and help to ensure that you get your application in on time and prepared to put you in the best possible light for consideration. You will also find that some colleges have websites which also provide information about available scholarships, together with details of the application procedure.

For those people who are familiar with the application procedure for nationally available scholarships, you will find that the process is essentially the same for institutional scholarships. Each scholarship will however have its own specific requirements and so you need to ensure that you read these through carefully and follow the instructions precisely. Also, be sure to check carefully to ensure that you are eligible for a scholarship before applying. Most scholarships will have a list of criteria which you must meet before submitting an application and, if you are in any doubt, you should ask the awarding body before applying.

One benefit of institutional scholarships is that, because there is less competition, you do not usually need to wait too long before finding out whether or not your application has been successful. Another benefit (although it may not seem like a benefit at the time) is that, if you are not successful, you will nevertheless have gained valuable experience of the application procedure at your college and will therefore be better prepared when it comes to making a further application in the second and subsequent years.

If you have not investigated the availability of scholarships within your own college then take the time to do so now and get your applications in. If you are successful then it will certainly make your time at college (and in the ‘debt repayment’ years following college) a lot easier and you have nothing to lose by applying. If they turn you down you are no worse off than you are now, but it they award you a scholarship then you are sitting pretty.



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Donald Saunders asked:


The old saying that ‘money makes the world go around’ is as true today as it was all those years ago when it was first coined and that is not always good news for many youngsters who are trying to get the funds together for a college education so that they can reach their potential and get a share of all that lovely money. Many young people today possess considerable skill but do not get the opportunity to develop their skill and reach their true potential. Fortunately, for many youngsters that is where scholarships come in.

Both scholarships and grants are designed principally for individuals who demonstrate particular talent or financial need and, of course many young people fall into both categories.

There are literally hundreds of scholarships available today and they vary widely in terms of the qualifications required for an award, the amount of money payable and the purpose to which that money may be put. Some scholarships will for example cover a wide range of expenditure including tuition, books and other course materials and housing. Other scholarships may only be used to pay for tuition fees. Similarly some scholarships will meet the full cost of tuition (and perhaps other costs) while others will be for a set amount or a percentage of covered costs. Finally, a scholarship may be awarded for an academic year or may cover an entire college course. One thing however is almost always true and that is that there will be conditions attached to the award of a scholarship.

As long as you are attending, or enrolled for, a college course you can apply for a scholarship and the application form will normally be quite extensive and will take some time and work to complete. This is also the hurdle at which many students fall because, with such competition for scholarship money, even a slight mistake on your application form can get it discarded without even being read. So, the first point to note is that you must read the instructions for the completion for your application very carefully and then follow them to the letter.

Your object in completing your application must be to give the awarding body a reason to award you the scholarship ahead of your fellow applicants and so you will need to think very carefully about just what you include in your application and what you leave out. You will also need to take great care to include all of your ‘good points’ and to paint yourself in the best light possible. The one thing that you must not do though is to lie. It is one thing to emphasize an achievement or accomplishment, but it is quite another to simply invent either. If you do lie on your application there is a very good chance that this will be discovered at some point during the selection procedure and your application will be thrown out immediately.

Remember too that, because competition is going to be fierce, it is a good idea not to put all your eggs into one basket and to apply for several scholarships rather than simply pin your hopes on one.

Funding a college education is not easy and most students will graduate with loan debt which will take years to pay off. Scholarship money however is free money and will not only make life at college much easier but will reduce your post-college debt burden considerably. For this reason you should not ignore scholarships. The time spent preparing half a dozen good scholarship applications can be some of the best time you will ever spend preparing yourself for college.



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Jenny Sweeney asked:


Thousands of soon-to-be students are hunting for extra financial assistance for college tuition. Without a perfect SAT score or the ability to run a sub 4.5 forty yard dash, you might find your chances of securing a scholarship aren’t looking too bright. However, you might not realize that your odd talent or hobby may make you the perfect applicant for one of these 15 strange but real scholarships.

Oink, Oink

Has your room been compared to a sty? Are you comfortable living in a messy habitat? These aren’t requirements for a scholarship, but they are attributes of the creatures you care about – pigs! If you’re interested in creatures of the bovine persuasion, this is the scholarship for you; the International Boar ***** (IBS) Scholarship is available for those interested in swine management. For more information, visit piggene.com/IBS/ibs_home.htm.

The Next Generation of . . . Klingons

Trekkies, leave your capes, figurines, posters and other memorabilia behind. Just bring, well, yourself! Klingon Language Institute, in an effort to promote language study, awards one lucky winner a $500 Kor Memorial Scholarship—but don’t worry, fluency in Klingon is not a requirement. Check out the requirements for this scholarship at: kli.org/scholarship/.

