Shopping for College Financial Aid is Like Shopping for the Best Pair of Jeans
You have been preparing for it ever since you started school. You had worked yourself off to obtain the highest grades that you can. Your parents did their part by saving for it. But college is just too expensive. Fortunately, there are several financial aid and scholarship programs available in each college and university to help in fulfilling your dream.(1) However, the financial aid system of the country varies from district to
district or even school to school. So, the question now is how can you be able to get the best financial aid deal that will really suit you?
It should suit your current financial status
Just like looking for a pair of jeans that suits your current size, a financial aid program should meet your current financial status. If you or your parents have savings to provide for your tertiary education, then you do not necessarily need a full scholarship with other benefits. On the other hand, if you are in dire need of money and are sure that you can’t pursue your studies without financial aid, then go for full scholarships instead of the partial ones.
It should be flexible in terms of payment
Like a pair of jeans that can be worn comfortably anywhere, a financial aid program, particularly for student loans, should have flexible payment terms. You wouldn’t want a student loan which would practically hold you on your neck immediately after graduation. Stick to study grants and student loans from the government that can be deductable from your salary after graduation without totally compromising your income.(2)
It should be from a trusted agency or organization
Just like a pair of jeans from a trusted brand or retailer, your scholarship should be from a trusted agency or institution. After all, it’s money that you are dealing with. There are different kinds of reliable financial aids and scholarships available, such as grants and bursaries from the government, federal student loans, financial assistance programs from provincial aid organizations, and scholarships from private
institutions.(3)
To be able to get that scholarship, make sure that you come up with an excellent scholarship essay. Just like an admissions “essay on myself,” the scholarship essay should convince the readers that you deserve a slot. To help you write that scholarship essay on myself, try to read a sample essay about myself online. A well-written scholarship “myself essay” is clear, engaging, direct to the point, and is a reflection of your personality.
(1) http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2007/12.13/99-finaid.html
(2) http://www.yale.edu/admit/freshmen/financial_aid/index.html
(3) http://www.college.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/c1/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os_jgoGDnQG8nY0MDFws3AyPz0BB_Q2cfQwMDM_3g1Dz9cJAuPKoMIPIGOICjgb6fR35uqn6kfpQ5whSLEHdTA0-D0BBXd0M3A5BdkTmp6YnJlfoF2V4e5fmOigATc04e/dl2/d1/L0lJSklna2shL0lCakFBQ3lBQkVSQ0lBISEvWUZOQTFOSTUwLXchLzdfU1JTQ1FLQjMxOFRHNTBJMFVURUcxRjAwMDY!/?WCM_PORTLET=PC_7_SRSCQKB318TG50I0UTEG1F0006_WCM&WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/wps/wcm/connect/college/college/howtopay/learnwhatsavailable
