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How to Snag a Graduate School Scholarship

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When you first started applying to colleges, in your senior year of high school, you undoubtedly found several scholarships for which you qualified. Whether those awards were based on your grades, your ethnicity, your gender or your athletic ability, undergraduate scholarships weren’t difficult to find.

Now that it’s time to consider graduate school, you’ll find that scholarships aren’t as easy to come by. Even though they aren’t as easy to find, graduate scholarships are out there. With a bit of searching, you can find graduate scholarships that will help fund your last two years of college. Here are five types of assistance that you can use towards earning your graduate degree:

College Awards

The first step in securing any type of financial aid for graduate school is contacting the school you’ll be attending. Most graduate schools offer assistance in various forms to their incoming and continuing students. Look for assistance in the form of scholarships, research stipends and work study. You may be surprised at how much you can knock off of your tuition by contacting the financial aid office of the graduate school you’ve chosen to attend.

Research Fellowships

If you are pursuing a course of study that requires a great deal of research, you could be eligible for funding from your college and organizations in your field. For instance, The National Science Foundation offers research fellowships to graduate students who are pursuing a degree in the field of science.

Career Scholarships

Depending on what field of study you plan on earning your graduate degree in, you may qualify for a career-specific scholarship. For instance, if you are in graduate school, pursuing a degree in healthcare management, you are eligible to apply for the Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives annual Foster G. McGaw Graduate Student Scholarship. The award totals $5,000 and 20 students each year are recipients. Many other organizations offer career based scholarships, simply type in your choice of career coupled with the word “scholarship” into your search engine and see what you can find.

Professional Organizations

Do you belong to any professional organizations? If you are a member of a union or association, you may find that there are scholarship opportunities that you have missed. If you belong to any type of organization, make some phone calls and find out if there are scholarships offered that you may qualify for. Additionally, if you belong to any type of Greek organization or honor society, look to see what scholarships and awards these associations offer their members.

Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program is an excellent one to participate in. Congress has appropriated funds for the program which aims to strengthen the relationship between the United States and other countries around the world. Award recipients are eligible to study, teach English, or conduct research in 140 different countries. To qualify for the award, you must have earned your bachelor’s degree or have extensive experience in the field that you are interested in pursuing.

Though it can be difficult to find funding for graduate school outside of student loans, awards are out there. Get creative and put out your feelers. Whether you utilize a scholarship from your college, from an organization or from the government, you may find it easier to pay for graduate school than you think.

Nicole Morgan is a career counselor, and blogs for accreditedonlinembaguides.org where you can find information about aacsb mba online programs.

 

5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing a College

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Choosing a college involves a great deal of thought and decision making. There are many factors that must be taken into consideration when choosing which institute you will attend. Beyond typical considerations, you’ll also need to decide on your career plans and find a school that will meet your needs. Here are questions to ask yourself when choosing a school:

1. What Do I Want to Do With My Life?

While most colleges offer hundreds of majors, other colleges are relatively small and specialized. By deciding which career you are interested in, you can better narrow down your list of potential majors. For instance, if you want to be a teacher, do you want to concentrate in special education? Or perhaps you would prefer teaching math to junior high students. Knowing what you want to do with your life will make it easier to create a short list of schools.

2. What Size School is Best For Me?

Some people do well in a very large, state school while others simply feel lost. Will you be able to concentrate in a classroom surrounded by 300 other students or would small class sizes be more suited to your learning style? Remember that large schools often have a social scene that can distract some students from their studies. While large schools have more to offer in the way of majors, extra-curricular activities and a social life, not every student can handle the pressures of a large school while others flourish.

A Walk in the Park - Nazareth College, Rochester NY

3. What Can You Afford?

Schools often offer lower tuition rates for students who reside in a specific region. Community colleges lower their tuition rates for students who live in the county while state schools offer reduced tuition for residents of that state. If you are planning on applying for financial aid, take that into consideration as well. Some schools offer very attractive financial aid packages while others rely solely on state and federal aid.

4. Should You Attend a Two-Year College First?

If you haven’t quite saved up enough money to head off to a four-year university, you may find that starting at a two-year college is a viable option. Some students simply prefer to get their general education classes out of the way, at a much cheaper rate, and transfer to a four-year university where they can concentrate on their major. While many graduating seniors are looking forward to being away from home for the same time, consider that a two-year college will both save you money and allow you to work to save even more.

The Oval on Centennial Campus

5. Will You Continue On To Graduate School?

There are some careers that require education beyond a bachelor’s degree. If you plan on becoming a teacher, you’ll eventually need to pursue your master’s. If you want to become a veterinarian, you’ll need to attend three to four years of school after your graduate with your BA. If you think there’s a possibility of attending grad school, consider choosing a four-year college that offers advanced studies in your choice of major.

Choosing a college is an important, and often difficult, decision. Make a list of the things that are important to you and research schools in the geographic region you prefer. By doing your due diligence, you’re sure to pick the college that’s perfect for you and have the best four years of your life.

Peter Harrington is a career counselor and content contributor for Top Colleges Online, a great source of information on expanding your education, from how to become a vet to pharmacy degrees.