In the modern world, different learning forms are now being taken advantage of by institutions across the educational space.
However, despite many beneficial changes in the educational sphere, the cost of receiving a degree has only risen over the years, making many degree programs inaccessible for masses of students. This being the case, understanding scholarships and other accessible educational resources is key for thriving and finding academic success in the modern age.
Let’s explore scholarship options and learning resources for alternative education opportunities.
Understanding Scholarships and Other Forms of Financial Aid
Though the cost of a college or university degree in the United States has become exorbitant to say the least, there are many financial aid options that can make the process of obtaining a degree more feasible. In particular, it’s important for students and prospective students to understand different forms of financial aid and how they can make higher education less financially burdensome.
Some key forms of financial aid include:
- Scholarships: Scholarships are forms of financial aid that are typically awarded to students based on merit. For example, a scholarship might be awarded to a student for academic excellence, athletic ability, or other extracurricular accomplishments. Scholarships never have to be repaid regardless of a student’s GPA or decision to drop out of an educational program.
- Grants: Like scholarships, grants are financial aid awarded to students. However, they differ from scholarships in keyways. Firstly, grants are typically awarded to students based on financial need or other factors such as minority status. While most students won’t have to repay grants, those that fail to meet certain requirements, such as maintaining a certain GPA, will be responsible for paying back a grant in full.
- Loans: Student loans can come in two forms: subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Unsubsidized loans start accruing interest as soon as a student takes them. Subsidized student loans, however, typically don’t start accruing interest until several months after a student completes their higher education program.
Though many students falsely believe that locking down these forms of financial aid is a long shot, the truth is that they’re more accessible than people think. Understanding where to look and the right strategies for maximizing financial aid can be a powerful skill in the modern world of higher education.
Strategies for Getting Financial Aid
As has been noted, there are a wide variety of financial aid options available to students at all stages of their college and university careers. In fact, any student has the opportunity to start applying for scholarships as early as freshman year of high school.
Students have an opportunity to get ahead with their finances and open the world of higher education programs to themselves by taking the right approach to locking down financial aid.
Here are some effective strategies for getting financial aid.
Visiting School Financial Aid Offices
For students who are currently attending university or know where they’ll be going, a great first step in the financial aid process is visiting the financial aid office. Professionals working in these offices have an understanding of what types of scholarships and grants students have a higher chance of receiving and can also walk students through the application processes.
Financial Aid Search Engines
Financial aid search engines can be an incredible tool students can use to be connected with a wide variety of financial aid resources. This is especially true when it comes to websites that allow students to make unique personal profiles and get matched with the perfect scholarships and grants for their specific circumstances. However, it must be noted that there are websites of this nature out there that aren’t always trustworthy, and it’s vital to use the utmost discretion.
Doing Personal Research
At this stage, when students get deeper into the process of applying for financial aid, it’s extremely beneficial to do personal research. This will involve researching grants and scholarships specific to one’s major, geographic location, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and minority status. By doing this type of in-depth exploration, students can bolster their chances of locking down a significant amount of aid.
Other Strategies for Making Higher Education More Affordable and Accessible
Students seeking other ways to reduce the cost of their higher education career can find what they’re looking for in a variety of ways. While financial aid is one great option, it’s not the only one that students can take advantage of to reduce their tuition costs.
Here are other strategies for making higher education more affordable and accessible.
Taking Advantage of Online Programs
Over the last decade, online and remote learning options have become a normalized form of education. This is especially true in higher education, and many institutions are now offering completely remote degree programs.
In some cases, the tuition costs for these programs are cheaper than traditional programs. Beyond this, online programs can help students reduce their expenses since these types of programs don’t require students to move or commute to school. As such, online programs offer students an opportunity to cut their educational costs significantly.
Taking Advantage of Community and City Colleges
Community and city colleges are a great way for students to affordably complete a number of credits and possibly even earn certificates and degrees. Oftentimes, these institutions offer undergraduates courses that students can take to earn credits that they can transfer to a traditional university.
By taking this higher education route, students can save a significant amount of money. This being the case, whether students are looking for a business program or an accelerated registered nurse program, exploring community and city college options is a must for saving money.
Obtaining a Degree Shouldn’t Be Exorbitantly Expensive
Despite the incredibly disheartening state of higher education in the United States, there are a variety of approaches students can take to save money on their degree. From applying for the right scholarships to taking advantage of community college classes, students can truly decrease the cost of higher education in significant ways. As time goes on and new innovations arise, many are hopeful that higher education programs will become more accessible in the coming decades.
