Scholarships and Financial Aid

College education in the United States comes at a high cost, with annual fees ranging from $20,770 for public schools, up to $46,950 for private schools.  In fact, on average, students graduate with over $37,000 of student loan debt. The topic of student loan debt in the United States is an increasingly contentious issue and has left many parents and students like contemplating whether a four-year college education is even worth it.  The good news is that college expenses can be drastically reduced – and in some cases, eliminated altogether – through scholarships. While the process of identifying and applying to scholarships can be tedious and time-consuming, they can help students overcome the financial obstacles that stand in the way of their future careers.  While the best college scholarships are highly competitive, there are strategies that can be used to improve your chances of being awarded one. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the most important application to complete in order to qualify for almost all types of financial aid including federal, state, local, and private grants and scholarships.    
(source: www.chamberofcommerce.org)