| Grants-Different from Scholarships and Student Loans | | | | more Hispanic students are finding the means both |
| Grants are based upon financial need, as calculated by | | | | socially and financially to attend college, often via |
| the federal aid program. The first step in applying for | | | | Hispanic grants. In Texas, California, Florida and |
| government grants is by completing the FAFSA. | | | | Arizona, Hispanic serving colleges - or those whose |
| Popular undergraduate grants range from general | | | | student bodies are at least a quarter Hispanic - offer |
| grant programs that provide monetary incentive to | | | | need-based grant and scholarship opportunities. |
| low-income and disadvantaged students to specialized | | | | Native American Students |
| grants in science, math, engineering, and technology | | | | Native Americans constitute the smallest minority |
| (SMET subjects). The grant options for undergraduate | | | | group of all, call this their native land and yet are |
| women or minorities are even more bountiful. | | | | plagued with some of the most disadvantaged |
| High school students enrolling in college; do not | | | | backgrounds of all. Up until recently, Native Americans |
| overlook your college's grant hand-outs. Most smaller, | | | | have been isolated in typically remote and rural |
| private colleges are quite generous when it comes to | | | | environments and in reservation communities. Like |
| kicking in funds to augment financial aid. They are | | | | Hispanics most Native Americans have no family |
| more interested in attracting quality students regardless | | | | history of higher education - most consider a high |
| of financial ability to pay. Considering the fact that | | | | school diploma the final goal; a primary reason that |
| scores of professional organizations have active | | | | Native American grants are so critical. |
| educational funds that help foster their fields of interest, | | | | Asian American Students |
| it's no wonder that it is just as easy to shop for grants | | | | The fastest growing ethnic population in America is |
| based on subject or field of interest. Corporations | | | | Asian American. Grants for Asian American students |
| spend millions of dollars offering internships, fellowships, | | | | are commonly sponsored by ethnic organizations or |
| scholarships and grants intended to attract | | | | available as general ethnic minority grants through the |
| academically driven and talented students to their | | | | government or colleges and universities. |
| corporate folds. | | | | Grants for Women |
| Federal Grants | | | | For generations women were disregarded on most |
| The federal government is putting more money into | | | | college campuses. Many educators argue that women |
| the hands of college students than ever before and | | | | are in general not as engaged on a coeducational |
| much of the impetus behind it is the No Child Left | | | | campus as they are on a women's campus. Private |
| Behind Act. The measures help to assure that more | | | | women's colleges have continued to thrive thanks to |
| primary and secondary schools are held accountable | | | | the generosity of corps of alumnae, innovative |
| for making sure kids get the attention and education | | | | curricula, and expanded programs such as athletics |
| they deserve without prejudices. Which means a | | | | that round out a more complete educational |
| much higher percentage of high school students are | | | | experience. |
| earning diplomas. More students stand a chance of | | | | Grant programs designed for women promote their |
| attending college when the right financial and social | | | | participation in underrepresented degree programs |
| resources are available to them along with educators | | | | such as the sciences, mathematics and business. The |
| with the know-how and experience to guide them to | | | | American Competitiveness Initiative is designed to |
| the right academic and career choices. | | | | introduce and prepare future generations of students |
| The following federal grant programs offer hundreds | | | | at primary and secondary levels to be more assertive |
| of thousands of students the necessary assistance | | | | in subjects like math and science. But for now big |
| that makes college a financial reality: | | | | corporations and professional organizations emphasize |
| The Pell Grant, in existence since 1972, remains one of | | | | grants and scholarships that reward those students |
| the staples of federal funding for millions of low-income | | | | studying in underrepresented professions. One of the |
| students. This fundamental grant program is | | | | most influential organizations, the American Association |
| somewhat at the mercy of the federal government's | | | | of University Women, offers an outstanding array of |
| budgetary and political whims, but nevertheless | | | | grants to minority and disadvantaged women looking |
