Posts Tagged ‘college grants’

Is There Really Free Money? – The Way To Obtain College Grants

August 25th, 2010

Getting good instruction is indeed crucial in the competitive employment market, it gives that extra edge that one needs to succeed. With the rising cost of tuition however, it is becoming a necessary luxury that only those with the money can afford. Both the government and a variety of organizations see how important it is though and are doing their parts by essentially offering free money to those who are willing to do the work associated with obtaining college grants. As with anything worth having though, it is not easy as there are many others who are also trying to get these grants, and for those who are new to the process, it can be confusing to start.

After determining what it is one wants to do, it is important to search for the correct program at the right college. Sometimes the right college though is the one closest to home, it depends on the individual and their circumstance but it is important to keep in mind that there are some grants that will pay tuition and living expenses, giving the student a free ride. These grants are much harder to get. As for where to find information on what is available for the chosen program or school, there are two main sources; the internet and either the applicant’s high school or college, depending on when one is entering college.

Most high schools encourage their students to go straight into a post-secondary education and along with that push they offer assistance to the students by recommending grants and helping with the application process. Not being in high school now though is no reason to not go to college. By getting in touch with the financial aid department of one’s college of choice, they will be able to help with their own listing of grants and even ones that are exclusive to that college or program.

Not all grants are listed through the high school or college. Whether it is because it is new or because it is not popular enough, there are some grants that may only be found out about online. While searching “college grants” may reveal a list of different ones, they will not all be relevant or applicable. Luckily, there are government and community websites for different cities, states, provinces and countries that have their own listing of grants and scholarships that will be more relevant.

Obtaining these grants does not just end at the searching process though. Once a grant program has been selected, the application process starts. It is important that the individual meets all of the criteria set out and that the deadline is not too close or has not already passed. Grant programs are incredibly competitive so it is important to have plenty of time to make your application as great as it can be.

Essays are usually required for most grants. The topic varies depending on the grant but getting someone to look over the essay and application to check for mistakes is crucial, as it could mean the difference between obtaining the grant and someone else getting it. With such heated competition and so many entries sent each year, the people who look over the applications look for ways to decrease the amount of applications they have to go through, so receiving the application even a day late could mean disqualification. Some grant programs are more lenient but instead of taking that chance, if the deadline is approaching it would be wise to send the application and documents through express mail. By sending an application through registered mail it ensures that the applicant will know that they application was received.

Obtaining college grants is not an easy process but it can help make affording a post-secondary education much easier. There are plenty of websites that list the grants available and colleges and high schools are more than willing to help with the application process. There is no reason not to take advantage of these grants, so why not get an edge in life and work?

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Scholarship Opportunities Benefit Physician Assistant Students

June 8th, 2010

The need for Physician’s Assistants has reached extreme proportions. It’s become so acute many PA’s often work for two different places, and no one is complaining. The salaries are also extremely high for a person who can enter the work force with just a two-year degree and certification, often averaging $75,000 a year (per job) with excellent benefits. Because of this high demand, there are increasing free scholarships and grants opportunities for this entering the field.

At the same time, many do not know of these financial aids and the recession is doing a lot to hold many potential PA’s from enrolling. Many kids out of high school think twice when they balance four years of school against as much as a decade paying off student loans.

To quote the American Academy of Physician’s Assistants, it’s now time to start thinking outside the box before getting a student loan. They point out an extraordinary pile of internships, scholarships, grants and more available to those willing to enter their profession. So, with a little research and some council from a financial aid advisor, the Academy states it’s possible to not take out any loans at all. Here’s where they suggest to start looking:

(1) Federal and State Government – There’s a lot more out there than just a Pell and SEO Grant. The Academy reports that many of its members are working mothers and they got their education from Working Mom grants. There are also the armed services and federal agencies like AmeriCorps, who will train and/or provide educational vouchers for service. As it stands, both the federal and state governments offer a veritable alphabet soup of student loans programs to aspiring PA students.

(2) Internships – There’s actually a way one can end up being paid to learn. Many major medical institutions have put together work-study/internship programs as a way to fill their ranks. This usually involves taking courses with an online college and then clocking into the job when not studying. One should check in with the HR departments of hospitals and see what they have to say as this accomplishes the dual goals of hands on experience with book education.

(3) Professional Societies – The Agency itself gives $1,000 a year to a number of student physician assistants. They also note that many of their sister professional groups, mainly from specialized areas such as oncology, have similar programs. If anyone knows what the current job conditions are, it’s them.

(4) Corporate Scholarships and Grants – A number of private, for-profit companies also put in their fair share of financial assistance. For example, the Tylenol Scholarship awards over $250,000 a year to medical students of all stripes and colors, including physician’s assistants.

(5) Ethnic, Religious and other Fraternal Societies – Apparently there are funds from sources most never ever think of, such as the Elk’s Club, the National Organization for Women, American Legion, United Negro College Fund and even the Girls Scouts. A little research and you’ll be surprised what’s out there.

Finding information on scholarship and grant online possibilities just requires a bit of time and some narrowing down of the myriad of choices. Not every person will be eligible for every one, so finding the scholarships and grants that fit your situation may take a few extra minutes, but end up saving an amazing amount of money.

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African American Students Eligible For Grants And Scholarships!

June 6th, 2010

How big is the shortage of nurses becoming? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, if the growth of positions available versus the number of nurses graduating keeps up, there will be over 250,000 nursing positions left unfilled by 2025. One of the big reasons for this is getting the financing to go through the minimum four years of education, plus the certification any nurse must go through. This is where grants and scholarships play a large role.

The industry isn’t about to let up on recruiting more African Americans. It’s well known that one thing holding many back are finances. As such, there is an incredible amount of financial assistance set aside to get more African American nurses into the work force. In fact, the site MinorityNursing.com has put up a list of over 100 of these funds. Here’s a quick sampling of some of them: If you need more information about government grants, look on the internet.

(1) The National Black Nursing Association – This professional organization exists to help African American nurses, both the student and the pro. Applicants must be a member of NBNA and still have one last year of education remaining. A number of scholarships from $500 to $2,000 are provided for those going for a BSN, AND or LPN/LVN nursing program.

(2) Foundation of the National Student Nurses Association – This professional organization not only is out there to help nursing students with helpful tips on their education, but also administers several hundred grants and scholarship. Of particular interest is the Breakthrough to Nursing Scholarships, which was established in 1965.

(3) Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions – They developed a plan called Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students that donates aid for financially needy nurses and health students. They must be a U.S. citizen (national or permanent resident). The funds are sent directly to the school, so this one must be done through the financial aid office.

(4) Humility of Mary Health Partners/Minority Nurse Anesthetist Scholarship – This program is to assist RNs become nurse anesthetists, one of the highest paid specialties in the profession. It awards them a $10,000 fellowship. There are a number of pre-requisites that also come with the money, among them one must work for Humility of Mary Health Partners for a few years. There is an abundance of information about scholarships on the web.

(5) Minority Nurse Magazine Scholarship Program – Awards scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 and is open to racial and ethnic minority students who will be enrolled in either: the third or fourth year of an accredited BSN program in the United States, an accelerated program leading to a BSN degree (such as RN-to-BSN or BA-to-BSN) or an accelerated Master’s; of entry nursing program for students with bachelor’s degrees in fields other than nursing (such as BA-to-MSN).

As said previously, there are literally hundreds of other programs out there offering even more scholarships, grants and fellowships. After all, they might have access to other grants and scholarships you didn’t find yourself.

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