As you investigate
savings plans and student loans, don't forget another source
of college funds: scholarships and grants. These are available
to all kinds of students from a variety of sources. "There's
money available for students with C grades if they show
commitment in the field they want to study," says Idalah D.
Womack, author of College:
How to Get There and Go Free.
Most scholarships
and grants require that recipients meet criteria that can vary
greatly. Some ask that you be interested in a particular
field; others may require that you be a woman or be from a
certain geographic area. The vast majority have one thing in
common: they are gifts, with no obligation for you to pay back
the money so long as you meet grant conditions.
Finding scholarship sources
You'll have to do some legwork to uncover organizations that
give student grants and scholarships. Where can you start?
Begin at the library. Look
for directories of grants and foundations that give grants.
Investigate companies and
trade organizations in your field of study. For
example, The
Dow Jones Newspaper Fund sponsors
programs that offer paid internships and scholarships to
future newspaper reporters and editors.
Guidance counselors frequently
know what scholarships are available or may have suggestions
for further avenues of research.
Local institutions such
as places of worship, businesses, and professional and
social clubs often support area college students. Ask your
church and any organizations to which you or your parents
belong, as well as any companies where you or your parents
regularly do business. These grants are often small, but
they can add up.
The federal government offers some financial aid through the
US Department of Education. For more information, visit Federal
Student Aid .
|