Should a college education be a gift to those students who are dedicated to hard work and persevere? Not as a gift to an individual by society, but as a gift society gives itself. An educated person not only improves himself, he improves everyone who comes in contact with him. His contributions to the welfare of the world he lives in is increased, and that increase spreads from him like ripples in a pond. But, as it happens, higher education in this country isn’t free.
The cost of a higher education, even at a non-profit university, is estimated by the US Department of Education (DOE) to average $36,300 a year. On the face of it, this amount of money is simply not affordable by the vast majority of Americans. Few American families make that amount of money in a year, and they certainly don’t have that much to spend on education. Yet enrolment in institutions of higher learning is up 37% overall in the last ten years.
One out of every six Hispanic, high school graduates entered college in 2010, according to the latest available figures from the DOE. In that same year one out of every seven African-American high school graduates entered college. With costs this high, how can this be?
Scholarships Not Loans
College loans are crippling. Starting life deeply in debt turns the best years of one’s life into a grind to survive. The alternative are scholarships. Few people are aware that scholarships are much more than free rides given to the few exceptional athletes among us. More and more students are taking advantage of the academic scholarships for minorities being offered by many universities, the state and federal governments, and philanthropic institutions. Many of these academic scholarships require only a 3.0 GPA to qualify.
Along with a progressive intent to promote diversity in our society, declining interest in many areas of manufacturing has been a major incentive for industrial interests to offer scholarships in their fields. ?The Edward S. Roth Manufacturing Engineering Scholarship? is a good example. Although actively seeking minority applicants, this scholarship fund generates opportunities for all gifted students to pursue an education in Engineering and Manufacturing.
Many funds were created expressly to promote scholarships for African-Americans, and Hispanics. ?The American Chemical Society Minority Scholarship? promotes studies in chemistry, and is aimed primarily at African-American students while the ?Hispanic Scholarship Fund? has the goal of increasing Hispanic college graduation to 60% of all Hispanic, high school high school students by 2025. ?The Ron Brown Scholar Program? provides scholarships primarily to African-American students whose intent is to make significant contributions to society just as the ?Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Foundation? offers scholarships to Hispanic engineering students.
A Little Time Can Mean A Lot Of Money
Students interested in the sciences or math, health and nursing, education, or the law can find scholarships waiting for them, and many of those scholarships are not awarded simply because no one takes the time to search them out. The enormously diverse nature of the available scholarships can include help for almost everyone at some level from a few hundred dollars for books to fully paid tuition, and living stipends. Staff dedicated to finding scholarships for African-Americans, and Hispanics can be found in nearly every University and college from two year Community Colleges to prestigious four year Universities.
A college education is no guarantee of success, but entering the labour force without a college degree is hamstringing yourself, and then hoping for the best. With so many scholarships for minorities available, it just doesn’t make sense any more to not go to, and finish, college.
Click here to read more about USMilitary career options for minorities.