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Pledge to Apply for These Fraternity Scholarships

By WTOP Staff

There are lots of reasons to join a fraternity in college, beyond the benefits of a built-in group of friends and an active social scene. Going “Greek” can improve your interpersonal skills, give you the chance to participate in educational debates and discussions, and provide a camaraderie and sense of belonging that few other groups can offer.

Plus, joining a fraternity will also present excellent leadership, networking and volunteer opportunities that can boost your college resume.

But many students may not know that many fraternities also offer excellent scholarship opportunities. Greek organizations were founded on the idea of strong academic achievement and success, and most feel that students who work hard should also reap the benefit of scholarships.

[See a list of colleges that have the most students in fraternities.]

Scholarship is the foremost principle of Omega Psi Phi, the first international fraternity organized and founded on the campus of a historically black college at the turn of the 20th century. The organization’s Charles R. Drew Memorial Scholarship Commission offers 10 different types of scholarships, including international scholar awards; legal, medical and scientific awards; leadership awards; and undergraduate and graduate scholarship grants.

Though requirements and amounts vary for each type of scholarship, winners are typically announced by June 1 every year. You must be a member of an Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to apply. The organization has chapters all over America and in many countries around the world .

With 268 active chapters in the U.S. and Canada, Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity expects its members to strive for a stellar academic record and on-time graduation. The TKE Foundation offers a wide range of scholarships for members and distributes tens of thousands of dollars in awards each year. Deadlines and amounts vary, but you can find the full list of available scholarships and requirements on the organization’s website .

[Make time to apply for these generous scholarship awards.]

Chi Phi Fraternity’s mission is “to build better men through lifelong friendship, leadership opportunities and character development,” and part of this includes promoting scholastic achievement by offering scholarships to members. The Chi Phi Educational Trust awards more than $100,000 in scholarships every year in the form of undergraduate, graduate and leadership scholarships.

Nearly all of their scholarships use a single online application, so it’s easy to apply for several at once. The application isn’t open for next year, and the deadline typically falls in March.

Business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi was founded in 1904 on a belief in “providing resources for enhancing the educational experience of future business leaders.” This includes offering a wide variety of academic scholarships to members, both general scholarships and those specific to certain majors.

[Find easy scholarship applications that save time and money.]

The application for all of the scholarships is currently open, and you have until March 7 to apply. If you’re not a member but are interested in joining the fraternity, the organization has chapters across the U.S., in Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and the U.K., so you should be able to locate a chapter near you.

These are just a small number of scholarship opportunities offered by fraternities across the country. If none of these organizations have a chapter at your college or university, make sure you look into the fraternities on your campus. Most will offer scholarships to members, which you should be sure to take advantage of if you decide to pledge.

More from U.S. News

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Pledge to Apply for These Fraternity Scholarships originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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