If you are already in college, you are already aware of this, and if college is still a year or so away, you will be made keenly aware of it soon – the costs of getting a good college education have gone through the roof. Tuition costs are rising every year, and it seems like the cost of just BOOKS for a semester can be enough to finance a small car.
If you are a high school junior and especially if you are a senior, you should be looking at colleges right now. Applying late, even with a 4.0 GPA will get your application declined if the college of your choice has already reached the maximum number of incoming students for the next semester.
But the real question is how to finance your college education? Some people view that as the question of the decade, but it does not need to be, if you know where to look. The college financial aid offices has tons of brochures and literature about various loans that you can apply for, many at extremely reasonable interest rates, but I would encourage you to "think outside the box" … wouldn’t it be much better to get loans or grants that do NOT need to be paid back?
That is where a college scholarship comes in. Although most people do not realize it, there are scholarships available for a huge variety of reasons, where some are even awarded because nobody else applied for it! Most scholarships do not require the family to have "financial needs" as is the most common myth. And scholarships, although traditionally thought of only to be awarded to the top athletic jocks or the outstanding musicians, are no longer limited to those types of students. Although GPA will still usually (although not necessarily) play a part of scholarship award decisions, there is a tremendously large range of different things that a scholarship can be awarded for. Also note that any student can be awarded MULTIPLE scholarships, sometimes to the point where they will have graduated and it may not have cost them a nickel out of their own pockets.
The trick is in knowing where to look for scholarships. Many people stop searching at the college's financial aid office or the government student loan web site. That is far from exhaustive and there is a mountain of additional resources for you to look into for scholarships. There are scholarships available that virtually nobody has even heard of. Whether one of your scholarships comes from, say General Motors, or a scholarship of the same amount of money comes from Bubba's Twine Manufacturing Company, do you really care? A scholarship is a scholarship, and you can probably assume that there is far more competition for the General Motors scholarship than there is for the Bubba's Twine Manufacturing Company scholarship. But at the end of the day, money is money and it really does not matter!
Bottom line: The scholarships are out there, and a surprising number of them even go unawarded each year simply because nobody applied for them. Be aware of the resources available to you so that you can keep the cost of that college education down to a much more affordable level.
Related Articles
How to Find Free College Grant Money
By: Jon Arnold | 11/03/2007 | Education
College is expensive but there is no reason you should fund it out of your own pocket. While a student loan needs to be paid back, neither college grants nor college scholarships need to be paid back, and there are a ton of these going un-awarded each year because nobody applied for them!
How to Find Great College Scholarships
By: Jon Arnold | 06/03/2007 | Education
Do not allow a lack of financial resources to be a reason that you do not get a good college education. There are many resources for you to apply to get a college scholarship, and many scholarships are unawarded each year simply because nobody applied for them!
Getting a Hispanic Scholarship for College
By: Jon Arnold | 08/05/2007 | Finance
A college scholarship is a great way to defray the high costs of college. You can get one or multiple scholarships, and there are scholarships that are specifically for those of Hispanic heritage. Find out where they are and what is required to get them.
About College Scholarships and Grants
By: S. Michael Windsor | 24/03/2008 | College and University
Some of the best ways to pay for a college education is by focusing on either scholarships or grants. With college scholarships and grants, none of the money has to be repaid, in contrast to Federal student loans as well as private loans.
Searching For College Scholarships
By: Low Jeremy | 30/01/2007 | Education
If you have just graduated from high school or have been thinking of going back to college to finish your course but have no financial resources, then, you must consider applying for a college scholarship. So if you don't know where to go, here re the places and ways to...
Private Scholarships: the Billion Dollar Rip-off!
By: Reecy Aresty | 05/04/2007 | College and University
Towards the end of every school year, most non-profit organizations hold their Awards Banquets where worthy students are honored with various scholarships. Since the organization is primarily giving the money for the student’s education, they make the fatal error of making the check payable to the student AND the college. So sets the stage for the billion dollar scholarship rip-off...
How to Fund your College Education Expenses
By: Jon Arnold | 18/04/2007 | Education
Your college education is going to cost you a bundle. It is well worth it but how are you going to pay for it? Here are some tips and things to consider for ways to finance your college education without breaking the bank.
Top 15 Strangest Scholarships
By: Jenny Sweeney | 27/02/2008 | Online Education
Think you don't have the scores or skills to receive a scholarship? Think again. Check out these top 15 strange, yet real, scholarships.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
Hello i am mother for tow baybes 2years and 1 year ...
By: malik | 06-07-2008
hello i am mother for tow baybes 2years and 1 year i am from algeria i am biologist in my contry (DUAA DIPLOM UNIVERSITER D'APLICATION DANALYSE) 3 years studied in the universette +6months trening in the hospitol .My question is i wat to go to the college but i dont have mony and i dont have a person how take care to the baybes and my english is not very good i wirtte and read ,i inderstund but when the person spick faster i dont inderstund ,and i wat to know if i can to etudier biologi onlin or by mail ?.thank you for your pations .
Trip with parents an excused absence?
By: TinaEaton | 01-07-2008
can you take children out of school for a trip? will it be an excused absence if you get all their assignments and they do them while they are gone? My husband and I want to take ours on a cruise with us this year, but the dates are October 20th through the 24th, so they would be gone from school that Monday through Friday.
