It's that time of year when students and their parents start wondering how to pay for college in the fall. Tuition is not cheap. Short of winning the lottery, many students get loans and end up leaving college with a mountain of debt.
Scholarship awards may be the perfect solution to this problem. And since the Grand Rapids Community Foundation (GRCF) manages more than 70 scholarship funds, they are the perfect place to start. Filling out the general application on their website will give students the chance to be eligible for most of their available scholarships, with some scholarships requiring a separate application.
In 2012, GRCF awarded 574 scholarships totaling $844,000. This year, they expect to award more than $1 million in scholarships.
Most of the scholarships range from $500 to $5000, with the average award being $1500. The Fred & Lena Meijer scholarship program that GRCF administers awards 100 Meijer team members or their children $2500, with two of those lucky recipients receiving $10,000 instead.
Most of the scholarships are only available to Kent County residents, with a few open to those living outside the county or even the state, such as the Meijer scholarships, which are open to Meijer team members and their children in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky.
The student's chosen college or university does not have to be in Kent County, but a majority -- 82 percent -- of GRCF's scholarships were used by students who attended a Michigan college or university.
Ruth Bishop, education program officer and scholarship administrator, wants people to know these scholarships are not only for high school seniors. In fact, 60 percent of the scholarships awarded last year went to those already attending a college or a university.
To qualify for a scholarship, the applicant must first fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and they will need their most recent educational transcript.
Bishop says many students are intimidated or discouraged when they see the application, but she assures them "it's not difficult." As part of the application, students are asked to write an essay of their aspirations and educational goals so that the volunteer members of the selection committees will know who they are.
"Take the time to do it; it's worth it," she says.
Also, while financial need is one of the deciding factors for which students get an award, it's not the only factor.
"We take a look at their financial needs, but also their academic standing, how involved they are in the community, and what leadership skills they have exhibited," says Bishop.
A full list of available scholarships can be found online and the deadline for the general application is April 1. The selection committees review the applications in the spring and the board finalizes their recommendations in June.
For at least 50 years, GRCF has been awarding scholarships and, so far, more than $9.5 million in scholarships have been awarded.
Last year, they reviewed 1877 applications for the 574 scholarships given, and of all the applications submitted, 635 were for the Fred & Lena Meijer scholarship program.
With tuition costs rising, scholarships make a significant impact in making education more affordable. To apply for or donate to the Community Foundation's scholarship program, here is the information you'll need:
- You can also show your support for the Community Foundation by engaging with them on
Facebook and
Twitter.
Source: Ruth Bishop, Education Program Officer at the Grand Rapids Community Foundation
Writer: Heidi Stukkie, Do Good Editor
Logo provided by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.
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