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Chapter IV

Scholarships & Grants

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It's never too late to begin looking for scholarships, nor is it ever too early! Ben Kaplan, who affectionately calls himself the Scholarship Coach, suggests, “There is a sizeable array of scholarships that students as young as sixth grade can apply for today."

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According to the College Board, some 300,000 people are cheated every year by scholarship scams despite efforts by the Federal Trade Commission to shut down the scam artists. Locate the city and state for any scholarship search firm you are considering. Then check with the Better Business Bureau to see if the firm has multiple complaints charged against them.

 The Federal Trade Commission (FTC ) notes that families may also fall prey to verbal claims such as:

•  “You can't get this information anywhere else;”

•  “I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold the scholarship;”

•  “You have been selected by a national foundation to receive a scholarship;”

•  “You're a finalist in a scholarship contest;”

•  “The money has already been reserved for you;”

•  “Listen to what others are saying about us.”

SCAM ALERT (NOT IN THE BOOK)     

Before you rejoice in learning that you qualify for Free Government Grant, be sure to check out Bogus Funds.

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In most cases, to earn a top-flight scholarship, you must have exceptional grades and national test scores. To improve your national test scores, check out the following at Practice Test .

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One student received a “leadership scholarship” after the college learned that the family could not afford the tuition at a private Christian school. The scholarship was not a published award but rather offered as part of an overall recruitment effort. No matter how the funds are distributed or what they are called, a discount or scholarship, the award still serves to minimize student debt. Sometimes colleges use grants as a recruiting tool and grant money on the basis of merit instead of need. As a result, academic scholarships are frequently saved as an admission bonus for those students with elevated SAT® and ACT® scores, regardless of where they have been schooled. See Guaranteed Scholarships .

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High school students in their sophomore and junior year should take the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT®). Those who score high on the PSAT® may win one of the 7,000 prestigious National Merit Scholarships. Other participants may earn recognition as a National Merit Semifinalist which also looks good on a college application. Check out Merit Scholarship , or write the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60201 .

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The Princeton Review offers courses to help students become more competitive as they maximize their PSAT®, SAT®, SAT II® or ACT® scores. This nationally recognized organization assists students in overall preparation. Student scores often advance well over 100 points between their junior and senior testing dates. The Princeton Review also publishes the average test scores for incoming students at hundreds of colleges and universities across the country for comparative purposes. You can find them by clicking Review, or calling 800-2REVIEW.

You can also check out the Kaplan Educational Center for new books on standardized testing preparation. The firm maintains links to information on nursing, law school, medicine, accounting and other tutorial aids, plus tips on budgeting, saving money while at college, and avoiding problems with credit cards. The College Board also maintains a web site at Collegeboard for the Scholastic Assessment Test preparation materials.

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The Eight & Forty Nursing Scholarship is sponsored by the American Legion specifically for Registered Nurses seeking a Bachelor's or Master's degree in the lung and respiratory field. The organization provides 22 scholarships annually worth $25,000. To learn more about this and other scholarships, log onto The Legion and highlight scholarship information, or send $3.95 to American Legion Headquarters, P.O. Box 1050, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 and request the current edition of Need a Lift.  

The Siemens Westinghouse Science and Technology Competition is a national program for independent research completed in high school. The top prize is $120,000. There are also 6 individual regional winners of $20,000 each ($30,000 if divided among 2 or 3 team members). The program is designed to promote and encourage students to undertake individual or team research projects in science, math and technology. The project may also include submissions in math and the biological and physical sciences. Specific information is found at Siemens .

The NAAS also sponsors the National NAAS-II Scholarship for college freshmen. Applicants must be US citizens and currently enrolled in an accredited college or university. Scholarships range from 4-year renewable awards of $10,000, $6,000 and $4,000 to smaller scholarships and cash awards. Interested students may log on NAAS for details.

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For more information and an application, write the National Security Agency, Attn. Stokes, 9800 Savage Road, Suite 6779 , Fort Meade, Maryland 20755-6840 or call 410-854-4725 . For details online, see "Stokes Educational Scholarship Program" at NSA.

Students wanting to play college athletics should begin planning in their high school freshman year. For professional suggestions concerning a time line and how to put together an athletic resume, students can go online to: Recruit Me , or Scholarship Timeline.

Reference guides for nearly every sport may be purchased directly from the publisher. Take a look at The Sport Source or call 800-862-3092.

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There are several national recruiting organizations for college-bound student-athletes. Some of the noted organizations include the Interactive Sports Profile , College Sports Scholarships, and Athletic Scholarships.  For student-athletes to be eligible to play, they must first register and be certified by Association's Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse including the National Collegiate Athletic Association, ( NCAA ), and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics ( NAIA ).

Finally, there are specific rules that govern students and coaches when recruited to play a particular sport for a college or university. Check out Student Eligibility for a review of the rules under Division I recruiting, and be wary of coaches and recruiters offering extra benefits or money before or after enrolling in their school.

