Lesser-Known College Aid

This past month, T. Rowe Price released their annual Parents, Kids & Money Survey. The survey found that, while most parents discuss college with their children, much fewer discuss how college expenses will be paid. Most parents are not sure they will be able to cover such costs. Therefore, students must be proactive and find other ways to fund their education. The ideal option is to pursue scholarships, but many students may feel that scholarships and grants are out of their reach. For example, some students may not qualify for enough federal aid to make attending college affordable. Others may not have the grades necessary to earn academic scholarships or grants. However, teens should not be discouraged. There are many scholarships and other forms of college aid that award funds based upon unique circumstances and characteristics. Not widely known, these options are easily overlooked, but can provide those who qualify the opportunity to pursue their goals.

The First Scholar Program, University of Kentucky: Are you the first person in your family to attend college?  If so, the First Scholar program may provide you additional funds for your first year at UK. This scholarship program seeks graduating high school seniors who will be first-generation college students (meaning neither parent has attended college). The award is $5,000 for the first year of college as long as you meet the requirements. For more information, please visit: http://www.uky.edu/UGE/FirstScholars/.

Berea College’s Tuition Scholarship: Kentucky is fortunate to be home to a unique higher education institution that offers free tuition to ALL students they admit. Berea College provides all of its students full-tuition scholarships for all four years of attendance. While other costs and fees, such as housing, must be paid for by the student, this scholarship offers a savings of about $100,000. What’s more, Berea is one of the best private colleges in the country. For more information, please visit: http://www.berea.edu/admissions/financial-aid-scholarships/bereas-tuition-scholarship/.

Waiver of tuition and fees for fostered/adopted children: In the state of Kentucky, fostered or adopted children have their college tuition and mandatory fees waived by law. Any state-recognized fostered or adopted child can attend any Kentucky public two-year or four-year higher education institution without these significant expenses, as long as they meet all requirements and are academically eligible for admission. For more information, please visit: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/krs/164-00/2847.PDF.

For a list of other Kentucky scholarships that you may qualify for, please visit: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/schools/high/Iroquois/KYScholarships.pdf.

READERS, what do you think?

Are there any other great scholarships, grants, or other such opportunities worth mentioning?

References:

T. Rowe Price. (2013, March). 5th Annual Parents, Kids & Money Survey: Detailed Results. Retrieved from http://media.moneyconfidentkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/PKM-Survey-Results-Report-FINAL-0326.pdf.