Scholarships 2010

One of the largest minorities in the United States is the African American community. Having migrated from various countries across Africa like Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, to name a few, this community has contributed to the United States in more ways than one can imagine. African Americans have played a major role in the evolution of the American culture through their literature, food, art, music etc. The fact remains, however, that a lot of students from this community are unable to pursue higher studies owing to financial constraints. This is where scholarships meant for specifically helping this community in further studies come into play.

There are a number of scholarships that are available for African Americans. Some of the more prominent ones are listed below:

1. United Negro College Fund: One of the oldest and largest scholarship organizations, the United Negro College Fund has helped thousands of African American students avail scholarship. To qualify for a scholarship with this institution, students are required to enroll in an affiliated college. One would need to apply for the scholarship using the specific forms available through the United Negro College Fund. Once a student applies, the organization processes the application and helps the applicant choose the best available scholarship program, based on the course applied and the quantum of financial aid required.

2. Thurgood Marshall College Fund: This Fund offers scholarships to meritorious students with a genuine need for financing their higher studies. The Fund specifies that students utilize the scholarship only for purchasing study material, hostel boarding fees and tuition and/or other educational fees.

3. Vivien Thomas Scholarship: Sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the Vivien Thomas Scholarship is offered to African American students who are pursuing degree courses in science or medicine. The scholarship was created to commemorate the life of an African American named Vivien Thomas who withstood the challenges of racism and similar hostilities and went on to become an established surgeon.

4. Ron Brown Scholar Program: The Ron Brown Scholar Program has a history of successfully helping African American students avail scholarships worth $40,000. All the students chosen for this scholarship, in addition to being financially deprived, distinguished themselves in academic achievement, leadership, and instances of community service. The major feature of this scholarship program as opposed to other programs is that it does not restrict applicants from studying only in a chosen few colleges. The scholarship program from Ron Brown offers up to $10,000 annually for a four-year degree, and covers tuition fees, health insurance, study materials, and even computers.

In addition to these scholarships, there are programs reserved for women students seeking financial aid. The “Miss Teen Africa” competition does not limit itself to choosing women for their good looks. Winners of the competition are also offered the option of a scholarship for higher studies.

While deciding which scholarship program to choose, students would do well to first analyze their own financial needs, the course they are interested in studying and the place where the scholarship may be availed. One should also take adequate care to choose only such scholarship organizations that have an established credibility and have a history of offering scholarships to genuine students.

College education is an expensive academic goal. This is especially true in the case of financially challenged minorities like Hispanics. In fact, very few Hispanic students manage to raise enough funds to get through high school and college. However, as colleges are now looking out for new ways to make education more accessible to all students – regardless of their ethnicity or financial background – there are many scholarships available exclusively for minorities like Hispanics. Thanks to these Hispanic scholarships, deserving Hispanic students will no longer be forced to quit education for financial reasons.

Hispanic scholarships are available from various colleges, universities and organizations. While most scholarships are awarded for general courses, there are also ones for specialized courses like computer technology, actuarial sciences and engineering. The scholarships are generally available as varying amounts of cash awards depending on the organizations that sponsor them.

Notable Hispanic Scholarships

Here are some of the well-known scholarships for Hispanics that you may apply for:

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is a great place to begin looking for Hispanic scholarships. They have innumerable resources to address the needs and concerns of Hispanic students. In fact, the HSF currently supports the education of more than 3000 Hispanics nation wide.
The Google Scholarship Program provides financial aid for junior or senior students pursuing computer engineering or computer science in college.

For students pursuing engineering courses, there are Hispanic scholarships like the HP Scholar Award. The total value of this four-year scholarship amounts to more than $40,000 per student. This amount is also inclusive of three paid internships. This internship is the most valuable aspect of this particular scholarship.

Junior or senior students who are pursuing bachelor’s degree in nursing can apply for the Kaiser Permanente Caring program. If selected, the student receives $8,000 annually.

For Hispanic students pursuing degrees in business or engineering, there is the HSF/General Motors Scholarship Program that offers about $2500 in scholarships for exceptionally outstanding Hispanic students.

For students who are pursing a degree in pharmacy science, it would be a good idea to apply for the Costco Pharmacy Scholar Program. Students who are chosen for this scholarship are expected to work at any one Costco Pharmacy store for a minimum period of one year.

Also notable among the Hispanic scholarships is the Sallie Mae First-in-my-Family Scholarship. This program provides scholarships for Hispanic students who are the first in their family to attend college and are financially challenged. The scholarship amount ranges from $5000 to $5000.

To qualify for most of these Hispanic scholarships, a student must first apply for a federal student’s loan so as to establish his financial need. The applicant must also possess excellent academic records with GPA of 3.5. Once a student satisfies these as well as other criteria specified by the sponsoring companies, he will be granted annual scholarships starting from $1000.

Hispanic scholarships are greatly beneficial in helping out financially challenged Hispanics and helping them create better careers. Thanks to these scholarships, today more and more Hispanics are able to find their way into the top businesses and corporations in the country thereby doing their share in the development of the country.

When you come across writing scholarships or essay scholarships, it is easy for you to get discouraged believing that the competition is tough and that you stand no chance of winning. This is a completely wrong notion. The reason is that although everyone may write fairly well, only a few will be ready to invest the extra effort needed to write exceptionally well. This simple fact makes writing scholarships the best scholarship opportunity for students who are committed and talented enough to compose scholarship-standard essays.

Writing scholarships are often given out on the basis of your verbal abilities. While composing scholarship essays, remember to abide by the rules of grammar and spelling as well as the general tone and structure of the essay. Make your introduction and conclusion stand out. Try to discuss one main idea in each paragraph. It would be great if you can impart a style of your own. However that does not mean going for an overly informal tone unless the given criteria specifies so.

Tips to Help You Succeed

While writing scholarship essays, your main objective must be to convince the selection committee that you are the perfect candidate for the available scholarship. While this is easier said than done, it is not an impossible task to write an excellent essay that will get you the attention you deserve.

Here are some proven tips to compose a great essay:

• Brainstorm before you begin writing: Think of a good topic, generate some compelling ideas, discuss with others and finally create a rough draft of what you plan to write.
• Do not summarize the entire theme in the introduction: Nobody will bother to read through your complete essay if you offer a summary of the essay in the introduction paragraph. The introduction must be intriguing and create a mystery that compels the examiner to read on.
• Be original: The selection committee may review hundreds of essays. So, it is important to make your essay special. It is possible simply by being original and creative in writing scholarship essays. Even the blandest topic can be transformed into an exceptional theme if you adopt an innovative approach. In the essay, emphasize those qualities that are sought after by the particular audience.
• Use vivid language: Clever use of stories and anecdotes will spice up your essay and emphasize the point you wish to make.
• Revise and revise: Remember that there is a word limit on the essays. So use your words wisely. If you find words or expressions that do not blend in with your main argument, simply delete them. Re-order the supporting details and delete all irrelevant sections so that the more important points come into focus.
• Understand your audience: One personal essay will not fit all scholarship applications. Write a new one for every application. Remember to be mindful of the requirements and interests of the particular scholarship council while writing scholarship essays.

Remember, writing scholarships and winning them is actually possible, provided that you put in a bit of time and effort into the writing. The personal essay is obviously the biggest hurdle in a scholarship application. However, if composed well, it will make you stand out from the rest and earn you the scholarship too.