Think Tall Thoughts

You’ve got Michael Jordan’s stature but you’re about as agile as a water buffalo. That’s okay with Tall Clubs International! Males over 6’2” and females above 5’8” are encouraged to apply. The reward is no small (pun intended) amount either; Tall.org awards a whopping $1,000 scholarship to the winner. Find more info at: www.tall.org.

Yo, Shorti!

For the vertically challenged, the Billy Barty Foundation offers scholarships to students of “short stature”. Similarly, the Little People of America awards students – and their families – scholarships. To join, members must be 4’10” and shorter. Scholarship amounts range from $250 to $1000. Read all the requirements at: lpaonline.org.

More Trans fat, please!

Say goodbye to the cabbage soup, grapefruit only, or south beach diets! The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance encourages “fat” people to apply for one of their two merit-based scholarships. The scholarships, offered to already-existing NAAF members, awards $1,000 for first place, while the second place prize is $500. For more fat-friendly information regarding the scholarships, go to: naafa.org/newevents/shcolarship.html

For the Herbivores

Calling all veggie-lovers around the world! Two health-conscious winners will be awarded $5,000 in scholarship money from the Vegetarian Resource Group. But be forewarned: unless you love your legumes, this scholarship is not for you. Eligible applicants must not only exemplify a healthy lifestyle, but also promote vegetarianism within their community too. For more information visit: vrg.org.

Sk8 through School

Thanks to Tony Hawk and a few scrapes, bruises, and breaks, your skateboarding skills may have finally paid off. The Patrick Kerr Skateboard scholarship program awards four different scholarships each year. One applicant will receive a $5,000 college scholarship and three others will receive $1,000 awards. And your mother thought skateboarding would never get you anywhere! Requirements include maintaining at least a 2.5 out of 4.0 GPA, be a graduating senior, and a United States citizen. Be sure to read all the requirements skateboardscholarship.org.

Bit of the Bubbly, Please

Finally, your weakness for wine might serve another purpose—besides the pounding morning-after headache. The American Society for Enology and Viticulture (AASEV) awards multiple students for enrolling in science fields relating to the grape and wine industry. The scholarship amount is not predetermined; it varies year to year. To read other requirements for this scholarship, go to: asev.org/scholarship-program.

Bowling for Dollars

Though those middle-school years of loitering around bowling alleys have ended, your talent for earning turkeys may finally be cashing in. The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) offers a range of scholarships, including the Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow that offers a $1,500 renewable scholarship for distinguished male high school bowlers and the Alberta E. Crow Star of Tomorrow that also offers $1,500 in renewable scholarship funds for great female high school bowlers. Read more at: bowl.com/smart/locateState.aspx.

Got Milk?

The Scholar-Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year award is given to twenty-five graduating high school seniors who have what it takes to sport the famous milk mustache; winners receive $7,500 in scholarship funds. If that’s not enough, winners receive a special ad that runs in USA Today. If that’s not enough, winners receive an all-expense trip to an awards ceremony at Disney Wide World of Sports’ Milk House in Orlando, FL and an induction into the Milk House Hall of Fame. Check out applications at: sammy.bodybymilk.com.

Offer an Organ

You signed up to be an organ donor when you received your license. Put that heart on your ID to use! The Students for Organ Donation Youth Leadership award one or two $500 to $1,000 scholarships to full-time high school or undergraduate college students. Successful candidates actively promote organ donation and transplantation. More criteria to apply for this scholarship can be found at: studentdonor.org.

Tee It Up

You’ve seen them trudging up and down the greens, toting thirty pounds of iron on their backs, and offering tips to improve swings, distance and posture. Finally, they’re due their recognition; Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund, founded in 1949, offers anywhere from $1,500 to $7,500 per year to caddies. Eligible applicants must have served at least two years as caddies, helpers in the pro shop or course superintendent operations at a club in Massachusetts. Read more information: ouimet.org/scholarships/

Color in the Lines

Did you meticulously color in the lines of your coloring books as a child? You may have graduated from crayons to acrylics, but the concept is the same: you’re an artist at heart. Established in 1983, the L. Ron Hubbard Illustrator of the Future contest awards both quarterly and annual scholarships, ranging from $1,500 to $4,000. Read more : writersofthefuture.com

Hot, Hot, Hot

You’ve heard it, those three little words…in case of a fire: stop, drop and roll to safety. Earning a scholarship from the American Fire Sprinkler Association is almost just as easy; AFSA offers ten $2,000 scholarships per year to graduating high school seniors. Requirements include reading an essay and taking an online (and open-book) test. Read more about this sizzling offer on: afsascholarship.org.

