Scholarships and Grants
01.Free Funding Sources
Scholarships and grants are 'gift aid' that does not need to be repaid. Grants are usually need-based (given to families with lower incomes), while scholarships are merit-based (given for academic, athletic, or artistic achievement).
02.Local and Private Scholarships
Beyond large universities, thousands of local community foundations, rotary clubs, and corporations offer small scholarships ($500 to $5,000) for specific essays or heritage criteria. Encourage your high schooler to apply to these high-probability local options.
03.Community College Transfer Path
A smart cost-saving strategy is to attend a local Community College for the first two years to complete general education requirements at a low cost, then transfer to a four-year university to graduate. This cuts the total college bill in half!