Find a College Scholarship or College Grant

The cost of a college education has risen to unthinkable levels over the past two decades. Few parents have more money on hand to cover these costs, so student loans and mounting debt have become a reality for many students. Image graduating with a debt 50-100 thousand dollars. Almost defeats the purpose of obtaining the bachelor's level. No end in sight for the increases in tuition, financial aid packages are essential for most students.

Fortunately, the chances of aid have mushroomed in recent years. Scholarships and were once regarded as available only for the poor or the brightest students. That is no longer true. These days, almost all are eligible for some kind of prize.

Free college money can be divided into two basic categories: scholarships (usually based on merit) and grants (usually need based). Of course, many other conditions apply for different awards. Minority status, gender, career plans, and field of study are the most common qualifiers for today's financial aid awards. Almost everyone can use one of these categories to focus their search for help.

One of the best sources for college grants is the federal government. Be sure to submit the application Free Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. This will tell you if they are eligible for a Pell grant and colleges will use this information to determine if you qualify for a school-sponsored grant. A private foundations may also require the FAFSA be completed before consideration for an award.

Ideally, a student might start looking for scholarships during the year of high school. This may seem early, but some awards require an application submitted a year before starting the first semester in college. Furthermore, collecting the names and contact information of prospective awards can take months. One must also factor in time to complete lengthy application forms, writing essays and interviews of programming.

In your search for scholarships, will focus on three main sources. First, search your local community. Start with the office of the high school counselor, your local library, churches, community organizations, and any company which is based nearby. Next, contact the financial aid office of each college you are considering. They can say to all school-based awards that can not be displayed in standard list. Finally, the use of the Internet. Standard search engine is of some use, but the search sites dedicated scholarship are an enormous resource. Some of these databases are up to 800,000 awards indexed. Best of all, you can search based on a personal profile that will match scholarships to your unique situation.

Of course, this article can only begin in the right direction. College financing is a complicated process and it is easy to feel overwhelmed. I remember that almost half of all students receive some type of help, so the chances of success are good. With a floor dedicated and organized search, you can get your share too.