| remains a valuable source of funding for impoverished | | | | to return to college, or pursue a degree for the first |
| undergraduate students. | | | | time. |
| The Academic Competitiveness (AC) Grant is | | | | Low Income and Disadvantaged Students |
| available to undergraduate freshman and sophomores | | | | There is no reason a student should be denied a |
| with outstanding academic records and with | | | | college education because of lack of money. Many |
| demonstrated aptitudes for leadership and service. | | | | federal, state, college or private organizations subsidize |
| Qualifying candidates must also be Pell Grant eligible. | | | | need-based aid awards for the most financially |
| The National Science and Mathematics Access to | | | | disadvantaged students. |
| Retain Talent Grant (SMART Grant) picks up where | | | | The federal Pell Grant can ultimately become a |
| the Academic Competitiveness Grant leaves off - | | | | generous gift if you are one of the most financially |
| with $4,000 awards to undergraduate juniors or | | | | strapped students. The U.S. Department of Health and |
| seniors studying computer science, engineering, | | | | Human Services also offers the Scholarships for |
| mathematics, or sciences. Applicants must be eligible | | | | Disadvantaged Students. This award is need-based |
| for and receiving the Pell Grant. | | | | and disbursed to students studying in an approved |
| State Grants | | | | health care profession. |
| Many states administer grant programs to resident | | | | Grants for the Disables |
| students based on merit, need and even area of | | | | Only in the last few decades have accessibility and |
| study. The best way to discover what is available i n | | | | mobility issues been clarified and institutions of all kinds |
| your state is to simply go to your state's website and | | | | made accessible to disabled students. Now grants for |
| look into the State University Administration | | | | disabled students such as those from the National |
| Popular Minority Grants | | | | Federation of the Blind and the National Association of |
| Over the last decade the percentage of minorities | | | | the Deaf assist students in achieving their goals of |
| graduating with a four-year degree has risen sharply. | | | | participating in and completing a traditional college |
| More African Americans are in college now than ever | | | | education. |
| before and the 39 Historically Black Colleges and | | | | Graduate and Doctoral Students |
| Universities in the country offer top-notch programs | | | | Many types of grant programs for graduate students |
| and administer scholarships and grants just like other | | | | and doctoral candidates are available from colleges |
| colleges and universities. Find out from us where to | | | | and universities and private organizations. Colleges and |
| find the richest vein of African American student | | | | universities are quite competitive in offering grant |
| grants. | | | | awards to the right candidates. In some instances |
| African American Students | | | | grants support most of a doctoral student's research |
| African American women are perhaps one of the | | | | and living expenses. |
| most disadvantaged minorities. In fact, this group of | | | | Grad students who must travel to participate in studies |
| students will find countless sources for grants that | | | | abroad, take part in research, or professional |
| target women and minorities, especially those grants | | | | conferences may discover a slew of small grants |
| rewarding involvement in specialized fields of study. | | | | administered by professional organizations or college |
| Spelman College is the only college in the United | | | | travel grants designed to cover such auxiliary |
| States that is devoted to nurturing the needs of | | | | expenses. Undergraduate Grants |
| African American women students. | | | | Grants for Military Students and Families |
| Hispanic Students | | | | Interested in a branch of the military, but still want to |
| Hispanics have recently overtaken African Americans | | | | attend college? The Army, Air Force and Naval |
| in number, but as far as education is concerned most | | | | ROTC, among others, offer full tuition to qualified |
| educators sadly label the group as a whole | | | | students in the armed forces. For those active in the |
| "under-educated." This means that most do not pursue | | | | military, programs such as the Army's Spouse |
| education beyond high school and those that do are | | | | Education Assistance Program or the Navy |
| satisfied with a vocational or two-year degree. Cultural, | | | | equivalent-the Spouse Tuition Aid Program-are |
| social and economic problems have held past | | | | available to married active duty personnel. Check the |
| generations of students back from four-year college | | | | military section for each branch's opportunities. |
| programs. Despite the fact that numbers remain small, | | | | |