Free Student Grants: How to Get Money for College…
A student's life is pretty much predictable. There's school work, grueling summer jobs, nonexistent social life, and, of course, money matters.
People say all the time that anyone can get an education, but in practice, not everyone does. Why? Because education can be expensive.
It costs money to hire teachers to explain to you the complexities of chemistry, mathematics, business management, computer technology, and the like. It costs money to buy books so you can study for the quizzes and exams that your professors regularly give. It costs money to rent an apartment or a flat to live close to school so you don't have to commute every day (which, by the way, may cost you even more).
And that's not all there is to it. There are plenty more expenses that come hand-in-hand with your pursuit of a higher education. So how do you get the money you need for college?
The obvious answer would be your parents. But as mentioned, money for college can be pretty steep. There's every chance that your parents may not be able to shoulder all the costs. And they have to eke out a living for themselves, too. They have prescriptions to maintain, and they won't always be there to help you out. So what then?
Tip! Applying for free government grant money takes a lot of skill. The art and science of applying for grant programs is called grantsmanship. Grantsmanship is no walk in the park and no stroll at the beach. The application process alone requires a lot from you, namely, money and time.
Your second option is either free student grants or student loans. If anything, these are the two best options you have in order to earn a college degree.
Student Grant - What's it all about? Student grants are a type of student aid that is awarded to deserving individuals by the government. Contrary to what some people think, a student grant is actually different from a student loan. One difference is that when you have qualified for a grant, it means you no longer have to pay back the money you receive.
On the other hand, when you apply for a student loan, it means you are obliged to repay the money within a certain specified period, depending on what was agreed upon between you and the creditor.
Like student loans, student grants are based upon financial need of the student. Using a particular formula developed by the federal aid program, your parents' income and the average cost of college are then calculated to come up with a basic estimate of how much money you ought to receive on your student grant.
Tip! A federal grant is onerous, which means that there are conditions and obligations that require compliance. And often, these obligations and conditions are major, the amount of money you receive from the grant dependent on how large-scale or important the project is.
Of course, parents and students prefer student grants to student loans, because they do not have to be repaid. However, you should remember that there are certain factors that affect how much money you receive for college.
Factor #1: Limited Funds.
Because grants are essentially free money, the funds available for them are limited. After all, government can only spare so much money for those in need and at the same time keep funding other projects they may have. For this reason, student grants will not usually fully fund all your educational expenses.
If you are planning on attending a community college, however, tuition rates will be lower. That means it is possible that your student grant will cover a greater percentage of the tuition and fees. But if you have chosen a private college, then be prepared to apply for student loans in addition to your grant just to keep your head above water.
Tip! If you are put on a waiting list or denied outright, don’t wait. Revamp and polish your proposal and hand it in somewhere else. Each time your work gets better.
Factor #2: Expected Contribution of Parent Higher
A free student grant is based on your need. Before a grant is awarded, the federal aid program will have to conduct a need analysis first in order to properly assess how much money they will give you to help you out in college.
The thing is that when they do the analysis, the expected contribution of the parent is usually higher than in reality what is possible for most families. Naturally, this would affect the amount available to you for grants.
Factor #3: ‘Independent' Students Get More.
If the parent or guardian claims the student as a dependent on income tax returns, this effects the amount of aid available to the student. In general, a student who is “independent” of the parents, as far as the tax law goes, will receive more in financial aid awards.
In addition, first year students may find that they receive less grant awards than they do in subsequent college years. | 
