College Financial Aid & Scholarships

The cost of higher education at both public and private institutions continues to escalate. Many of the more expensive schools can become affordable if there is sufficient financial need-based assistance available.

Regarding cost, a college education should be viewed as a major life-time investment; one that will appreciate over time and add to a higher quality of life.

Financial need is determined by subtracting what the parent and student can afford, EFC (Expected Family Contribution), from the total cost of attendance.

Financial assistance can include loans, grants, scholarships, and work opportunities. There are three basic financial aid application forms to be aware of: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which is used by all colleges; the College Scholarship Service PROFILE which is used primarily by private institutions, and an institutional form that an individual college may have created itself. Be prepared to complete any combination of these forms if you are applying for need-based financial aid. You are required to complete these forms online.

Financial Aid Websites
  • http://www.fafsa.ed.gov – Almost every college will require the submission of this free form to consider you for financial aid. You are encouraged to complete and submit this online.
  • https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/ – Some colleges will require the Profile in addition to the FAFSA. There is a fee to complete this form, and it is used to gather more detailed information about your finances.
  • http://collegeboard.org – This is a very comprehensive site with lots of answers to your questions. It contains several financial aid calculators, loan information, and much, much, more.
  • http://www.finaid.org – This site provides good general information on financial aid. It has a financial need estimator which will predict your estimated family contribution based on the information you provide. There is also an “Ask the Expert” section where you can send questions online and get a response.
  • http://www.salliemae.com – This site lists both private and public educational loans and has a tutorial on Financial Aid 101 which includes eligibility, the application process, and how to go about securing a loan. It also has calculators to compare different loan products.
  • http://studentaid.ed.gov – This is the financial aid site for the US Department of Education. The Student Financial Assistance Programs are the largest source of student aid in America. This site has a great deal of information including tax cuts for education and how to find out about direct loans from schools. 

Scholarship Information

Regardless of your financial situation, there may be one or more scholarships available to you. Scholarships are given by individual colleges, organizations, companies, and community groups, and they have many different criteria, ranging from an outstanding academic record, to demonstrating a special talent (art, music, athletics, etc.), to an unusual degree of community involvement. You may be eligible because you have a parent working for a specific company or the award may be for ethnic background or religious belief. If you are serious about finding monies for college, you should be willing to spend some time on your search.

Here are some resources to help you along the way:

  • http://www.collegeboard.org – This site includes a scholarship search database known as the Fund Finder from 3,300 national, state, public, and private sources. How to spot a scam is also mentioned.
  • http://www.fastweb.com – With this database, the student registers and is assigned a mail box on the site where information on new scholarship opportunities is posted. The database contains over 500,000 private sector scholarships, fellowships, grants, and loans. Probably one of the best search sites available.
  • http://www.fastaid.com – The world’s largest and oldest private sector scholarship database. You will find scholarships here that you won’t find anyplace else.
  • http://www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp – The most comprehensive “Going-to-College” resource on the Internet. Use it for all of your planning and paying for college needs.
  • http://www.finaid.org – This site will run a scholarship search for the specific interests of art, biology, computer science, engineering, journalism, and nursing.
  • http://www.scholarships.com – This site offers a database of 3,000 sources and detailed search results.

FOR CLASS OF 2021

JPCatholic Logo

At JPCatholic, we’re committed to keeping a quality Catholic education affordable for students. We know this year has been especially hard on many families, so we’re launching a special scholarship program for students at your high school.

Just as St. Joseph’s Catholic School is on the Catholic Education Honor Roll, JPCatholic is listed in the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College. We’re proud of our authentic Catholic identity, and the rich Christ-centered community on campus. Our students come from all across the country to experience JPCatholic’s dynamic, hands-on education, where they develop their intellect and creative talents in a collaborative and supportive community, guided by world-class faculty.

St. Joseph’s Catholic School Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

  • This scholarship is open to all graduating seniors of St. Joseph’s Catholic School.
  • JPCatholic must receive a recommendation from a teacher or staff member of the high school. The reference may not be a relative of the student.
  • Applicants must meet JPCatholic’s application requirements, receive formal acceptance, and submit the 2021-2022 FAFSA application or JPCatholic’s Need-Aware Application Form.
  • Applicants must be new freshmen entering JPCatholic in Fall 2021.
  • Scholarship is renewable for the duration of the education.
  • This offer is subject to all the terms and conditions of our Institutional Aid; please review more information here. Recipients are expected to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher). This scholarship applies to tuition only, not to housing or other costs.

MORE INFO HERE

 

American Indian Graduate Center
American Indian Graduate Center provides up to $30,000 in scholarships per student per year and supports Native students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in the United States. It offers more than 20 scholarship opportunities, plus a comprehensive array of academic and support services for students to utilize throughout their entire academic journey. From completing financial aid applications to creating a study plan to thriving on campus, students can rely on American Indian Graduate Center as a guide every step of the way.

Check out the center’s scholarships as well as its student resource page to learn more. Have questions? Contact an academic adviser by calling 505-881-4584 or by emailing fellowships@aigcs.org.

 

Belmont Abbey College Recognized Again by U.S. News & World Report
Interested in Belmont Abbey College’s Dance team? The scholarships vary from $500-$5000 a semester and are offered to any students who have dance experience and would like to join the dance team at the college. All students will also receive a merit scholarship as well. As an athletic applicant, students would need to have at least a 2.0 GPA and some dance experience as a dance team member or competition dance experience.  

Belmont Abbey ranks in the top ten small liberal arts colleges in the south and offers a wide range of liberal arts and science majors.  In most cases, the athletic scholarship combined with financial aid and merit scholarships allows students to attend the private college for less than attending a state university.  The Abbey invests in students academically and socially to offer a supportive environment for its students to thrive.
Please contact Courtney Carey if interested: courtneycarey@bac.edu

 

I invite you to apply to the Army ROTC Scholarship. You could earn a full tuition and fees scholarship! Creighton University gives all ROTC Scholarship cadets free room and board. On top of that the Army will also give you $1200 per year for books and pays you a monthly spending stipend of $420 per month!

If you earn a 4 – year scholarship from Army ROTC at Creighton University:

Tuition 100% paid

Fees 100% paid

Books paid ($1200 per year maximum)

Room and Board 100% paid by Creighton University

= zero out of pocket expense.

In fact, you will pocket roughly $15,000 that you earn from the monthly spending stipend over your 4 years

To explore this opportunity please contact me at toddfrerichs@creighton.edu I will answer any questions you may have about the program. We can communicate through email or Zoom to ensure you have all your questions answered. If you know you want to apply for the scholarship now, simply respond via email asking for the application instructions and I will send those right away.

 

 

 

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