This post may contain affiliate links which may compensate us based on your interaction. Please read the disclosures for more information.
Scholarships and grants are used for 31% of college costs, according to How America Pays for College 2014. Yet, in the rush of coursework and other activities, students may overlook this valuable source of free money for higher education.
A valuable source of money for higher education
Students may believe that scholarships are all geared toward academic excellence or athletic prowess. While some are, there are millions of opportunities for every kind of talent, background, and experience. Students should broaden their searches to include place of origin, ethnicity, family professions, and political persuasions. Another myth of scholarships is that scholarships are only for high school seniors. Students in all years of their college journey can be eligible for free money.
3 milion scholarship opportunities through Scholarship Search by Sallie Mae®
Scholarship Search by Sallie Mae® has a free service that automatically searches through a database of more than 3 million scholarships, worth up to $18 billion, based on a wide range of activities, interests, and affiliations entered by the student. Email alerts are sent when new matches are posted. Plus, by registering, students can easily enter a monthly sweepstakes for a chance to win $1,000.
Free college planning resources
While 98 percent of parents believe that college is a worthwhile investment, only 38% have a plan in place to pay for all years. To help students and parents create planning and saving strategies, there is a suite of free tools, calculators, and resources at SallieMae.com/CollegePlanningToolbox. Students can estimate their expected monthly loan payments after graduation, analyze award letters, and create a step-by-step financial plan using a combination of scholarships, grants, and loans.
Learn more about Scholarship Search at SallieMae.com/ScholarshipSearch.
Originally posted March 9, 2015.