Giddyup, cowboy!

The Arabian Horse Foundation offers an annual scholarship of $2,500 to one eligibly equine enthusiast. The scholarship, named in remembrance of William Zekan, is offered to horse lovers that demonstrate financial need, are currently either a high school senior or college freshman and can provide two letters of recommendation. For more eligibility criteria: arabianhorsefoundation.org.



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Jon Arnold asked:


If you have looked at the sky rocketing costs of college these days and do not have the comfort of a college scholarship in your back pocket, you are probably taking Tylenol by the case. There is tuition, which if it is based by the credit hour, would lead you to believe that colleges are actually wealthy financial institutions. There are books, which again appears to be one of the biggest rackets going based on outrageous costs. And then you need to consider living expenses, such as a dorm or apartment, and eating and transportation. And after you have considered all of that, you will still need some spending money.

All in all, it appears to cost more than the gross national output of most third world nations at the end of four years. And with today’s pressures and activities, it is almost more than a full load to actually complete the degree requirements so that you can actually graduate in just four years. Studies are showing that most students today are taking five years, just for an undergraduate degree.

The answer to this, which a very surprising number and high percentage of people have not yet figured out, is a college scholarship. Most people think that a scholarship is only awarded to the top football jock or the class valedictorian or the outstanding musician who always sits in first chair. But the reality of the situation is that college scholarships are routinely awarded to students based on virtually no other criteria other than that they applied for it!

While students who can also demonstrate or document a financial need for a scholarship are generally given a higher priority, this is not always the case. You need to remember that this is a tax write-off for the companies and corporations who are offering many of these scholarships, and while most of them would like to see you study in a field of work that they endorse, the bigger motivation for them is to get the tax write-off as well as having their company appear in a good light from a public relations standpoint. In other words, you would think highly of a company who awarded you a full ride scholarship, even if your field of study was computer engineering and their product offering was baby blankets.

One of the things that is of critical importance when you fill out an application for a college scholarship is to complete every single piece of information that is requested on the application form. Do not omit anything and be brutally honest about it. One of the quickest ways to get disqualified for a college scholarship that you may have otherwise been awarded is for the sponsor to find out that you have lied or stretched the truth on the application form.

Regardless of how many scholarships you apply for, one of the sources of funding for your college education should be the FAFSA financial aid form. These are readily available at the college’s admissions office, and they can also provide guidance to you in filling it out if you need help.

Do not allow a lack of funding to prevent you from getting a good college education. The number of available college scholarships rises every year, and many even go unawarded simply because nobody applied for them!



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Jon Arnold asked:


You have heard the expression many times before – if you think college is expensive, you ought to see how expensive ignorance is. While there might be some wry humor in that expression, there should be no excuse for someone not going to college these days. There may be very valid reasons for not going to college, but a lack of financial funding should clearly not be one of those reasons.

College grants and college scholarships are abounding today, and in fact, many of the available grants and scholarships actually are not awarded every year, for the simple reason that nobody applied for them! As crazy as that sounds, it is true. Businesses and corporations use the college grant and college scholarships they offer as a tax writeoff, and if it is not awarded, then they lose out on that writeoff, so they are more anxious than ever to award these college grants and college scholarships.

One common myth which is held by many people is that you need to show a financial need before you will be awarded a college grant or college scholarship, or that you need to excel in a particular area, like the star quarterback in football, the ace basketball player who can shoot three-pointers all day long, the violin player or the piano player where it appears that Carnegie Hall is clearly in their very talented musical future, etc. But note that I said these are “myths”. In other words, these perceptions are incorrect.

Today, a college grant or college scholarship is available to virtually any student who has the motivation and the incentive to fill out the application forms. In fact, many students get multiple scholarships and grants, simply because they sat down and took the time to fill out the applications. These are students who do not excel in sports, in music, in drama, or any other area – they simply want to go to college, they understand the importance of having a college education in today’s very competitive real world, and they made the time to go through the steps required.

While there are both grants and scholarships available, grants are more likely to be awarded based on financial need, whereas scholarships are not nearly as closely tied to whether or not there is a financial need. But then again, when you look at the cost of a college education these days, after considering living expenses in a dorm or a campus apartment, meals, books and other very basic necessities, the cost of that college education is going to run well into five figures, perhaps even six figures, so a financial need is not going to be hard to justify for virtually anyone.

