WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?The belief that a student must either work
full-time, be extraordinarily academic and/or willing to go into
considerable debt to finance their own COLLEGE EDUCATION HAS BEEN
DEBUNKED THROUGHOUT THE LAST DECADE. A host of student-friendly
options have become available in the form of federal grants,
work-study, departmental and outside scholarships. For me, it was a
combination of all these options that has allowed me to nearly
entirely finance my COLLEGE CAREER. By researching what is best for
you as a student, you may identify your unique needs and advantages
and find the option that is best for you while avoiding an early start
debt or the stress of a full-time job. Here’s a look from essay
writing site [https://tutoriage.com] at the benefits and details of
some common options.
FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID (GRANTS)
If you have already applied and been accepted to a college of your
choice that participates in the federal financial aid program, the
federal student aid website allows you to fill out a free Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) application. If you are still a dependent, the
application requires your parents’ income tax information. When
completed, your college’s financial aid department will then process
the information and report to you if you are eligible for a non
repayable grant, and if so, how much.
A potential downside to federal grant aid, however, is the requirement
to reapply for aid annually, and fluctuations in parents’ income can
seriously impact amount and eligibility, as I once found during my
sophomore year.
To get more detailed information, fill out an application, or find a
list of participating institutions, visit http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
[http://www.fafsa.ed.gov].
FEDERAL WORK- STUDY
Federal Work-study enables a full-time student to earn money while
working on the campus of a participating college. Your eligibility for
work-study is determined by the FAFSA application, if you indicate you
are interested in federal work-study on the application form. However,
it is highly advisable to contact your college’s financial aid
department before applying and ask about your college’s specific
work study program. Hourly wages are varied and determined by college
and department according to the amount allotted to them by the federal
program. While wages may be typically lower, federal work-study is
advantageous in that you are nearly guaranteed to eventually find a
work position at a campus department, and work schedules are arranged
to fit your class schedule.
DEPARTMENTAL SCHOLARSHIPS
Even if your high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores leave something to be
desired, it is still highly possible to earn a scholarship. Evaluate
your hobbies and interests apart from your chosen major. Were you the
talented piccolo player in high school band? Captain of the drama
team? It may not be a bad idea to check with the music or drama
departments for scholarship opportunities. As a business major, I
found that my interest in music opened opportunity for additional
funds. Even if you are not willing to devote major study to that
subject, you may find it worthwhile to schedule an application,
audition, or tryout, since some departments are satisfied to provide
scholarships if the student is willing to minor in that subject or to
participate in a certain group such as the marching band or the
university theater.
OUTSIDE SCHOLARSHIPS
Are you classified as a non-traditional undergraduate student? Special
needs? Military or military dependent? A minority? A number of
non-performance based scholarships exist for these and are growing in
increasing numbers. Contact your own college’s scholarship office to
ask about these opportunities, or research scholarships sponsored by
outside institutions. It is worth noting that scams exist in the form
of scholarship “search engines” that require a fee for finding you
a scholarship that meets your requirements.
WHAT IF I DON’T REALLY NEED EXTRA FUNDS?
In spite of these available choices, many students may instead choose,
for various reasons, to rely entirely on student loan debt or funds
provided by parents and family. While the choice to finance or help
finance your own college education through one or more of the above
mentioned options is not for everyone, here are some additional
reasons you may want to consider the extra trouble of research and
applications.
_RESUME ENHANCEMENT: _Choosing to participate in work-study may allow
you to gain valuable experience in a professional setting , such as in
research or administration. This may give a considerable advantage
over peers who choose typical casual employment in retail or fast
food, or no employment at all. Also, let’s face it-even “small”
scholarships can fill in space and look good on a resume!
_NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY: _Whether applying for financial aid,
participating in work-study, or seeking scholarships, you will be
working and connecting with staff and faculty. This could provide you
with job references for the future, as well as provide windows to
future job openings and opportunities.
_VALUE TO EMPLOYERS:_ Taking steps to help finance your own education
by yourself demonstrates a strong work ethic to employers. Chances are
someone who is willing to take on responsibility early in life will
have fewer problems adapting to the responsibilities of a full-time
job.
_FULFILLMENT AND SATISFACTION:_ In addition to everything listed
above, the accomplishment of having provided funds for your education
on your own gives a needed feeling of independence, confidence and
self-reliance!
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09/08/2019 Last update