Finding Scholarships and Education Assistance
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Paying for college is a major obstacle for most students looking to advance their education. Yes, financial aid is available if you qualify, but the majority of financial aid is composed of student loans. Finding scholarships can lighten the load on your student loan debt and you can use scholarships in conjunction with, or in replace of, financial aid.
One of my biggest regrets regarding college was not that I utilized financial aid, but the fact that I did not seek out other financial opportunities, such as scholarships until my senior year. I should have looked my senior year of high school.
Finding the Right ScholarshipMost of Postmilitary.com's viewers coming out of the military have some financial freedom when talking about college and tuition thanks to the Montgomery GI Bill. Scholarships and financial aid are still important tools that you should leverage to increase money for college and related expenses.
Now that you are ready to tackle the task of finding scholarships to help pay for college, we recommend that you use the Internet in your search process versus going to a bookstore and buying a scholarship book. The scholarship book is a true asset, but the Internet is a much faster search option.
Where do you start, because there are so many scholarship services out there? How do you know what qualities and features to look for in a scholarship service and how do you avoid frauds and spam while you search for awards?
Use the following guide to determine what to look for and to help you get a head start finding the service that will best fit your scholarship needs.
Profile Matches Are ImportantWhen selecting your scholarship search company, you want a scholarship service with sophisticated matching technology, which is a tool that locates the ideal scholarships for you.
A good scholarship service will match your personal information only with scholarships that you are eligible to apply for and this is important, because you do not want to waste time applying for a scholarship that you cannot even receive. This will minimize the time you spend browsing through the lists of awards, and will give you more time to complete the application process in a timely manner.
Also, look for more than just simple keyword search services or services that only ask a few questions about your background. The more in-depth the questions are, the better the search results.
Furthermore, you need to be aware of the search results, if your scholarship site is returning results that are two years old, how up-to-date is that information for you the user? Not very. I suggest trying some sample searches first before selecting your scholarship search company, especially if you are going to be paying a fee.
Privacy is Important
When selecting a scholarship service, be wary of the sites that are capturing your data for purposes other than finding you a scholarship. You do not want to become part of a spamming list, so when you fill out a profile with a scholarship service make sure to read the privacy policy for any service you are considering. This way you are aware of what happens to your information once you submit it. Some scholarship websites sell your information to outside companies that want to advertise to you, so make sure you understand what you agree to.
What I always do first is I look for credible, clearly stated privacy policies first and note the sites that are willing to keep my personal information private. The last thing you or I need is an email inbox full of spam and a mailbox full of junk mail, what a waste of time and resources.
Recommended Sites and ResourcesThis section is my personal list of top scholarship and financial aid sites. I recommend stopping by each one, but furthermore, I suggest that you select the ideal site for you. Look for the one that you feel comfortable with and the one that is the most thorough, the search is the key.
- College Board Online: Although this site focuses primarily on college-board exams, you'll find extensive financial aid and scholarship information as well. The site's Financial Aid Calculator allows you to test several scenarios for paying for college. The Scholarship Search feature uses your personal information to find awards and financial aid for which you are eligible. The Financial Aid Services area discusses tips for financial planning for students and parents and provides background information about student loans.
- fastWEB: FastWEB's scholarship search is one of the best on the Web and one of my personal favorites. fastWEB provides you with detailed (and free) information about financial aid and scholarships for college. I feel this site is easy to use- it walks you through the entire search process with step-by-step instructions and a help section. At fastWEB they require you to create a user name during the initial login process. This ensures that no one else can gain access to your information and is a great privacy tool. Any pertinent scholarship information fastWEB finds is placed in your fastWEB mailbox for later review and storage.
- FinAid: This free, comprehensive financial aid resource contains everything from a glossary of relevant terms to information about all types of financial aid. At FinAid you will also find hyperlinks to other worthy financial aid sites on the Internet for more research and information.
- U.S. Department of Education: College students can find extensive information about federal government programs at this site. The Funding Your Education area is especially helpful, containing information about federal Pell Grants, Stafford Loans and PLUS Loans (for parents). You will also find eligibility criteria and deadlines for applying for financial aid
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