September 22nd, 2009
A college education is a great thing to have, especially in the current economic climate. Jobs are difficult to get and the best way to prepare yourself is to gain an education that will make you stand out from the competition.
The problem with a college education is the amount of money it costs to receive a bachelors degree in anything. You can pay anywhere from 10-150k to receive a bachelors degree, depending on the university that you choose to attend.
So how does one go about finding money to pay their tuition? Well of course you can take out student loans which will equate to a nice car payment every month after you receive your degree, or you can apply for scholarships.
I am sure you have heard of scholarships. You submit an application if you meet the criteria to compete for the chance to win a couple thousands dollars. Finding scholarships is difficult because they all have criteria you must meet. This could be a certain GPA, major, circumstance, state of residency, ACT score, SAT score, or any number of things.
As you will find out, if you do not already know, finding scholarships you qualify for is difficult and in the end, discouraging. You will constantly find yourself qualifying for 4 out of the 5 minimum requirements, or less. But what if there was a tool that allowed you to input certain things about yourself, such as your GPA, ACT score, education level, etc. and the tool would tell you which scholarships you qualify for? Well that is exactly what the scholarship search tool at CollegeMatchingService.com can do.
Search through thousands of scholarships by filtering the results based on your own personal qualifications. Give it a try, it is free.
College Matching Service Scholarship Search
Tags: Scholarship Search, Scholarships
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
June 5th, 2009
The George J. Mitchell Scholarship is a national competitive fellowship sponsored by the US-Ireland Alliance. The Mitchell Scholarship, named to honor the former U.S. senator’s pivotal contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process, is designed to introduce and connect generations of future American leaders to the island of Ireland, while recognizing and fostering intellectual achievement, leadership, and a commitment to public service and community.
Eligibility Requirements
• U.S. citizen.
• Between the ages of 18 and 30, as of October 1, 2009.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university before beginning study.
• Must demonstrate a record of intellectual distinction, leadership, and extracurricular activity, as well as personal characteristics which indicate potential for future leadership and contribution to society.
• Must have persuasive, documented evidence of significant achievement in three areas: academic, leadership, and commitment to community and service.
• For more information visit www.us-irelandalliance.org.
Your study would begin the fall of 2010 and your bachelor’s degree must be completed before then. Some alumni are eligible to apply. All application materials must be submitted to the Honors Program and Office of Academic Enhancement for review and possible endorsement by August 3, 2009.
File your online scholarship application now.
Tags: college funding, college scholarships, online scholarship application, Scholarship
Posted in Scholarship Guides | No Comments »
May 14th, 2009
Ask about the school’s accreditation,* licensing and campus security.
Find out the school’s loan default* rate (the percentage of students who attended the school, took out federal student loans and failed to repay their loans on time). You might not be able to get aid from some of our programs at a school that has a high default* rate.
Find out the school’s job placement rates (the percentage of students who are placed in jobs relevant to their courses of study). If the school advertises its job placement rates, it must also publish:
- the most recent employment statistics,
- graduation statistics, and
- any other information necessary to back up its claims.
This information must be made available at the time you apply for admission to the school.
Make sure you get the information you need and check out all of your options as you prepare for education after high school.
It’s never too early to get started pursuing a career, so don’t wait until the last minute to get started! Know what to expect from the schools you’re considering.
Tags: accreditation, college, information, loans, school
Posted in College Advice | No Comments »
May 11th, 2009
THE COTTING SCHOOL FELLOWSHIP
If you are studying to become a teacher, especially in Special Education, you should definitely look into this opportunity. The Cotting School is the first day school in America for children with a broad array of communication and learning disabilities, complex medical conditions and physical challenges. The Cotting school is located in Lexington, Massachusettes. There are five key components to this fellowship program:
1. Full-time teaching opportunity over two years, which includes a five-week summer program
2. Work with in partnership with faculty that specializes in educating children with complex special needs
3. An intensive mentorship with a highly skilled teaching professional
4. A $30,000 scholarship to pursue a Master’s Degree in Special Education
5. A post fellowship opportunity with the school either as an employee or as an ambassador for the school
If you would like to learn more, please email fellowships@cotting.org
Tags: Fellowship, Scholarship, Special Education Scholarships
Posted in Fellowship Guides, Scholarship Guides | No Comments »
April 1st, 2009
Recently I came across this petition from the Consumer Bankers Association: “Petition for Choice and Competition in Federal Student Loans.” The concept is simple, do you want choice in your student loan options or do you think the government can manage a direct lending program that will ultimately have greater benefit to students and their families? The current plan would eliminate the Federal Family Education Loan Program, effective July 1, 2010. This program would be replaced by the proposed Federal Direct Loan Program.
