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Scholarships and grants are the most affordable way to partially or fully pay for college. Funds received do not have to be repaid and are not dependent on fulfilling work requirements. Scholarships and grants are available for all types of students going to all types of colleges, and may be granted to incoming freshman or at any time during the college stay. Scholarships and grants are not just for academically or athletically gifted students, or students with low incomes. Students who have not achieved high academic records or athletic accomplishments should not be discouraged from searching out scholarships or grants. Many are awarded for a particular talent, ethnicity, religious affiliation, or even just where you live. It’s just a matter of matching scholarship or grant requirements with student qualifications. It may require a lot of effort, but funds are available.
1. Potential sources of scholarships and grants include:
a. Scholarships offered by the college of your choice. Visit their web site and contact the financial aid office about scholarships and grants offered by the college. Also, contact your major’s departmental office. If possible, visit the office personally and get to know someone who works there. Often, these grants are offered solely on the basis of income levels, and not academic credentials. Make sure you check.
b. Unpublished tuition discounts of 50% or more are also being offered by many colleges in the form of merit grants to the most desirable students, regardless of income. The largest discounts are often available to students whose grades and test scores rank in the top 20% of the school’s applicant pool. However, lately some schools have been offering tuition discounts based solely on income levels, with some even relatively high levels of income qualifying. Check with the college admissions office or financial aid office.
c. The federal and state governments offer grants to students who are in lower income
brackets. These include the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program and the Paul
Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program. Other programs include the Pell Grant program
and the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. A student may be eligible for
more than one program. Ask your guidance counselor on how to inquire. And be sure
to fill out the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” (“FAFSA”). This application
is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or by calling 800-
d. Professional associations, religious groups, civic and community organizations, fraternal groups, private foundations and local employers also offer numerous scholarships and grants. Memorial college scholarships honoring local residents may also be available. Often, you do not even need to have a relationship with the organization to qualify. Check with groups near where you live, as well as near the college, and contact the financial aid office for suggestions. Ask for help from high school counselors, acquaintances and local businesses to locate sources of aid.
e. Ethnic, religious and professional affiliations, including unions and alumni organizations, can also be a source of scholarships and grants. Check with local, regional, national and international organizations for potential aid. Also check with organizations connected with the student’s field of interest, such as the American Medical Association. Scholarships may be available for almost any interest or trait the student has. Consider using scholarship search engines like Fastweb.com, Scholarships.com, Finaid.org, CollegeAnswer.com or CollegeView.com to find these more obscure scholarships and grants. Available books include Peterson’s Scholarship Almanac, The Scholarship Handbook, and Scholarships, Grants and Prizes.
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