When going to college, there are a number of factors to take into consideration. Money is one of the biggest, if not the biggest issue that has to be addressed before you can decide on which college you are going to attend.

The costs of colleges are expensive and that is what is driving the youth away from them and they seek employment instead of education. It is reported that the dropouts cost the society billions of dollars.

However, there is a chance for you to go to college and have to part only from the expenses. That can be done through scholarships.

Some scholarships cover the whole of the cost of college leaving you in a great position as you get a degree without spending any money.

There is a misconception that scholarships are only based on the grades you get in school. It is true that some scholarships are based on academic merit but not all of them.

Here are the different types of scholarships.

Academic

As mentioned above, the majority of scholarships awarded by colleges are for the students who have excelled at their academics. Having good grades gives you a great chance to qualify for merit-based scholarships. T

There are also organizations that provide scholarships for students who have achieved success in their studies. These are mostly community based. Apart from high grades, you can qualify for an academic specific scholarship through community service or getting a high score on a standardized exam such as the SAT.

Need

If a student is unable to bear the expenses of college, then he may qualify for a need-based scholarship. The family’s financial condition has to be assessed by a relevant authority that can certify that the student cannot afford to pay for college. Generally, students who are good at academics but under-privileged are easily able to obtain such scholarships, provided they can prove that their monetary situation is not adequate enough.

Students

There are some scholarships allocated by the college, often prescribed by the government, which require the student to fulfill certain demographics to be able to qualify. The student must be of the requisite gender, age or faith in order to be eligible for such scholarships. These scholarships are often for the students who belong to a minority group of the society.

Career

This type of scholarship is for the students who are interested in a specific field of study, which they plan to study at college. These scholarships are more common for students who choose a vocation or profession that is in high demand.

An example of that is medicine or law enforcement, as the college appreciates the fact that the student will be working in profession that includes service to the community, besides being lucrative.

There are many other ways to obtain aid for your financial woes such as government grants and student loans.

However, you should prioritize looking for colleges that offer scholarships so that the weight of money does not prove to be a colossal burden on you and your family.