| Nowadays, with the rising cost of education and the | | | | given the right financial resources. The federal grant |
| flat state of the economy, paying for college is one | | | | programs include grants like the Pell Grant and the |
| of the most difficult things anyone can try to do. As | | | | Academic Competitiveness Grant. |
| costs per semester rise into the thousands, students | | | | The Pell Grant has been around for almost 40 years |
| are constantly looking for ways to raise funds to pay | | | | and is considered to be one of the main staples for |
| their tuition. Fortunately, students have a number of | | | | millions of students in the U.S. This grant program is |
| options available and one of the foremost of those is | | | | geared towards students who demonstrate financial |
| funding via grants. | | | | need based on a form they fill out called the FAFSA |
| Many students may be familiar with only scholarships | | | | (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) - students |
| and student loans, and may not even realize that a | | | | can earn up to $5,550 to assist with the cost of |
| grant is an option for helping to pay for college. | | | | tuition. |
| Grants are actually distinctly different from both of | | | | A lesser known, brand new federal grant that also |
| these, specifically in that grants do not have to be | | | | offers tuition assistance to students is called the |
| repaid. They're essentially free gift money specifically | | | | Academic Competitiveness Grant, or ACG. The ACG |
| offered to help defray the cost of a college | | | | was first made available in the 2006 - 2007 school |
| education, and they're need-based instead of | | | | year, and is available to undergraduate freshmen and |
| merit-based, like scholarships. | | | | sophomores with outstanding academic records. |
| Grants are awarded by a number of sources, | | | | Qualifying candidates may receive up to $750 their |
| including federal and state governments, college and | | | | first year and $1,300 for their second year of study, |
| universities, and both public and private organizations. | | | | so long as they maintain their GPA and are also Pell |
| Grants are awarded to students based on their | | | | Grant eligible. |
| degree level or what subject they're studying. They | | | | Grants are offered solely based on financial need, |
| may also be awarded based on financial need, | | | | however. Minority grants are becoming more readily |
| student ethnicity, or religious affiliation. Some groups | | | | available as the number of college graduates in |
| even offer grants based on students' special | | | | minority groups rises sharply. African American, |
| interests. | | | | Hispanic and Native Americans are most eligible for |
| The federal government offers some of the most | | | | minority grants. Likewise, grants for women are also |
| popular and well-known grants to students today. | | | | becoming significant, especially to encourage women |
| More and more students are taking the leap from | | | | to participate in underrepresented degree programs |
| high school to attend college, and the government | | | | like the sciences, mathematics and business. |
| recognizes that students are most likely to graduate | | | | |