Uncovering the Truth About Scholarship Myths

One overlooked consequence of living in a world with a seemingly endless supply of information, being served up faster (and cheaper) all the time, is that some of that information is questionable. If you will soon be facing life-changing choices about both getting into college and paying for it, a crucial first step in the process is uncovering the truth about scholarship myths. Yes, the Internet has made information easy to get, but you still need to be careful about double-checking facts and verifying claims. You will have a lot of research to do if you intend to apply for scholarship funds to help your family pay for your college education.

Who Deserves a Scholarship?

If you think only geniuses and quarterbacks deserve to have their college education paid for, it’s time to realize college is expensive and many people deserve some help with the bills. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 750,000 scholarships are available for qualified students, adding up to well more than a billion dollars. The federal government is the largest source of those funds. The average size of a Pell Grant, money that does not have to be repaid, is more than $2,000. 

Do I Need A Scholarship?

Its one thing to hear or read about the higher costs of secondary education, but it's quite another to actually look at a final budget for one to four years of college or graduate school. The sticker shock can be enough to make you reconsider whether higher education is worth it at all! But of course, it certainly is, and any way you need to get through it financially is worth investigating.  Student loans are certainly one way to pay for college or graduate school, and thousands of people do every year. But, there are obviously strings attached that can be onerous.