Get A Degree In Technology With The Help Of Government Grants!

With the ever-upward spiraling cost of higher education, a high school student with dreams of getting a Bachelor’s of Science degree - or a young technician looking to get Masters or more - seems to be getting grimmer and grimmer. Their academic/work records qualify for the top schools, but the costs leave a lot to be desired. Federal/state financing just isn’t enough, even when tapping into such sources as Pell grants.

The U.S. is indeed suffering from a shortage in just about every aspect of the technological professions. It’s been said that the measure of a nation is based on the number of people in technology it can support. Colleges - both online and on campus - are receiving a lot more financial aid to produce more Bachelors of Science. Others, from public corporations to private societies, have also signed up with grants, if only because they realize their own survival is dependent on it.

A student looking for this financial aid should first and foremost go to the schools of his choice and quickly sit down with a financial aid officer. This person’s job is to get the student the cash needed to pay for such things as tuition, fees, text books and even living expenses. This doesn’t mean the young acolyte shouldn’t do his or her own homework. A quick scan of Google or any other search engine will show there are a number of sources they might never have heard of. These sources include:

(1) Pell Grant: Sure, this is obvious, but should not be ignored. At the moment, this federal grant is capable of supplying up to $5,350 towards going to college. As said before, it’s probably not all you need, but can take a chunk out. While you’re at it, don’t forget the state you reside in. The funds from most of their lotteries are supposed to go towards financing education. Make sure they do.

(2) S-STEM Scholarship – This program was created by the Federal government specifically to help students get science degrees ranging from an Associates to even a Masters. In 2009, it awarded 100 scholarships ranging from $100,000 to $600,000, based on both academics and need. To find out more one should go to the National Science Foundation, who works with the Board of Education on this program.

(3) Corporate Scholarships – Many technological and similar corporations find it in their best interest, both for tax reasons and as a source for recruiting, to set up scholarship funds. This includes companies such as Microsoft, which has its own scholarship/work-study program for computer engineers, to Mobil Oil, where there is a very high demand need for petroleum engineers.

(4) Professional Organizations: Every profession comes with its own society or other form of professional organization. In turn, these organizations almost always have some sort of educational financial aid program. It’s a good way of maintaining the ranks. As it happens, engineering has virtually dozens of them. Some of them include the National Society of Professional Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers, which even has a few web pages on continuing online education, or as they call it, “distance learning".

So while it is true the cost of education is constantly climbing, the resourceful student can find outlets that will definitely come to their assistance. From the well known graduate school scholarships, to the lesser known private corporation sponsors, searching for federal grants proves a little research can go a long way in this area. If you feel that a career in any of the above mentioned sciences is the right fit for you and would like more information on online college grants, check the internet.