When I started the college planning process, I never thought about how I was going to pay for it all. Like some students, I assumed my stellar grades and extensive extracurricular activities would automatically have schools throwing money at me. Guess what? That never happened. I quickly found out that there are deadlines and applications involved, and that scoring scholarships can be just as competitive as getting into a college. I certainly wish someone would have given me some advice about what to ask the financial aid office, as it would have made the whole process so much easier. I was clueless about financial aid, how to get it, and how to keep it. To ensure you don’t follow in my footsteps, be sure to ask the financial aid office at each of your prospective colleges the following questions. Read the rest of this entry »
If you are getting ready to go to college soon, you know the routine; submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), complete financial aid applications from your prospective schools, and search everywhere for free money for college. In the past, ‘free money’ usually implied searching for scholarships, but not anymore. Today’s college students are reaching out to complete strangers through the use of crowd funding to help cover everything from tuition to study abroad trips.
While the majority of crowd funding sites originated with the idea of helping charities or people in severe need (life-threatening illness or devastation from a natural disaster), many are now seeing an increase in campaigns specifically designed to help students pay for college. The premise is simple; tell your story and get people to donate. Read the rest of this entry »
Have you ever noticed that dads sometimes seem to get the short end of the stick? You frequently hear people give a shout out to moms during their graduations or acceptance speeches, but where’s the love for pops? Maybe he’s not the one who takes care of you while you’re sick, or spends countless hours washing clothes and making meals, but that doesn’t mean he’s not an important part of your life.
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As you may have heard, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently announced that student loan debt has now surpassed the trillion dollar mark. Just last year, students borrowed over $117 billion in federal student loans and we are on track to match or pass that mark again this year; the numbers are sobering. With the economy still struggling and graduates continuing to have difficulty in finding employment, it’s simply not feasible for students to continue this trend without serious financial ramifications for everyone. But, is it possible to graduate debt-free and reverse this trend? Read the rest of this entry »
Your mother may very well be the most important person in your life. She was with you from the moment you entered this world, and she has probably played a significant role in helping to shape you into the person you are today. Mothers juggle several different roles: cook, seamstress, chauffeur, nurse, teacher and so much more! They often put their own needs last, especially when money is tight. For many, the dream of earning a college degree may seem unattainable because of family responsibilities and limited funds. This Mother’s Day, encourage your mom to pursue her dream of a college education and help her find and apply for some of the many scholarships available to women and mothers. Read the rest of this entry »
It seems there are many scholarships available for those seeking undergraduate degrees. This is wonderful for those who wish to get bachelor’s degrees and then enter the workforce, but what about students who want to pursue advanced degrees? Not only are the credit hour fees typically much higher for graduate level courses, but it often seems like the opportunities for graduate scholarships are all but impossible to find. Coming up with a way to pay for graduate school can be very discouraging for those who cannot afford to take out additional student loans, and may even cause students to think twice about pursuing a master’s degree or a doctorate degree. But, don’t give up hope quite yet. I’ve done a little research for you and found the following programs which can be used for graduate school and the pursuit of an advanced degree.
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If you are like many students searching for scholarships and financial aid, you may have noticed that many scholarship programs are limited to high school students or to students who are under the age of 24. While it may seem as though some scholarship providers are designed only to help the younger generation, this is not necessarily the case. There are many scholarship programs available for returning adult students and non-traditional adult learners. Whether you are going to college for the first time or are heading back for another degree, you are never too old to find scholarships! Here are just a few of the scholarships available for students who are 25 years of age or older.
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Have you applied for scholarships and grants, but still find yourself coming up short when paying your tuition bill? Consider taking a campus job. There are many benefits to working on-campus, including flexibility in scheduling and an easy (or non-existant!) commute. Another perk to holding a campus job is the potential for additional scholarship money. While the scholarships may not be large, usually under $1,000 a semester, they do help. Whether you receive an hourly wage or a small stipend or scholarship, on-campus jobs can also provide additional benefits above and beyond monetary value.
Campus Newspaper
Most college campuses have college papers and provide scholarships to students who work as editors, reporters or photographers. Read the rest of this entry »
Please note: The following is general information regarding taxes and should not be interpreted to be legal tax advice. Please contact your professional tax advisor or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding scholarships and your tax situations or questions.
If you are a college student or recent graduate, you may owe taxes on some of the scholarships and grants you received over the past year. Typically, scholarships are “free money,” but there are certain circumstances that require you to claim the scholarship benefit as income, which is taxable.
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Have you ever gone online to see what cool things happened when you were born, or what celebrities share their birthdays with you? I share mine with actors Seth Green, Nick Nolte and Jack Lemmon, as well as author John Grisham; pretty cool, I think. I have even used my birthday and year to pick lottery numbers, hoping against all odds that I will hit it big. Unfortunately, I’m still waiting.
But, if you are like me and need money for college, take my advice and avoid spending money on the lottery ticket method. Instead, take a chance on yourself and check out the ‘I Was Born In’ Scholarships, sponsored by ScholarshipExperts.com. ScholarshipExperts.com offers some pretty unique scholarship programs that are only open to those born in specific years. This year, there are awards for those born between 1994 and 1996. The scholarship prize amount matches your birth year, too (1994 = $1,994)! The programs are very simple. You just need to be a legal resident of the United States or the District of Columbia, plan to enroll in college no later than 2014 (or 2015 or 2016, depending on the program) and be born in 1994 (or 1995 or 1996). In addition, applicants must submit a short answer (250 or less) to the question provided about their birth year. It’s that easy. Read the rest of this entry »
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