As children get older and move through high school, they will begin thinking about and planning for their future. In many instances, this will include plans for college. Their friends may be talking about where they are going and teachers and guidance counselors will be encouraging them to send out their applications. While college is not the right path for everyone, it is the next step after high school to a lifelong professional career. If your child is thinking about college, but you have concerns about finances, it is best to begin your planning early. There are alternate sources of income if the cash for college is not readily available. Your child may be eligible for a scholarship that can help them offset the cost of college with funding. If your child has athletic talent, consider encouraging them to try for a sports scholarship. They can improve their skills with a baseball pitching machine or softball pitching machines, which is more likely they will be able to earn scholarship money based on their athletic talent.
One of the most common ways students earn scholarship money is through their grades. This is one of the more competitive options, but it can really pay off if a kid works hard all through high school and maintains their grades. Typically there are additional requirements for earning scholarship money, but if your sights are set on a scholarship, the grades are going to factor into any official decisions.
Another factor that colleges and scholarship committees take into account is a student’s community involvement. If a student has worked hard for four years in high school and has great grades, but they have not participated in any other activities, their likelihood of a scholarship is going to drop. Colleges and scholarship boards look for well-rounded students, so remember that grades are not everything. If your child is hoping for a scholarship, it is important they focus on community involvement, as well as grades.
When considering ways to be eligible for scholarship money, look at what parents have done in addition to what students have done. There are many companies that offer scholarships for the children of employees, so make sure you check with your company. Those who have served in the armed forces may also be eligible to help their children pay for college with scholarship money. There are also veteran’s scholarships available for service members, so if you decide to enroll in the armed forces before attending college, you will be eligible for financial support.
Finally, if your child is afflicted by a disability, there may be financial support available to help them pay for college. Since a physical or learning disability may bring additional challenges for a student, there may be financial support available. While your child may not want to rely on their disability to give them an advantage, they can view the financial support as something they have earned by working hard and overcoming whatever challenges their disability brought into their lives.
