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FREE MONEY FOR COLLEGE

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 .



 
 
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