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Scholarships That Pay for All 4 Years of College

By U.S. News & World Report

There’s never a good enough reason to pass up an opportunity to earn a $500 or $1,000 scholarship for college. With continuing tuition hikes, any scholarship amount is worth applying for, if you are eligible.

For some students, though, large-dollar, full-tuition and multiyear scholarships are necessary for them to earn a two- or four-year college education. As the name implies, multiyear scholarships are offered for more than one academic year; they are also often generous scholarships with high-dollar values.

Multiyear scholarships are offered across a variety of categories — from athletic to academic-based scholarships. Recipients of these scholarships are generally required to maintain satisfactory grades or a specific GPA. Renewable scholarships may also require students to participate in specific extracurricular activities or complete a certain number of community service hours.

[Read more tips and advice on paying for college.]

Although not all multiyear scholarships cover full tuition, they can substantially lower annual tuition expenses — students can look to these scholarships to help pay for college for four and even five years.

The Asian Pacific Fund, for example, offers the $1,000-$3,000 Helen and L.S. Wong Memorial Scholarship to incoming freshmen enrolled full-time at an accredited four-year institution or incoming community college students with a commitment to transfer to a four-year school. Among the scholarship requirements, applicants must have a minimum 2.8 GPA, be residents of or graduating seniors from a high school in participating communities and have at least 50 percent Asian heritage. Recipients can renew this scholarship for up to four years, with a maximum of $6,000 per award.

Another Asian Pacific Fund scholarship is the Banatao Family Filipino American Education Fund, which offers an annual $5,000 reward renewable for four years. The scholarship is open to incoming freshmen enrolled at a four-year accredited institution who have a minimum 3.0 GPA, are pursuing science, technology, engineering and math-related majors and are of at least 50 percent Filipino heritage. Applicants must also show financial need as well as residency in specific California communities.

[Find out about STEM scholarships for aspiring scientists.]

African-American, Hispanic and American Indian students pursuing chemistry or chemistry-related fields can apply for the ACS Scholars Program. Qualified high school seniors or college freshmen, sophomores or juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents with documented financial need can earn up to $5,000 per year, which they can apply to renew each semester. Students must demonstrate high academic achievement in chemistry or science with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

For students pursuing vocational and technical careers, the Association of Equipment Management Professionals Education Foundation Legacy Scholarship Program offers $500 awards per semester for up to four semesters.

Applicants must have an interest in a career as a heavy equipment technician, maintain a 2.0 GPA throughout high school and plan to attend a college or vocational or technical program that offers a diesel technology program. These scholarships are renewed on an annual basis, and recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA.

High-achieving students who reside in Western Washington can apply for The Edmund F. Maxwell Foundation Scholarship, which provides $5,000 a year, up to $20,000 total. To apply, students must compose a short essay and demonstrate composite math and reading SAT scores of 1200 or more — or equivalent ACT scores. Students must also demonstrate financial need.

Playing a sport can certainly help students earn multiyear scholarships, especially if they are top-tier athletes competing at the NCAA or National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics level. However, not all sports-related scholarships require skill or excellence in the sport, much like the Women’s Western Golf Foundation Scholarship.

[Check out these scholarships for student-athletes.]

Female high school seniors who have strong academic achievement, financial need, excellent character and are involved in golf can apply to win up to $8,000 over four years toward their college tuition, room and board. Applicants must be U.S. citizens with a 3.0 GPA.

Full-tuition, multiyear scholarships are rarer, but they do exist. The Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship is one such award that yearly provides over 200 caddies with full tuition and housing scholarships, which are renewable for up to four years.

Applicants must have a strong caddy record for at least two years, a minimum 3.0 GPA, outstanding character and demonstrated financial need. The scholarships are awarded to specific universities depending on where the applicants live and caddy.

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Scholarships That Pay for All 4 Years of College 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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