Help is out there for high school seniors.
With local students looking to continue their education beyond high school, there are options available to help them achieve their goals. During the 2005-06 school year, the College Board, a nonprofit association whose mission is to connect students and colleges, reported about $134.8 billion in financial aid was given out nationally to help students with tuition and related costs.
“We understand how murky the financial aid process can be,” said Anna Custer, a spokeswoman for Comcast. “So, we are excited to be able to harness the power of On Demand to offer families very relevant and timely information.”
Comcast is offering free, 5-minute segments titled “Scholarships ON DEMAND,” as part of its digital cable package. These combine local schools, organizations and businesses as they provide information on scholarship opportunities, financial aid and planning.
Instead of financial planning assistance, other businesses are offering direct scholarship opportunities. The Maryland Capital Chapter of the American Business Women?s Association recently approved a $2,000 scholarship for Anne Arundel County women. The Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. also offers several scholarship opportunities, some of which are associated with Johns Hopkins University.
And helping Baltimore students going to college also seems to be a priority for local universities. Johns Hopkins offers a full tuition scholarship for Baltimore City public high school students who are accepted.
There are, however, some pitfalls involved when looking for scholarships. Many services help students search for scholarships that best fit their needs, but the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland warns against the ones that are looking to scam people out of their college fund.
More information
» The deadline for students to turn in their Free Application for Federal Student Aid for fall enrollment is March 1. For more information, go to fafsa.ed.gov.
