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Excited for college but have concerns about the price tag?
It’s time to put that bottled up creativity to work for you in finding ways to pay for college.
Loans and grants help cover expenses. And, there are simple options for lessening your financial burden like getting a job, buying used textbooks instead of new and sticking to a strict budget for living.
But don’t overlook a prime opportunity to pay for college – scholarships. Scholarships are money awarded to help pay for your education that you don’t have to pay back. And they aren’t just given to students with perfect grades.
Colleges, universities and art institutes offer scholarships to students based on grades, portfolio work, community engagement, areas of study and the list goes on. There are also a number of nationwide scholarships available for students who meet a variety of criteria.
If you counted yourself out for a scholarship, think again. You could be missing out on money that will make paying for college a lot easier.
While filling out more forms after you’ve already spent hours applying to colleges might seem daunting, the payoff could be huge. So, grab your favorite beverage and dive into the wonderful world of scholarships.
Don’t forget that most colleges require students to fill out the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.ed.gov/ in order to qualify for student financial assistance – such as loans, grants or scholarships.
You can find out more about available scholarships by:
- Contacting the admissions office of the school you want to attend
- Visiting the U.S. Department of Labor’s scholarship search tool: https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-scholarships.aspx
- Talking to organizations (including professional associations) related to your field of interest
You can find more information about grants by visiting: studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/scholarships.
