Take advantage of grant money for college.
There are basically two different types of minority grants. One is an ethnic minority grant, which is awarded based on ethnic identification such as Native American, African-American or Hispanic. The other type is a nonethnic minority grant, which is offered both to individuals who are physically or learning disabled and to women who traditionally have been disadvantaged in applying for male-dominated college programs.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid
In order to qualify for need-based grants, students must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA. This is the first step toward acceptance for federal, state and U.S. territorial program grants. This application collects information about a student's family and both the student's and parents' expected income available for a college education. An estimated family contribution (EFC) score is then assigned to the student based on this information. The federal deadline for the FAFSA application is June 30, but be aware that individual states have the right to set an earlier deadline.
Pell Grant
When you fill out the FAFSA, you also apply for the Pell Grant, which is awarded to only the most financially needy students. The EFC number determined by the FAFSA information, along with whether or not the student is attending college full or part time, and academic year of participation determine the amount of the grant. The Federal Pell Grant Program is dependent on federal funding, so the amounts awarded may vary from year to year.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Program is available to Pell Grant recipients who also have the highest financial need based on the lowest EFC numbers of applicants at a participating institution. Although the FSEOG awards are actually controlled by the financial aid administrators of the participating schools, the formula for determining need is set by federal statute.
Academic Competiveness Grant and Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant
These two federally sponsored grants were created in 2006 to encourage students to pursue careers in math and science. The Academic Competiveness Grant (ACG) is awarded for the first and second academic year of college. The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant continues the funding for the third and fourth year. These grants also require students to be Pell Grant recipients.
State-Sponsored Grants
There are too many individual minority grants to list, but all 50 states and the United States' territories offer state-based college grants. To access these grants, contact your school counselor or college of choice, or search the Internet for your state's website.
Higher Education Grants
Most colleges and major universities offer a wide mixture of minority grants based on need, merit and chosen field of study. Students need to work with the school's financial aid office to get specific information.
Profession-Specific Grants
These grants are offered by associations and organizations that encourage minorities to train for specific careers such as in computers, accounting, engineering and medicine. High school seniors should work with their counselors and do an Internet search of associations to find specific career grant opportunities.
Tags: Pell Grant, Academic Competiveness, Academic Competiveness Grant, academic year, Access Retain