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College Grants and Scholarships
Grants for College Students
With the rising costs of college today many students will seek other means of payment besides loans. Loans are great but they are also a pain when it comes time to pay them back because of the currently high interest rates.
Grants are basically free money, and while they may not pay the whole college bill they will certainly help. Why not apply for them? Who wouldn't want free money?!?
Grants can sometimes be confusing and takes a little research but they are well worth it. There are different kinds of grants based upon your needs and requirements.
Pell Grant Application
For instance, Federal Pell Grants are government grants that do not need to be repaid. Pell Grant eligibility is based upon financial need. Pell Grant rules do not require you to keep a certain GPA or any other academic requirements. You must meet the financial requirements, be a US citizen, have a high school diploma or GED, and if you are male, you must be registered for the service. The amount of money that you will receive depends on the cost of your schooling and your current financial situation.
To obtain a Pell Grant application you can visit the FAFSA website. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
Merit-Based Government Grants
Another type of grant is a Merit-Based Government Grant. This grant is awarded for achievement and merit rather than financial need and there are specific foundations that offer merit grants.
There are many different grants within different areas, for example, woman, african american, sports, business school grants, nursing grants.. the list goes on.
It is important that you research your specific areas and determine which ones will apply to you. Apply for as many as you can because chances are you will only obtain a few.
Remember - A few hours of work now to get free college grants can save you hours of work later to pay off student college loans!
Scholarships Scholarships are a great way to help pay for college and they are easier to get than you think. It is as simple as going to the guidance office of your high school or searching local businesses that sponsor them once a year.
With scholarships you will have to write an essay or provide them with your information such as academic and athletic experiences. There are many different scholarships available for athletes, minorities, state, and many other specific areas that a student has interest in.
College counselors also offer a full variety of scholarships that companies and special interest groups send to them. In fact, many colleges complain that they do not have any applicants apply to them and actually have to turn money down!
Be sure to avoid all scholarship scams. There are many ads online that are nothing more than scams where they charge you money to apply and write essays to obtain a scholarship. You should never pay to apply for any scholarship or essay so always beware.
Here is a helpful website that explains scholarship scams and how to avoid them. http://www.collegescholarships.org/scam.htm
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