You have heard the expression many times before ? if you think college is expensive, you ought to see how expensive ignorance is. While there might be some wry humor in that expression, there should be no excuse for someone not going to college these days. There may be very valid reasons for not going to college, but a lack of financial funding should clearly not be one of those reasons.
College grants and college scholarships are abounding today, and in fact, many of the available grants and scholarships actually are not awarded every year, for the simple reason that nobody applied for them! As crazy as that sounds, it is true. Businesses and corporations use the college grant and college scholarships they offer as a tax writeoff, and if it is not awarded, then they lose out on that writeoff, so they are more anxious than ever to award these college grants and college scholarships.
One common myth which is held by many people is that you need to show a financial need before you will be awarded a college grant or college scholarship, or that you need to excel in a particular area, like the star quarterback in football, the ace basketball player who can shoot three-pointers all day long, the violin player or the piano player where it appears that Carnegie Hall is clearly in their very talented musical future, etc. But note that I said these are ?myths?. In other words, these perceptions are incorrect.
Today, a college grant or college scholarship is available to virtually any student who has the motivation and the incentive to fill out the application forms. In fact, many students get multiple scholarships and grants, simply because they sat down and took the time to fill out the applications. These are students who do not excel in sports, in music, in drama, or any other area ? they simply want to go to college, they understand the importance of having a college education in today's very competitive real world, and they made the time to go through the steps required.
While there are both grants and scholarships available, grants are more likely to be awarded based on financial need, whereas scholarships are not nearly as closely tied to whether or not there is a financial need. But then again, when you look at the cost of a college education these days, after considering living expenses in a dorm or a campus apartment, meals, books and other very basic necessities, the cost of that college education is going to run well into five figures, perhaps even six figures, so a financial need is not going to be hard to justify for virtually anyone.
College grants and college scholarships differ greatly from the usual student loans like the FAFSA loan that is available through almost any college's financial aid or admissions office. A student loan needs to be paid back. Although payments usually do not start until after the student has graduated and the interest rate is quite low, the fact that it needs to be paid back makes grants and scholarships a much more attractive option to pursue, since neither grants nor scholarships need to be paid back.
Take the time to search out the many resources available for a college grant or college scholarship. After graduation, it is much better for you if you start out by not being in a huge pile of debt, but can start clean with your new degree.
Imagine sitting down at your computer and with a few clicks, finding yourself a few hundred -- or even thousand -- dollars richer. No, I'm not talking about Internet gambling or a get-rich-quick scheme. This money is totally legal. In fact, it's already yours, you just have to make claim to it. Sounds too good to be true, I know, but there are billions of dollars out there just waiting to be claimed by ordinary people just like you and me.
Where does this money come from? It might be a long forgotten bank account that you left behind when you moved, or a relative's insurance policy that was never cashed. It may be a bond you purchased under your maiden name and forgot about. When these funds sit idle for a certain number of years, financial institutions are required to turn the money over to the state.
Same thing goes for things left in safe deposit boxes. When they've sat untouched for a number years the contents go to the state. But what's the state going to do with Grandma's wedding ring? Actually, many states auction off the property ? think eBay ? and then hold the money until they can find the owner.
Imagine it, the government looking for you ? to GIVE you money! What a concept! If the government is holding onto money that could be sitting in your bank account or wallet, you'll probably want to know where it is, and how to get it back.
Each state has various ways of trying to connect people with their lost assets. Every year, generally in April, there will be an insert in newspapers listing the latest names added to the list of lost owners. Some states set up displays at public events, libraries and fairs. Others work with local lawmakers to try and get the word out. But the quickest, easiest way to find out if you have any unclaimed assets is to search an online database.
Most states have their own database that you can access by going to the state's Website. A wonderful resource for anyone looking for unclaimed property is www.missingmoney.com, a site run by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. It contains a wealth of information on abandoned property, and contact information for each state. It also allows you to do a nationwide search through links to each individual state, and it's all free.
For those that can't or don't want to take on the task themselves, there are companies that will do the searching for you. Sometimes called heir finders or asset locators, the firms help reunite owners with their property for a fee. Beware, however, that legitimate companies will never ask for payment before the property is returned to the rightful owner and whatever they charge should be a percentage of the money to be returned, not a flat fee. And before signing anything, have the company identify the property and verify that it's yours.
Once you've located your own abandoned property, spread the word. There are billions of dollars out there just waiting to be claimed.
Both Jon A & Marcia Keppy are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jon A has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Sports Car and Acid Reflux. Jon is a computer engineer who maintains web sites on a variety of topics based on his knowledge and experience. You can read more about finding college grants and college scholarships at his web site at. Jon A's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
Marcia Keppy has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Education Grants and Finances. Marcia Keppy is an expert in the field of unclaimed property. She has assisted numerous individuals, accountants, lawyers and financial advisors recover assets. For more details on how to protect your assets and search for unclaimed property go to. Marcia Keppy's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.