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Scholarships for Women Abound

By U.S. News & World Report

Although this wasn’t always the case, women outnumber men on America’s college campuses. And scholarship funds aimed at women remain plentiful.

“Historically, before the civil rights movement, women weren’t going to college in large numbers and certainly weren’t getting any aid to go to college,” says Kevin Ladd, chief operating officer at Scholarships.com. Women “became a focal point of people offering scholarships.”

Bringing women to college campuses hasn’t been a problem since the late 1970s, and now women are projected to comprise more than 56 percent of the undergraduate college population this fall, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Women may find scholarships offered by groups that have a stake in whether they enroll in college, such as science and technology organizations that want to see more female scientists or corporations that want to encourage more women in leadership roles.

[Read about 10 ways to nab a scholarship to pay for college.]

“Religious affiliations, minority advocacy groups, professional organizations, corporate sponsors and many colleges and universities will have specific scholarships for female students,” says Ronald Ramsdell, founder of College Aid Consulting Services.

If you’re a woman searching for money for college, check out these five types of scholarships.

1. STEM scholarships: Women who are interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering or math, or STEM, will find this area rife with scholarship programs, since trade groups and corporations try to attract women to this still male-dominated field.

Financial aid packages from colleges will sometimes include grants or scholarships for female students who score well in math and science or who want to pursue a career in STEM fields, says Ladd.

But women can also look beyond their undergraduate institutions for STEM scholarships. Among the possibilities: the Women Techmakers Scholars Program, offered by Google, which seeks to create gender equality in computing and technology with $10,000 scholarships, and the Society of Women Engineers, which gave out about 230 scholarships worth $750,000 in 2016.

[Learn where to net scholarships for women at all levels of higher education.]

2. Business scholarships: Female students who are interested in business or leadership may also find a number of scholarships, in some cases from women-led businesses that are seeking to help like-minded students pay for tuition.

“Sometimes it’s coming from a woman CEO or a woman director from a company, who’ll say, ‘We want to help you out, to push you forward in your career or in your education so that you can join the workforce,'” says Jessica Velasco, founder of JLV College Counseling and a former director of admissions at Northwest University.

For instance, the WIIT Charitable Trust offers a merit-based scholarship twice a year to encourage women to pursue their interests in international trade and global development. The Professional BusinessWomen of California recognizes high school seniors who are California residents with a scholarship program for women.

3. Parent scholarships: Some scholarship providers focus on supporting women who are overcoming the hurdle of trying to attend school while also being a parent.

“A lot of times if you look at the scholarship providers, it’s because they have some sort of connection to that population,” Velasco says. “So , it might be someone at the company who put off education because they started a family early and then they went back to school.”

The Scholarships4moms contest awards $10,000 scholarships to mothers and the Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund provides scholarships and support to low-income women, ages 35 and older.

4. Diversity and minority scholarships: Scholarships may also help women from ethnic, racial or other minority groups pay for college.

For example, the Asian Women in Business Scholarship encourages Asian female undergraduates with a $2,500 scholarship; the Chicana/Latina Foundation Scholarship program offers 35 scholarships at $1,500 each to women; and the Girls* Who Illustrate Awesomeness scholarship is open to young women or gender nonconforming individuals of color.

[Discover scholarships that support students breaking barriers.]

5. Sorority scholarships: Awards from sororities are sometimes open to high school students and may not require them to rush the sorority once they enroll in college. Ladd says that’s an opportunity everyone looking for scholarships should explore.

For instance, the Omega Phi Beta Sorority offers a scholarship for incoming freshmen, and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority has general scholarships for high school seniors, undergraduate students and graduate students.

“They’re just trying to empower females to get to college,” Velasco says.

Trying to fund your education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for College center.

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Scholarships for Women Abound 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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