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Over the past several generations, the cost of higher education in the United States has risen to the point that it may be considered the expectation, rather than the norm, that students and prospective students need to secure outside funding for their academic pursuits. While loans are often available and eager to generate mountains of student debt, there are also plenty of grant programs and other sources of support that students can access based on their field of study, demographics, religion, community, or military service, among other factors. With this book, students of all ages will not only learn how many such opportunities are available to them but also the best strategies for reaching out and securing these grants to help with tuition, books, and living costs.
This book is more than a simple directory and guide to navigating grant applications, loan terms, and other financial aid concerns. It also covers the college or university selection process, choosing a major, and other things any new or returning college student should have in mind to set themselves apart from the crowd and succeed. Readers will discover organizations to join, important figures on campus to meet and have discussions with, and even how to keep themselves safe from scams and other threats. Armed with this book and the will to put themselves out there, people from all walks of life should be able to pursue a new degree and new skills in a field that will give them greater personal satisfaction and earning power, regardless of their income level or savings.
The primary draw of this book for many readers will be its comprehensive, detailed description of hundreds of grants, complete with web addresses, contact information, and even application deadlines. Organized simply to quickly target opportunities more likely to be approved, this large section can be skimmed via the table of contents to see what one might qualify for, then narrowed down and used exhaustively. However, there is more wisdom here than just a list of places to send applications and essays, and many will benefit from reading the chapters leading up to this directory before embarking on the hunt for funding assistance.
The author's tone throughout is much more personal than a mere directory would offer, lending encouragement and personal experiences to remind readers that the situation is never hopeless. Instead, the methods and practices outlined in this book create the potential for endless outcomes, enabling the audience to conduct their own research, calling, and networking to find even more places and organizations that might be able to help them in their quest for development. Academics and financial aid can be daunting and intentionally confusing in order to give the most dedicated applicants the best chances, and anyone with this book can consider themselves in that class of candidates. This guide is a fantastic resource, and given the long-term planning and goals regarding grades, service, and extracurricular activities, parents and counselors should ideally offer this to students in the tenth grade.
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