|
| Religious and Fraternal Scholarships |  Remember that a scholarship can help pay for tuition, books and fees and with costs increasing every year, this type of financial aid can often be the difference between getting a college degree or not getting that degree. Besides, scholarships may be based on athletic ability, academic performance, financial need or a student’s association with a specific group or organization. This last item may open up a world of scholarship help that some have never considered.
When seeking for help in paying for a college education, parents and students should not limit their search to just the very competitive scholarships that come from a specific school. A lot of students consider a scholarship only the money given to students in the top 5 percent of the class who go to a reputable university. But this vision is far from the truth.
Except seeking assistance from a university and/or large corporation, college-bound students may want to seek for help from one of the many religious and fraternal organizations. While these scholarships are also quite competitive, the fact that they are limited to members of certain organizations or church-bodies can make them attractive sources for funds.
Sometime during the junior year of high school, or no later than the first semester of the senior year, students and their parents or guardians should start to ask a few questions about what the student is interested in and what they want to learn. Along with these questions, the student should also think of who they are and which groups or organizations they belong to. It would be best not to set any limits when writing down some of the memberships and areas of interest that may be sources of financial help. Apply if your parent or close relative is a member of a fraternal organization, church or similar.
In this area alone, thousands of dollars go unclaimed every year, simply because no one asked and no on applied. Many groups and organizations, not to mention colleges and universities, prompt parents and students to actively look for scholarship help even if the student is not in the top 10 percent, 20 percent or 30 percent of the class. Besides, a student should not be steered away from applying for a scholarship due to age or to the fact that they work and will not be a full-time, traditional freshman.
For those who are high school students, the best place to begin is the high school counselor’s office. In fact, this may be a good place to begin for those who are older and will not be a “traditional” college freshman. Religious and fraternal organizations often provide counselors with basic information about college scholarships. While it may seem that the high school counselor may only have information on more traditional academic scholarships, keep in mind that a simple brochure and a phone number may open a door that the student and parents have not considered.
|
|
