Learn About College Scholarships for Homeschoolers

Learn About College Scholarships for Homeschoolers The cost of attending college can be staggering. With current averages putting the cost of one year of public college for an in-state student at over $9,000 annually and one year of private college at over $32,000 per year, most students will need some type of financial aid to offset the economic  burden of a post-secondary education. The good news for homeschooling families is that homeschooled students qualify for most of the same college scholarships as their public- and private-schooled peers. What Is a College Scholarship? There are several types of financial aid available to help students pay for college. The  three main types are loans (federal, state, or private), grants, and scholarships. Loans are funds that are borrowed and must be repaid with interest. Some loans are based on demonstrated financial need while others are available to any student. Grants do not have to be repaid. These can be based on financial need, or they may be merit-based or student specific. For example, grants may be offered to minority students or those studying for a specific field, such as teaching. Scholarships are financial aid awards that do not have to be repaid. They are awarded based on a variety of criteria. Sometimes those criteria are based on academic or athletic performance, but they can also include military or community service, a student’s heritage, unique skills and hobbies, and musical or artistic talent. What Types of College Scholarships Are There? Scholarships may be awarded by colleges, private organizations, or employers. State scholarships are often available to in-state students who meet grade-point average (GPA) requirements. Homeschooled students may have to submit SAT or ACT scores or complete one year of college with a minimum GPA to qualify. (Once a student has qualified for a state scholarship, it often pays retroactively.) Need-based scholarships are awarded based on a student’s financial need. These are usually federally-  or state-funded scholarships that factor the cost of attendance minus the expected family contribution to determine the student’s need. The first step in qualifying for a need-based scholarship is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Merit-based scholarships are awarded based on student achievement in academics, athletics, or other areas such as art music or art. These may be awarded by the school, the state, private institutions, or organizations. Student-specific scholarships are those that are awarded based on criteria specific to individual students. There are scholarships for minority students, those with specific disabilities or religious affiliations, students of particular ethnicity, and those with a  military association through the student or his parents. Career-specific scholarships may be awarded to students pursuing a particular career field such as teaching, healthcare, engineering, or math. Where Can Homeschoolers Find Scholarships? To begin the search for potential college scholarships, try  specialized search engines such as the College Board’s BigFuture search or  FastWeb. If a scholarship description doesn’t specifically state homeschooled student eligibility, ask for clarification. Students may also wish to seek out scholarships through specific organizations. One of the best known academic scholarships may be the National Merit Scholarship, based on PSAT and NMSQT scores. Homeschooled students are eligible for this scholarship as long as they take the qualifying test at a local high school or another approved testing location. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) offers scholarships to student athletes and offers eligibility guidelines for college-bound homeschooled athletes. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NCIA) also offers athletic scholarships for which homeschoolers are eligible. Female students pursuing a career in engineering, computer science or engineering technology can apply for scholarships from the Society of Women Engineers. Chick-Fil-A offers scholarships to its team members and homeschoolers are eligible. Homeschool curriculum publisher Sonlight offers scholarships to homeschooled students who use their curriculum. Homeschooled students (along  with public- and private-schooled students)  with a documented learning disability and ADD or ADHD are eligible to apply for  a scholarship through the  RiSE Scholarship Foundation. Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) offers four annual scholarship contests for homeschooled students and maintains a list of scholarship opportunities that are open to homeschoolers.

How to Withdraw from a Class

How to Withdraw from a Class While you know how to register for classes, knowing how to withdraw from a class can be a little more challenging. After all, your school probably didnt go over how to drop a class during orientation week; everyone is too busy planning and preparing for the start of a new semester. Sometimes, however, your awesome start-of-the-semester plans dont work out and you need to drop one or more classes. So just where do you begin? Talk to Your Academic Adviser Talking with your academic adviser is an absolute necessity, so start there. Be prepared, however; your adviser will likely want to ask you a few questions about why youre dropping and, if applicable, talk about whether or not you should drop the class. If you both decide that dropping the course is the best option, however, your adviser will have to sign off on your forms and approve the decision. He or she can also help you plan out how youre going to make up the course content and/or units that youll need to graduate. Talk to Your Professor You likely cant just drop the class without talking to the professor (even if theyre a bad one) or at least the TA. They are accountable for your progress in the class and for turning in your final grade at the end of the semester. Make an appointment or stop in during office hours to let your professor and/or TA know that youre dropping the class. If youve already talked to your academic adviser, the conversation should go pretty smoothly- and quickly. And given that youll likely need your professors signature on a form or approval to drop, this step is a requirement as well as a courtesy. Head to the Registrar's Office Even if your academic adviser and your professor know that youre going to drop the class, you have to officially let your college know. Even if you can do everything online, check in with your registrar to make sure you have submitted everything they need and that youve submitted it on time. Additionally, follow-up to make sure everything goes through okay. While you may have submitted your materials, they may not have received them for whatever reason. You dont want your withdrawal to turn into a ​fail on your transcript, and its much easier to confirm now that your drop went through okay than it is to correct things in several months when you realize an error was made. Tie up Any Loose Ends Make sure to let any lab partners know that youve dropped the class, for example. Similarly, return any equipment you may have checked out and remove yourself from the list of students who have a music rehearsal space reserved on a rotation basis. You dont want to needlessly be using resources that other students need or, even worse, be charged for their use when you dont need them any longer.