Up until this point, you’ve done everything right – filled out your college applications early, applied for scholarships often, submitted your FAFSA as soon as possible – but still college is beyond your reach. Then a last dollar scholarship may be just what you need to cover those minor expenses. These "last dollars" are intended to fill the gap between students' financial aid and the real costs of college, such as computers, books and supplies, room and board and even graduation expenses. A last dollar scholarship is awarded to a student whose official Expected Family Contribution (EFC), located on your Student Aid Report, and financial aid packages totals are less than the cost of tuition and fees. Last dollar scholarships vary greatly from state to state and can be the determining factor, in some cases, as to whether a student will attend college or not.
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If college is just an arm’s length away don’t panic, there are countless options available to fund your education. The College Opportunity Resources for Education (CORE) Philadelphia Last Dollar Scholarship offers up to $2,000 to Philadelphia high school seniors to help pay first-year college expenses. The Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access Grant provides an award from the State of Maryland which, when combined with the Federal Pell Grant and the EFC, will help cover the cost of full-time study at a Maryland college or university. Below are just some of the last dollar scholarship awards available to high school and college students. You can find more information on these and other awards by completing a profile and conducting a free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com.
The ACHE Police Officers and Firefighters Survivors Educational Assistance Program covers tuition, fees, books and supplies for dependents and eligible spouses of Alabama police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. There is no limit on the amount awarded to recipients. Awards are available for only undergraduate study at public institutions in Alabama. For more information or to [...] More
The Asparagus Club awards a maximum of ten scholarships per year. Each scholarship is $2,000 per semester not to exceed four consecutive semesters. Recipients must retain full-time student status and earn at least a 2.5 GPA to earn a scholarship each semester/quarter. Eligible applicants must be rising juniors, seniors, or graduate students who are earning a degree in a business, food management, [...] More
To be eligible for the Associated Grocers - Sam S. Politz Scholarship Fund, applicants must: be graduating from a high school in Louisiana and be enrolling full-time into an accredited university or college; an ACT score of 25 and a 3.5 GPA; and, must have taken honors or advanced placement courses. For more information, or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's [...] More
Sertoma's Scholarship for the Hard of Hearing or d/Deaf, is the leading funder of scholarships for Hard of Hearing or d/Deaf students since the program's inception in 1994. Students with a clinically-significant bilateral hearing loss, graduating from high school, or undergraduate students pursuing four-year college degrees in any discipline are eligible for the scholarship. Applicants must [...] More
Traditionally taken the first two weeks of May, the AP Exams test students’ knowledge from their Advanced Placement classes, with the possibility of being awarded college credit for a high score. Last year, the College Board made significant chances to the AP Exams in order to accommodate the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on students, schools and curriculums. This year, the exams will look more like they have in the past, but with some notable changes. [...]
Let’s say you’ve made it. You are enrolled in college, or have been for a year or two. You’re receiving some financial aid, or even a scholarship, but something’s missing. It’s money. No matter how generous the package you’re receiving is, there’s always one more book to buy, one more activity fee, one more dining hall bill… [...]
The coronavirus made laptops a necessity for college students. Where before students without personal computers or laptops could use on-campus computers and provided software to meet the technological needs of their courses, the shift last spring to online classes necessitated that students have a stable internet connection and a compatible device. While the majority of students were able to meet this requirement, according to a study by EDUCASE, some students found themselves without a modern laptop that could run the most up-to-date browser, use RAM-heavy software or keep up even with reliable high-speed Wi-Fi. One university has announced a unique remedy for this technical situation. [...]
