There are countless benefits to getting a higher degree. The fact that getting such a degree opens the door to many more job opportunities should be tempting enough. However, going through the college experience can open one’s mind in ways that not many other experiences can offer. Going to college also helps anyone improve their communication skills. That doesn’t just happen during class, but also through socializing outside of class.
The problem with getting higher education in the US is just how ridiculously expensive it is. For that reason alone, many folks out there won’t even consider applying for college. The idea of going to college just to end up with debt that you have to work years to pay off doesn’t seem like the most logical one. And, obviously, there are merit-based scholarships, but not everyone has the academic or athletic skills for those.
Is it really worth it to invest that much time into education? And, how does one actually go to college without ending up in debt for years? Those are the questions we’re here to answer in this article. Our goal is to give you a bigger picture of what the potential outcomes of going to college would be. Also, we want to give you potential options you could look into before deciding to take a student loan.
Perks Of Going To College
We should start off by saying that we don’t think that every single person should go to college. While going to college can be overall beneficial, not everyone’s careers or lives need to go in that specific direction. A lot of blue-collar jobs don’t require formal education certificates. And, even some white-collar jobs don’t require them. However, formal education will probably affect the career of a white-collar worker. We’ll get into that later. First, we want to take a look at how formal education can influence your skills and personality.
Leveling-Up Your Skills
Many people believe that going to school is all about listening to your lecturer and jotting down whatever they say. The same people believe that school is all about tests, grades, and homework. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to proper education. If you’re getting taught well, then you should be learning how to learn. Whatever you hear in lectures/classes, you can probably find somewhere on Youtube or in your books. But, when we’re considering proper education, you should be learning how to go through said books and other resources, and learning information on your own.
Think of any technical field, be it engineering, medicine, or pharmacology. The students who attend those faculties don’t just use the information they get in classes and use them exclusively for the rest of their careers. Those students actually just scratch the surface of what is to be their profession.
So, if you find yourself thinking “Can’t I just read books and learn the same thing?” That question can be answered with a reluctant “yes.” However, much like a lot of things in life, we just don’t know where to start, or how to proceed. That’s where formal education steps in and helps put you on the right track.
Learning How To Communicate Clearly
Let’s circle back to those students who sit quietly in class jotting down notes. It’s quite likely that if you talk to them after class, they won’t have much to say. However, if you talk to the students who make comments and discuss things with their lecturer, they’ll most likely have a lot to say. See, there’s this famous quote by Albert Einstein that goes “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
And, communicating in and out of class is all about that. When you’re giving presentations or writing an essay, you’re basically trying to get your point across. When you’re studying in college, you’re learning about a wide variety of complex topics. As a student doing their homework or giving a presentation, it’s your job to explain those topics to both lecturers and students alike. So, you’d need to learn how to communicate clearly and accurately at the same time. That skill is arguably one of the most important ones you’ll need throughout your life.
Your Passions May Come To You
Alright, so we’re all aware of how the typical academic system can be a little boring, especially when it comes to classes, homework, and so on. But, surprisingly, that may turn out to be in your favor. While studying whatever major, you’ll most likely have core subjects and other supplementary ones. During this process of studying things you might enjoy, and others you might not, you might actually find something you like. If not, you might end up learning what you’re into by the process of elimination.
Developing Your Critical Thinking
One more thing about the variety of subjects you may study at college is the ability to look at a subject from different angles. Did you ever wonder why some engineering students have to study chemistry or statistics? That’s exactly the reason why. When you get the chance in college to study different things, and also discuss opinions and facts, you learn how to be more flexible towards how to perceive different information and different issues. The ability to receive information and take the time to think it over, and possibly refute it, is called critical thinking. Critical thinking is how innovation happens. Different people will have different ways of tackling an issue. That’s how we come up with creative solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems.
Federal Educational Grants You Can Apply For
There’s an important thing you should know about federal educational grants. Grants are not the same as loans. What separates the two is the fact that you don’t necessarily have to pay grant funds back. With that in mind, you can easily get why these grants are so popular among those who need them. There are 2 types of grants, merit-based grants, and need-based grants. Merit-based grants will need you to have some kinds of achievements, mostly academic or sports-related. Need-based grants are the ones that help out those in financial need.
Considering the government is willing to give people funds for their education, without expecting a payback, it’s very understandable that the government will have certain qualifying criteria for those who are to receive those funds. We’ll look into 3 significant educational grant programs. We’ll discuss the benefits they provide, as well as how to be eligible for them.
Federal Pell Grant
This can be considered among the most popular federal grant programs. The Pell grant serves a specific category of students. That category consists of undergraduate students who display a serious need for financial aid. Students who receive funds through the Pell grant have to use them towards their education. This grant can give up to $7,395 to each applicant, per academic year.
Here’s How You Can Apply For The Federal Pell Grant
You’ll find that the majority of federal grant programs require you to fill in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. The Pell grant is no exception. It’s essential that students confirm all information they provide on their student aid form. Once the government processes the student aid form, they’ll start evaluating the student’s financial needs and the extent of benefits they’re willing to provide him/her.
The government actually has an equation to calculate the things mentioned above. That equation is based on two factors: Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) & Cost Of Attendance (COA).
Your EFC is based on your family’s taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits. There are other contributing factors, such as the number of members in your family, as well as the number of members in your family who are going to college.
Your COA will include the following factors:
- Tuition and fees
- The cost of room and board (or living expenses for students who do not contract with the school for room and board)
- The cost of books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and miscellaneous expenses (including a reasonable amount for the documented cost of a personal computer)
- An allowance for child care or other dependent care
- Costs related to a disability
- Reasonable costs for eligible study-abroad programs.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
This is another one of those popular educational grant options. It also aims to help out students who struggle financially while pursuing higher education. There are a few things that separate FSEOG from Pell. Most significantly, FSEOG benefits are only available through schools that participate in the program. Schools that participate in FSEOG will be given a certain amount of funds to provide financial assistance to eligible students. That means if the funds run out, the school won’t be able to provide FSEOG benefits to any more students for that academic year.
Here’s How To Apply For The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Remember when we told you most grants start by filling in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form? Well, FSEOG requires you to do the exact same thing. Also, the government will look into the information you provide and decide whether you’re eligible or not. If you are, the government will decide on how much to grant you. Students can receive anywhere between $100 and $4,000 per academic year through FSEOG.
Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant
This grant really stands out among others. To receive TEACH benefits you need to do more than just apply. TEACH focuses on helping students who are willing to invest their time and effort into teaching others. However, much like other grants, TEACH will only fund eligible students. To qualify for TEACH, you need to meet the following criteria:
- You need to be an undergraduate, post baccalaureate, or graduate student at a school that participates in the TEACH Grant Program.
- There are minimum academic standard requirements. (They mostly have to do with your grades. You should ask your school’s financial aid office about it)
- You’ll need to go through a certain orientation course that’ll teach you all the terms and conditions of the program. You’ll need to attend that course for every year you receive TEACH funds.