Various Types of Scholarships

Paying for college isn't easy these days. Tuition for state schools usually run in the thousands of dollars per year and private universities in the tens of thousands. On top of this there is room and board, textbooks and living expenses to consider. You can take out loans to get you through, and most do, but those loans must be paid back with interest.

Getting a scholarship can relieve your financial burden immensely. Here are some of the types of scholarships you may want to consider while applying to college. Athletic Scholarships If you have exceptional athletic ability in a given sport, you may be eligible for an athletic scholarship. These scholarships are extremely competitive and require an extensive application process. Athletic scholarships are funded in part by the NCAA, the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA website can give you more information about getting these scholarships. Your collegeÂ’s financial aid office can also help you with this process.

Athletic scholarships are only awarded by colleges with Division I or Division II sports programs, and only to the most gifted of college athletes. Academic Scholarships These scholarships are awarded for students with a high level of academic achievement. They also may be awarded to students who have expressed an aptitude and a willingness to study a specific discipline. Once again, your college's financial aid office can give you more information about the kind of academic scholarships they award. Private Scholarships A great many private organizations offer scholarships. These scholarships are usually awarded based on specific criteria chosen by the organization, such as the willingness to study a given discipline, a demonstration of academic excellence, or a proven record of overcoming some kind of hardship.

You can find out about these awards through the Internet, your high school's guidance office, the local newspaper, or even through parents or their friends who may work for a company that offers such awards. Federal Aid The government offers a variety of aid packages to college bound students, including Pell Grants, Federal Work Study, Stafford Loans, and Perkins Loans. Go to the Federal aid website, www.fafsa.ed.gov for information about the kinds of aid available and to fill out the form to be eligible for such aid. Religious Scholarships Religious organizations often offer scholarship help to their members. Contact your place of worship or the leaders of the religious group with which you are connected to find out more.

Military Scholarships
Military organizations are happy to cover part or at times even all of your college costs in exchange for service to their branch. Go to the military section of www.student.gov or directly to that branch of the military's website for further information about how the military can help pay for college.

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