Financial Aid Essay

College is very expensive. Every year prospective college students look for financial help so they can attend the college of their choice. There are several types of scholarships that are available. The federal government offers the Pell Grant, the Florida State government offers the Bright Future Scholarships, and the Military offers scholarships (Interview Sellers). There are also scholarships that companies can provide (“fastweb” 1). There are scholarships out there if your willing to look for them.

The federal government awards the Pell Grant to numerous students throughout the country. You have to apply January of your senior year and you have to turn in your parents’ tax returns. The FAFSA needs to be filled out. You can apply online (Interview Sellers). The Pell Grant does not have to be repaid, like loans do. The maximum amount that was awarded last year was $3,125. Only one Pell Grant is rewarded to you a year (“pell” 1).

There are three Florida Bright Futures Scholarships that are available to Florida high school senior for college. You can only receive one of the three. The catch to receiving the scholarship is that you have to go to a college in Florida (Interview Sellers). The three scholarships are the Florida Academic Scholars Award, the Florida Merit Scholars Award, and the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award. The scholarship I could receive is the Florida Academic Scholars Award. It pays for 100% of college tuition as well as $300 a semester for books. To qualify you have to have a weighted GPA of 3.5 (I have a 3.8 GPA), 75 hours of community service, and a best composite score of 28 on the ACT or a 1270 on the SAT. The required credits are 4 English (3 with substantial writing), 3 Mathematics (Algebra 1 and above), 3 Natural Sciences (2 with substantial lab), 3 Social Sciences, and 2 years of the same Foreign Language (15 total) (Bright Futures Scholarship Pamphlet). I plan on acquiring this scholarship. My GPA is high enough, I am taking or have taken most of the required classes, and I’m going to continue to take to ACT until I make a 28 on it.

The Military pays full tuition in college if you serve in the military for a number of years. An advantage of this is that you get to go to college pretty much for free. Your education would be free and the knowledge you gain can be used to find a job after you get out of the military. Military jobs are suppose to pay good, but some of them don’t especially if you are a private or low man on the totem pole. A disadvantage would be that you would then have to enroll in the army for several years. You could get killed while in the army or have a serious accident. If you went to college for a long time, like to become a doctor, you wouldn’t get out of the army for a really long time. So, there are advantages and disadvantages in acquiring a military scholarship (Interview Sellers).

In my senior year, I would apply for the Target All Around Scholarship. The deadline for applying is November 01, 2001. The award value is $1,000 to $10,000 and there are 1,835 awards that can be handed out. If you have won the award before, have a GPA below 2.0, are an employee or family to an employ of Target, and are not an U.S. citizen, you are not eligible for this award. This award is “open to all high school senior and college students who are committed to their communities through volunteer service, education, and family involvement” (“fastweb” 1). I could win this award because I have served my community well by volunteering. My involvement and membership in the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America has led me to become a proud community volunteer.

Another award I would apply for is the $1,000 “Your Turn” Scholarship Contest. The deadline is in December and there is only one award given out. All high school and college students can be considered. You have to turn in a 350 to 750 word essay on an anecdote or experience about admissions, financial aid, scholarships, career planning, jobs, college life, or money (“fastweb/profile” 1). I would apply for this award because I think I am very good at writing about my experiences in life.

If you take the time to look, you can find any kind of scholarship you want. There are military scholarships, federal scholarships, state scholarships, and other kinds of scholarships that can be found. These scholarships are a great help to those who need the financial aid to attend college. Almost any kind of scholarship can be found these days, you just have to look for them.

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