As a result of the uphill climb in tuition and fees, students are looking for ways to pay for school without dipping their feet into the loan pool.
In 2011, about 78 percent of students at SCC were getting loans, and, on average, $3,264 was granted to students taking out these loans.
Out of 11,479 SCC students in 2011, only 550 students were using active scholarships in the summer quarter, according to Julian Gomez, who works with students in the SCC financial aid office.
Scholarships are an easier way to pay for college because students don’t have to pay them back, which means much less burden after students have graduated.
To apply for the many scholarships SCC has to offer, students must fill out the SCC scholarship application before each quarter.
Once this application is filled out and sent in, students may be eligible for one of the many scholarships offered by SCC.
One of these scholarships includes the Central Plains Center Scholarship, which offers up to $2,200 a year for any student that has been in foster care or a ward of the state.
Another is the A-Z Scholarship, which can be awarded to any student regardless of immigration status and can be gained if all the requirements are met for any of the criteria that are allotted.
The A-Z scholarship information is ever changing, so students should check back on it prior to each quarter to see if qualifications are met.
The United Negro College Fund also has a broad range of scholarships to choose from, and many may be used even after graduation from SCC and used at a university.
There are many scholarships that students can apply for and utilize, so why are there so few applicants?
Perhaps it’s because students didn’t know how to go about applying for scholarships.
While some students may not be eligible for all these scholarships, it never hurts for students to apply for them and take a chance a getting some more aid in paying for a higher education.
If eligibility is an issue, students can also apply for financial aid with a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
The Financial Aid office at SCC can answer any questions about FAFSA.