Good time for single moms to apply for college scholarships
November 9, 2012
This month is National College Scholarship Month, and plenty of agencies are geared up to help interested applicants, especially single parents, locate funds that can help them get through school. With the value of a college degree continuing to rise and unemployment still a rampant problem in some parts of the country, having advanced training and specialized skills can help a single mom get the kind of job that best suits her family.
Find the resources
More often than not, the process of going to school represents a major financial burden as single moms have to cut hours from work schedules to study and attend classes. At the same time, finding childcare can raise expenses while income drops, so finding alternative funding sources to assist with balancing tuition, books and miscellaneous school expenses with everyday necessities can mean the difference between completing college or dropping out.
According to Sallie Mae, about one-third of all students last year had some sort of scholarship assistance, with the average value of those grants being just under $8,000. Considering that this won't be enough of an offset for most major private schools, moms can pursue additional scholarship funding now when most providers are endorsing such programs. Upromise, an extension of Sallie Mae, is currently offering a $150,000 college scholarship, and is one of many currently offering options of this kind.
Apply now to get funds
Since the current semester is winding down and the application process is well underway for many programs closing in the spring, looking online for college scholarships now is a good plan for single moms. Certain regions and industries are also offering special opportunities depending on particular majors and areas of residence, like Kentucky's Application Month drive, which attempts to get more people enrolled in local schools and promises the award of certain local scholarship funding.
Daily Finance wrote that applying for these programs now will ensure that no step in the process is missed and that plenty of time is given to thinking up meaningful, quality responses to harder essay questions. Signing up for an online search service can help single moms with college scholarships locate more applicable funding offers quickly and easily, so that they have the greatest chance of getting money in time for next semester.