Scholarship needed for a private school.
By: Andrea Dorantes | 27-06-2008
How could I find financial aidfor my Daughter,She is going to 6th grade?
Orphand needs help
By: souixie | 27-06-2008
We live in alberta canada. A friend of mine is a senior that lost her son 5 years ago in a car accident and has ended up with custody of her grandson. The childs mother is unfit to care for him. Because there was no will, the insurance settlment had to go through probat and this childs money has to be held in a public trust account until he is 18. I have 2 questions. Can it be gotten out of public trust and placed in private trust account so it can draw a better intrest rate? Also someone told me that there is a orphands fund available in Alberta. How can we connect with any organization that helps with these situations. This lady is in her late 60's and they are living off her and her husbands oas and cpp. thanks
Orphand needs help
By: souixie | 27-06-2008
We live in alberta canada. A friend of mine is a senior that lost her son 5 years ago in a car accident and has ended up with custody of her grandson. The childs mother is unfit to care for him. Because there was no will, the insurance settlment had to go through probat and this childs money has to be held in a public trust account until he is 18. I have 2 questions. Can it be gotten out of public trust and placed in private trust account so it can draw a better intrest rate? Also someone told me that there is a orphands fund available in Alberta. How can we connect with any organization that helps with these situations. This lady is in her late 60's and they are living off her and her husbands oas and cpp. thanks
100% tuition
By: ellymay007 | 15-06-2008
Will the Ohio Air National Guard 100% tuition pay for cosmetology school?
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Education Articles
Homeland Security: The New Age of Counterterrorism
By: Henley-Putnam University | 23/07/2008
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, it became clear that much more needed to be done to protect America's freedoms and interests - both at home and abroad. The US Government, in response, created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over five years ago and...
Hypnotherapy Training Course
By: Khurram Zeb | 23/07/2008
Some things to keep in mind if you want to become a hypnotherapist.
The Hitler Pact: a Blood Oath
By: Brian Cuban | 23/07/2008
The Hitler newphews are alive and well in Long Island, NY. What can they tell us about their infamous uncle?
Maximize Your Speed Reading
By: Francis Hesse | 22/07/2008
Maximum Speed Reading is an incredible new program that will help you to read and comprehend massive amounts of written information - in any subject area - with unbelievable speed and remarkable retention and recall.
The Orginis of Plastering
By: Matt Morgan | 22/07/2008
An overview of the history of plastering buildings.
The Cherokee Language
By: Jacob Lumbroso | 21/07/2008
Like many other languages, the Cherokee tongue is named after its people, the Cherokee. It is classified under the Iroquoian language family, and it is the only Southern one from the group that is still used.
How to Select the Perfect Cell Phone for You
By: Richard Adams | 19/07/2008
Discusses 4 elements to consider when buying a new cell phone.
Biodiesel and the Kyoto Protocol
By: Mervyn Rees | 19/07/2008
I thought I would chat about some aspects affecting the production of biodiesel. The Kyoto Protocol goes by a number of aliases: The Kyoto Treaty, The Kyoto Accord, or The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
More from Jon Arnold
How Good is Your Health Insurance Policy Really?
By: Jon Arnold | 17/07/2008 | Insurance
If you have your own health insurance policy, how good is it? How does it compare with your other options? Is it cost effective? If you don't know the answers to these questions, this article points out many things that you may want to think about.
Tips to Finding Self Employed Health Insurance
By: Jon Arnold | 16/07/2008 | Insurance
If you are self employed, it can be tricky to find good health insurance plans, but some tips are offered here as to where to find such coverage and options you may have to keep costs down.
When Should You Declare Bankruptcy?
By: Jon Arnold | 14/07/2008 | Personal Finance
Knowing when to declare bankruptcy is largely a matter of being well aware of what your options and alternatives are. Most people do not know, but it is something you need to find out before you declare bankruptcy.
Understanding Hot Water Extraction Carpet Cleaning
By: Jon Arnold | 11/03/2008 | Home Brewing
Carpet cleaning is a necessity to keep your carpeting looking as good as possible for as long as possible. But you need to be aware of how to clean your particular type of carpeting to make sure it does not get ruined or damaged.
Choosing the Best Hawaii Vacation Package
By: Jon Arnold | 09/03/2008 | Travel
You have a huge range of options for your Hawaii vacation package, so you need to outline the must-do interests of all who are going, then you are in a great position to find just the right package to save you the most money.
Credit Repair – Do it yourself and Save Big
By: Jon Arnold | 09/03/2008 | Finance
Credit repair firms have a huge market because almost everyone's credit report has errors in it. But most people don't know that a credit repair company can do nothing that you cannot do yourself if you take the time to find out how to do it properly.
Using Chapter 13 Bankruptcy to Stop Foreclosure
By: Jon Arnold | 08/03/2008 | Law
Did you know that chapter 13 bankruptcy can stop foreclosure on your home? It's true but you need to make sure you qualify for this chapter, and the amount of time that foreclosure is stopped is not forever. Find out the details in this article.
Finding Value in Low Cost Car Insurance
By: Jon Arnold | 08/03/2008 | Insurance
If you are not doing comparison shopping for car insurance, chances are better than excellent that you are throwing money out the window every month. Find out how to effectively compare insurance quotes to make sure you are getting the value you think you are.
Education 