College grants and college scholarships differ greatly from the usual student loans like the FAFSA loan that is available through almost any college’s financial aid or admissions office. A student loan needs to be paid back. Although payments usually do not start until after the student has graduated and the interest rate is quite low, the fact that it needs to be paid back makes grants and scholarships a much more attractive option to pursue, since neither grants nor scholarships need to be paid back.

Take the time to search out the many resources available for a college grant or college scholarship. After graduation, it is much better for you if you start out by not being in a huge pile of debt, but can start clean with your new degree.



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John Morris asked:


Education today is more expensive than it has ever been. In order to even be able to consider taking some post-secondary education you need to have the financial backing to do so. In fact, many students plan on working part or even full time while they go to school, but this can quickly lead to disaster because the student will be so busy that they will suffer burnout and be unable to juggle their responsibilities.

1. Money From Parents

The oldest, tried and tested method of paying your way through college is by getting money from mom and dad. Of course, nowadays this is more and more uncommon. Some parents invest in educational plans to surpass the heavy burden they might encounter later on.

2. Passport To Education

As a special incentive for having a B or better grade point average (typically, 75 percent or better overall GPA) you may be rewarded by your highschool by a grant that does not have to be repayed. The good news is, it’s free money but the bad news is that it is usually for very small amounts of money, $300 or so – barely enough to cover one class and the cost of one textbook. Still, something is better than nothing and you can’t argue with things that are free.

3. Scholarship Grants

Scholarship grants are a great way to finance your way through your post secondary education as they can pay for up to the complete amount that you require to go to school. The downside is that you will have to adhere to strict rules or else you might lose the scholarship entirely. College scholarships may be in a form of academic scholarship, athletic scholarships and other forms. There are also college scholarships that are funded by the government.

4. Ask Your Academic Advisor

Both your highschool academic advisor and the advisors at the post secondary school you plan on attended should be consulted. They are often a wealth of information and will be able to provide more information concicely about the subject that you are interested in than you would otherwise be able to achieve by yourself, given the same amount of time. Plus, theyre always free to consult and a simple consultation might save you lots of trouble in the long run.



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Paul Hata asked:


Education is a very important gift that parents can give to their children. But because of the difficult times that many families experience, sending their children to school can be quite a burden. Many families are experiencing financial problems which unable them to allow their child to pursue a degree in college.

If your problem is all about money matters, there is no reason to lose hope. You can still find a light at the tunnel’s end if only you know what options are available for you. You must be aware that colleges and universities offer scholarships to qualified students, so why not apply for one.

Some students are gifted with special talents that can be very useful when you go to college. College education is expensive, no matter course or degree you wish to take. And year after year, tuition fees are still getting higher.

During your high school days, you probably enjoyed cheerleading, gymnastics, and dancing. Did you know that now there are universities and colleges that offer cheerleading scholarships? Yes, you’ve heard it right. Cheerleading scholarships can help you a lot in reducing the cost in going to college.

Would-be college students have a lot of options available for them. They can apply for college scholarships and grants such as athletic scholarships, academic scholarships, and most of all, cheerleading scholarships. The best thing about these scholarships is that you’ll get free money which you will use in paying for your college fees. And take note, you don’t have to repay the money that was given to you. Usually, scholarships and grants are funded by the state, federal agencies, and private entities/institutions.

The four factors that you should consider in looking for a cheerleading scholarship are the four W’s.

1. Who

The first this that you should do is to find the advisor or coach of the cheerleading team. Ask for the name that’s in charge in the department of financial aid. Then you should contact these persons, and tell them that you want to apply for a scholarship. There are websites which can provide you with the needed information in applying for a cheerleading scholarship. When making a correspondence, make sure that you do it in a professional way. Tell your parents what your plans are for college.

2. What

Ask the proper authority for the available financial aid for cheerleading scholarships. Take note of all the requirements, and should there be try outs, prepare yourself well. You have to prepare all your paper work and other financial records.

3. Where

The place where you are going to get your college degree is of utmost consideration. You can choose a college at a local place or you can attend abroad (if your finances allow it). The internet is a very useful tool for searching through different colleges and universities in your locality or state.

4. When

Ask and take note of the deadline of the application and requirements. Make sure that you meet all of them on time. And after submitting your papers, do some follow-ups.

Some students might be overwhelmed of the things that will come their way in college. The best way to experience all of this is through a scholarship. Aside from being able to attend college classes, you’re also enjoying what you love best, cheerleading. Your hobby now has helped you go through college.



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