Without imposing too much in way of my personal political views, I think this petition makes a lot of sense. More choice means more competition which should mean lower loan costs for students and their families. If a particular source of loans has interest rates that are high, the consumer can select a loan from someone else. Never mind having multiple options for payment terms based on what the needs are of the individual student and their situation.
Tags: federal loand, student funding, student loans
Posted in Federal Loans | 1 Comment »
March 30th, 2009
Toll-free Telephone 1-800-4FED-AID or 1-800-433-3243
Education Level (specifically)
Education Level (by category)
the financial information reported on theFree Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to determine the family EFC. The fundamental elements in this standard formula are the student’s income (and assets if the student is independent), the parents’ income and assets (if the student is dependent), the family’s household size, and the number of family members (excluding parents) attending postsecondary institutions. The EFC is the sum of: (1) a percentage of net income (remaining income after subtracting allowances for basic living expenses and taxes) and
Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, Title IV, Part A, Subpart 1; 20 U.S.C. 1070a
Range of New Awards: $400–$4,310 Note: FY 2007 Awards Information reflects final appropriations action that occurred after the completion of the fiscal year 2008 President’s Budget.
Number of New Awards Anticipated: 5,339,000
Note: The amount for FY 2006 includes $4.3 billion to retire prior-year funding shortfalls.
Fiscal Year 2006 $17,345,230,000
Undergraduate and vocational students enrolled or accepted for enrollment in participating schools may apply.
Federal Student Aid (FSA)
Basic Educational Opportunity Grants (BEOGs)
Federal Pell Grant Program
Who May Apply (by category)
Who May Apply (specifically)
Type of Assistance (specifically) Federal Pell Grants are direct grants awarded through participating institutions to students with financial need who have not received their first bachelor’s degree or who are enrolled in certain postbaccalaureate programs that lead to teacher certification or licensure. Participating institutions either credit the Federal Pell Grant funds to the student’s school account, pay the student directly (usually by check) or combine these methods. Students must be paid at least once per term (semester, trimester, or quarter); schools that do not use formally defined terms must pay the student at least twice per academic year.
Fiscal Year 2005 $12,364,997,000
Fiscal Year 2007 $12,606,713,000
Fiscal Year 2007 Awards Information Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.Amount of Aid Available: $13,989,305,000Amount of Aid Available represents the amount of funds awarded to participants in the Federal Student Aid programs. Depending upon the program, this total may include federal appropriated dollars, institutional or state matching dollars, and federal or private loan capital.
Average New Award: $2,620
Program Description The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain postbaccalaureate students to promote access to postsecondary education. Students may use their grants at any one of approximately 5,400 participating postsecondary institutions. Grant amounts are dependent on: the student’s expected family contribution (EFC) (see below); the cost of attendance (as determined by the institution); the student’s enrollment status (full-time or part-time); and whether the student attends for a full academic year or less. Students may not receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time. Financial need is determined by the U.S. Department of Education using a standard formula, established by Congress, to evaluate the financial information reported on theFree Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to determine the
(2) a percentage of net assets (assets remaining after subtracting an asset protection allowance). Different assessment rates and allowances are used for dependent students, independent students without dependents, and independent students with dependents. After filing a FAFSA, the student receives aStudent Aid Report (SAR), or the institution receives an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), which notifies the student if he or she is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and provides the student’s EFC.
Grants, Low Income, Student Financial Aid
Name Federal Student Aid Information Center
Links to Related Web Sites
http://ifap.ed.gov
Tags: grant, guide, pell grant
Posted in Pell Grant Guides | No Comments »
March 25th, 2009
Congratulations! As you
are preparing for your college career, you are creating the foundations
for a wonderful journey that will impact the rest of your life.
On average, college graduates earn a substantial percentage more in
lifetime income than non-graduates, and you will be able to utilize
your college education to find a job that is great for you.
However, on the way to obtaining
your college degree, there are several hurdles to overcome. The
greatest hurdle for some applicants is securing the financial resources
needed to pay for a college education. This guide will provide
you with the insight to know where and how to obtain “free money,”
in the form of scholarships and grants, which will pay for your education
and launch your career.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Scholarship Guides | 1 Comment »
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