Title IX mandates that colleges provide equal financial budgets for both men's and women's sports. The highly charged decision was first rendered in 1972, but it was not until the mid-1990's that the government began enforcing the rule. To learn the history behind the decision and the current status, log on Title IX .  

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TEACHING: 1) A full time teacher in a public or other nonprofit elementary or secondary school with a high concentration of students from low income families; 2) A full time special education teacher in a public or other nonprofit elementary or secondary school system; 3) A full time teacher, in a public or other nonprofit elementary or secondary school system, who teaches mathematics, science, foreign languages, bilingual education, or any other field of expertise where the state agency determines a shortage, or in a school system serving low-income students. For a complete listing of all teacher shortage areas within the US, log onto Teachers and scroll down to the middle of the page. 

NURSE OR MEDICAL TECHNICIAN:   A full time nurse or a full time medical technician providing health care services. Details on the forgiveness program are found online at Perkins and Forgiveness.

      SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

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SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NURSING STUDENTS

Today there are even ROTC scholarships for those who plan a career in nursing.  In addition, one website offers assistance in earning an advanced nursing degree as a Nurse Practitioner.  See the following for more details: Nursing, Nurse Practitioner Program, and HRSA Nursing.

SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH UPDATE
For years our organization has fought against scam artists offering phony searches and promising student aid in return for a huge fee. Avoid companies who "guarantee" scholarships or offer to complete the necessary applications for you.  Instead try: Sallie Mae, FastWeb, SRN Express, ScholarshipExperts, and CollegeBoard.

SCHOLARSHIPS ONLINE
CAUTION:  There are hundreds of web sites on the Net flashing the name "scholarships."  Many are scams.  Most want to sell you something or sign you up for a student loan.  Always peruse sites with caution and avoid giving your name and address to anyone you don't recognize.(NOTE: Some of the sites shown here are new and not posted in the book).

HELP FINDING MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS (NOT IN THE BOOK)
A new web site entitled, Meritaid is a comprehensive site dedicated to match students with merit-based scholarships from colleges across the country. Headed up by the former CEO of FastWeb, Meritaid adds a new perspective in helping students select the right school.

SCHOLARSHIPS AT PRINCETON
Hats off to one of the country's most prestigious schools. Based on a U.S. News & World Report article, Princeton University will begin using some of its 10.1 billion dollar endowment to fund student scholarships in lieu of burdening students with college loans. To learn more, contact Princeton .

HARVARD BUMPS FINANCIAL AID (NOT IN THE BOOK)
"Harvard, the country's richest university announced a major expansion of financial aid that will reduce tuition bills by thousands of dollars," writes Justin Pope, AP Education Writer.  "Based on their endowment of nearly $35 billion, the university said it will replace all loans with grants and spend up to $22 million more annually on aid."  Tuition room and board today stands at $45,000 plus.  For more information, contact Harvard.

ROTC SCHOLARSHIPS
Hundreds of students will receive ROTC scholarships covering most of their tuition and fees.  In addition, the military provides a substantial monthly stipend.  There are now more than 55,000 students actively participating in the ROTC program available at 600 colleges and universities across America . For information regarding 2, 3 and 4-year ROTC scholarships, log onto the Army, Navy , or Air Force . 

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES

Former professional athlete, Charlie Kadupski, notes, "If you're serious and want to pursue a college education, there is a program that will fit your academic, athletic, financial and geographic needs." See The Sport Source .

VETERAN'S BENEFITS HIGHLIGHTED

For the brave men and women who have just left the service and are looking for educational benefits, log onto Veterans for updates on college admission, scholarships, and military-friendly schools.  In addition, your military training courses and occupational specialty may be considered for college credit.  This is a non-government site supported by advertising.

DISADVANTAGED STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP  (NOT IN THE BOOK)
Special scholarship from the National Institute of Health. Click on NIH.

NATIONAL SECURITY SCHOLARSHIP  (NOT IN THE BOOK)
Opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study in world regions critical to U.S. interests at NSEP.

GOVERNMENT GRANTS  (NOT IN THE BOOK)

1)  Academic Competitiveness Grant.  Freshman students who completed a rigorous high school academic program and who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, may be eligible for the Academic Competitiveness Grant.  The first year award is $750, followed by an additional award of $1,300 providing the recipient maintains a 3.0 grade point average. The Grant award is in addition to the student’s Pell Grant.

2)  SMART Grant. Junior and senior Pell Grant recipients studying math, science, computer science or engineering may be eligible for the national Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent, or SMART Grant.  Recipients receive $4000 per year for each of their last two years of college, in addition to their Pell Grant award.

HOMESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS (NOT IN THE BOOK)

For a quick glance at potential scholarships for homeschoolers, check online at Homeschool.