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Finding College Cash

Where can you find money for college? In more places than you might think.

Too often families don't take advantage of all the resources that offer grants and scholarships and you certainly don't want to make that mistake.

Before beginning your college search, here are the four main sources of college cash that you should know about:

  1. Colleges 41%
  2. Federal government 32%
  3. State government 11%
  4. Private scholarships 5.5%

By far, the largest percentage of grants and scholarships come from the schools themselves and then the federal government.

Following the Money


Let's examine the top three college financial resources:

Colleges

Don’t assume that you must pay a college's sticker price. Colleges award scholarships and grants to families of all incomes. A recent College Board survey, for example, suggested that 59% of families eliminate potential colleges simply due to published price tags.

The most expensive schools in the country can be the cheapest for some students. In some cases, a private college can be the same cost or cheaper than state schools because of grants and scholarships.

Federal government

The federal government's biggest source of college cash is the Pell Grant program (grants that do not require repayment). For the current school year, the maximum Pell Grant award is $5,500.

The Pell Grant is reserved for low-income and middle-income families. It's rare, for instance, that a family of four with an income of $50,000 would qualify for one.

Student and parent loans represent the bulk of financial assistance from the federal government. The Stafford Loan for students is the most popular. Learn more by visiting the Federal Student Aid website or call (800) 4-FED-AID.

State government

Many states also provide college scholarships. States often dispense scholarships based on such factors as a student's grade point average, class rank and ACT or SAT scores.

To learn more about state scholarships, students should contact their high school counselors.

Union Plus Education Services Can Help Union Families


If you have more questions about planning for college or need help affording it, visit UnionPlus.org/Education. Union Plus provides union families with scholarships, discounts on college test (e.g. SAT/ACT) preparation, education grants and much more.

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