In the past, most people enrolling in college were young people who had recently graduated from high school. The college demographic is a lot different now though. Due to the large amount of unemployed or underemployed adults many people are returning to college in the hopes of finding a better job. Students who head straight to college from high school are generally referred to as traditional students. Adults who return to college after having spent some time in the workforce are known as non-traditional students.
There are some things that you can do to reduce your education costs though, and one of those things is to find a scholarship to cover some of your costs. Whether you are a new high school graduate or an adult returning to school there are scholarships available that could help lessen your expenses. Some scholarships require you to write an essay or to have someone recommend you for them, but there are some where you just fill out a brief application.
There are different types of scholarships that you need to be aware of. Some scholarships are merit based which means that they are awarded based on a student’s abilities. An academic or athletic scholarship would be an example of a merit based scholarship. Need based scholarships are awarded based on a student’s financial needs. An example of a need based scholarship would be the Pell Grant. Student specific scholarships are only open to students who meet certain requirements. The requirements may be based on race, gender, family history, or religion. Minority scholarships are the most common example of student specific scholarships. Career specific scholarships are for students who are entering into a specific career field. These are often offered in fields like nursing where there is a shortage of qualified professionals in the field. College specific scholarships are offered by colleges to attract highly desirable student’s to come to their school.
One scholarship that anyone can apply for is the Create A Greeting Card scholarship. To enter you simply need to submit an original piece of artwork to be considered for the front of a greeting card. The artwork can be computer generated, a photograph, or another artistic design that you create. If your card design is selected you will win a $10,000 scholarship for college and your school will receive an additional $1,000 prize. This scholarship is located at http://www.gallerycollection.com/blog/category/create-a-greeting-card-scholarship-contest/
The Free Military Scholarship is another scholarship that has a simple application and is available to everyone. You do not have to be a member of the military or enlist in the military to be eligible for this scholarship. This scholarship is provided by Military Scholarship, LLC and is not affiliated with the United States military. All you have to do is fill out the brief application form, confirm your registration through the email you are sent, and wait for the next drawing. One name is drawn each month for a $10,000 scholarship. If you win the scholarship you can use the money for housing, tuition, books, or a family member who is enrolled in college. This scholarship application is located at http://free-military-scholarhsips.info/
There is a scholarship available that is just for moms who want to go to college. The scholarship application is located at http://scholarships4moms.net/. There is a very short application process and then you just wait to see if your name is drawn. This scholarship is worth $10,000 and can be spent on anything related to helping you secure a college education.
Don't worry dad's there is a scholarship available just for you too! Once again just fill out a short application and you will be entered in a drawing to win $10,000 for college. You can use the money to pay for any college related costs and the money can even be gifted to a child who is entering college. This scholarship is available at http://www.scholarshipsfordad.com/.
The College Prowler essay is open to anyone planning to attend college within the next 12 months. Just set up a free account here at https://collegeprowler.com/scholarship/apply.aspx and see if your name is drawn. You can enter this contest every month and the scholarship is worth $2,000. This $2,000 can be used towards any college expenses including books, tuition, and housing.
The Gen and Kelly Tanabe scholarship is open to anyone planning to attend college within the next 12 months. This scholarship is for $1,000 and the winners are selected by a committee. The winner is primarily chosen by the written portion of the application. Each applicant is asked to answer one of two questions in 250 words or less. The first question is "Why do you deserve to win this scholarship" and the second is "Describe your academic or career goals". You can also choose to write on a subject of your choice.
There are a lot of opportunities out there for college scholarships. If you decide to go to or return to college one of your first resources should be FAFSA or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA provides help for tuition to many American families who are returning to school for additional education and for those obtaining their first college degree. The FAFSA program is how many families apply for Pell Grants. Pell Grants pay for college tuition, books, and housing without having to be paid back. Filling out a FAFSA form should be the first thing you do when you decide to attend or return to college.
In addition to the scholarships listed here, there are lots of other scholarships that you can find as well. There are websites that keep data bases of scholarships, and you can also use specific search terms to find a scholarship that is right for you. There are scholarships for single moms and single dads, there are scholarships for vegetarians, short people, tall people, left handed people and chocolate lovers. If you have decided that a college education is what you need to help you find a better job then don’t let the cost of tuition discourage you. There are plenty of scholarships out there and one of them can be yours!
