Getting an undergraduate degree has become extremely expensive. In fact, so much so that even if a student receives a lucrative financial aid package* from a school, it still is not enough to cover tuition, room and board, books and other fees.
It is best for a high school senior to begin searching for scholarships and grants as soon as possible. Parents can help too, asking the companies they work for if they offer funds for education, or trolling the Internet themselves. To find money for college is a group effort and should be committed to like a part-time job.
What a lot of students don't know is certain Fortune 500 companies offer copious amounts of money to students each year. Even in this deep recession, money is given to students attending four-year and two-year colleges. Both of the companies in this article have been able to sidestep the economic crisis in order to continue providing funding to students.
Coca-Cola Scholarship for High School Seniors
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation gives away 250 scholarships per year for students bound for four-year universities. The award is achievement based and the applicant must be a senior when s/he applies. The company cites its mission to provide, "enrichment opportunities in support of exceptional young peoples' thirst for knowledge and their desire to make a difference in the world."
The company boasts that it supports over 1400 students annually, in the amount of $3.4 million total in award money. For the class of 2009, 52 students who earned National Scholars honors received $20,000 scholarships. 200 students received Regional Scholars honors and each one was given $10,000 in aid.
The Foundation's decision to award money is based on three areas: academic excellence, school involvement and community leadership.
The competition is steep, but if a student fits this area, it would be worthwhile to apply. If the student wins, s/he not only will receive the money, but will also fly to Atlanta, Georgia to be interviewed by the National Selection Committee, attend a banquet in her/his honor with a well-known keynote speaker and attend seminars as well as participate in a community project.
Application Window: August 1 to October 31
McDonald's Scholarships for College-Bound Seniors
The Ronald McDonald House Charities has awarded more than $29 million in the US to aid student dreams of receiving a top quality education. Scholarships are for those applicants who live in the US where there are participating local chapters. Four types are offered and the student must only apply in one area: RMHC Scholars, Asia, African-American Future Achievers and HACER (for Latino/a students). The applicant must be a high school senior and under 21 years of age.
To win, the students must earn top marks and excel in other areas set out by the RMHC selection committee. RMHC says, "we want these students to reach their full potential. To help them accomplish this, our network of U.S. Chapters, along with RMHC Global, offer scholarships to students in financial need who have demonstrated academic achievement and community involvement."
The scholarships are available for either four-year or two-year colleges.
The link to the application goes live November 9.
Deadline: February 16, 2010
It is possible to find money for school. Both Coca-Cola and McDonald's scholarships offer students with top marks and who are leaders in their community a chance to fund their education.
*These three articles, Best Schools for Financial Aid, Best State Schools for Financial Aid and State v. Private College, Best Financial Aid, discuss the universities which offer the most money to students. Besides searching for ways to pay for education, these articles can assist students in finding the right college for them financially.
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