Private Grants and Scholarships Dull the Sting of Ohio's Higher Tuition Costs
At a time when unemployment is high, personal income is flat, and college-level education is a requirement for most well-paying jobs, public colleges continue to become less affordable for Ohio residents. However, state grants and scholarships offered through the private sector are available to help pay increasing tuition cost. Monica Wheeler, author of "35 Practical Ways to Get Money for College" offers tips for a productive grant and scholarship search.
(PRWEB) March 8, 2003
At a time when unemployment is high, personal income is flat, and college-level education is a requirement for most well-paying jobs, public colleges continue to become less affordable for Ohio residents.
A slow economy has caused a sharp drop in college and university state spending. According to The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, public four-year college tuition in Ohio has increased 17%. The result - a higher cost for higher education
"However, there is money available for the diligent,?" assures Monica Wheeler author of the new e-resource guide 35 Practical Ways to Get Money for College, "Total state financial aid has been raised from $192 million to $207 million to compensate for the higher cost. State grants and scholarships offered through the private sector are available to help pay increasing tuition cost."
Awards, need and merit based, are usually categorized by geographic location, special interest, or major career fields. "Since criteria are specific, finding the right award can be tedious - but considering the current economic recession, well worth the effort," explains Wheeler. She advises exploring the following options for a productive grant and scholarship search:
1. Guidance Counselor - High School Guidance Counselors are on the front lines with access to information on numerous awards. Start, but don? t end your search at their office door.
2. Online Search-The Internet has emerged as a key source of scholarship information. The following are a handful of helpful sites.
Http://www. wiredscholar. com (http://www. wiredscholar. com) Wired Scholar has one of the internet? s largest databases of financial aid.
Http://www. fastweb. com (http://www. fastweb. com) FastWeb allows you to search 600,000 scholarships worth over $1 billion dollars.
Http://www. brokescholar. com (http://www. brokescholar. com) The BrokeScholar database matches student profiles with more than 900,000 scholarships worth over $3 billion to find the most relevant and obtainable opportunities. They also feature a personalized deadline calendar.
Http://www. collegeboard. com (http://www. collegeboard. com) The College Board is a trusted source that offers a search with 2,000 scholarships, internships, and loan programs
3. Public and School Libraries-While you want to use the Internet for searches; there is a lot of competition. Got to local libraries and check with the reference desk for institutional, and private student aid scholarship directories. Most of the awards listed are duplicated online, but not all. By investing time to thumb through the telephone-directory-sized books you may find one or two the competition will miss.
4. Local Organizations - There is a better chance of winning money from local organizations such as churches, clubs, community groups, and unions since fewer students are likely to apply. Look specifically for local chapters of larger, national organizations that often give money to students living in certain areas.
5. Place of Employment-Employers may also offer grants and scholarships. Inquire at your personnel office. Dependent students should ask their parent or legal guardian to check the availability of awards.
6. Announcements - Keep your eyes open. Take time to read bulletin boards, posters, and articles in newspapers for competition announcements. Some scholarships are episodic and may occur only once.
About Monica Wheeler:
Monica Wheeler is a national - award - winning freelance journalist, who has helped thousands of parents and students prepare for university admissions with articles for College Bound Magazine, Private Colleges & Universities Publications, and the special College Edition of the New York Daily News. Her new e-book "35 Practical Ways to Get Money for College" can be found at http://www. cashforcollege. bizhosting. com (http://www. cashforcollege. bizhosting. com)
The report this article is based on can be found at http://www. highereducation. org/reports/affordability_supplement/index. shtml (http://www. highereducation. org/reports/affordability_supplement/index. shtml)
