Geneva offers a variety of scholarships and grants to incoming first-year students and transferring students. But what you might not know is that there are more ways to pay for college than just with the money that Geneva can offer to you in a grant or a scholarship!
What’s the difference between a scholarship, a grant and a loan?
Scholarships
Scholarships are, by definition, “a grant of payment made to support a student’s education, awarded on the basis of academic or other achievement” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). In Geneva’s case, students are awarded a scholarship based on a combination of their SAT/ACT scores and high school grades. Students can be awarded $7,500-$15,000 per year! Here’s a rundown of the scholarships for incoming first-year students.
|
Pro Christo Scholarship |
$60,000 ($15,000 per year) |
|
Founders Scholarship |
$54,000 ($13,500 per year) |
|
Alumni Scholarship |
$48,000 ($12,000 per year) |
|
Northwood Award |
$30,000 ($7,500 per year) |
These scholarships can help you make college possible, but it gets better. Geneva’s Institutional Advancement Department works tirelessly to maintain relationships with alumni of Geneva who have graciously donated funds in the form of grants to students who show financial need.
Grants
Grants are defined as a sum of money given by an organization, or person, for a particular purpose. At Geneva, Alumni and other donors grant money to be given to students for the furtherance of their education. These benefactors see the work being done at Geneva to be profitable so they invest in the future of the students who fill her classrooms in order to continue the tradition and mission of faithful and fruitful service to Christ and Country.
What’s really cool is that Geneva hosts a Scholarship Recognition Dinner every year in honor of the benefactors who give to make Geneva the amazing college it continues to be. Students have the opportunity to meet their benefactor and thank them for their support and investment. Also, the food is pretty bangin..
Loans
Unless you’re paying $35,450 out of your pockets every year for tuition, room and board, you can file for the FAFSA which is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Basically, you fill out this application and the government decides if you are eligible to receive student financial aid. Depending on your eligibility, you might receive money from the government that you have to eventually pay back. These are called loans. There are two types of loans: Subsidized and Unsubsidized.
Whether subsidized or unsubsidized, loans are a helpful way of paying for college. Just remember that loans need to be paid back so it is best to be careful with how many loans you take out! Otherwise you’ll be eating Ramen and PB&J’s for the next 15 years.
Outside scholarships
Most people don’t take advantage of outside scholarships as much as they could. There is actually a lot of free money out there. You just have to find it! Here are a few places where you can look.
All scholarships have a catch. And here it is: you have to seek them out. Taking the time to apply can seem mundane, but I can guarantee that it will be worth the time and your efforts will pay off in the end. Literally.
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
May 13, 2016
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) deadline is approaching, therefore knowing what exactly you need to do before the deadline is critical to ensure you receive as much Financial Aid as possible. Filling out a FAFSA can seem like a daunting task, so we have broken it down for you.
Federal work study programs help students and colleges that often have more work to do than staff to do it. Work study is a great way to help pay for college and gain valuable professional experience. To find out more about how the work study program works, keep reading.
To encourage students to enter STEM education, Geneva is offering the Noyce Grant. The purpose of this grant is to provide students with financial assistance and stability during their pursuit of their STEM degree. The hope is to open students' minds to the possibility of using their STEM degree to teach in the K-12 grades in their future careers.
The Honors Program at Geneva College seeks out students who clearly exemplify a determination in their educational endeavors directly out of high school and throughout college. The program is designed to encourage students to continue the same academic excellence throughout their entire college career.
Though college can be stressful, it is still one of the many decisions that all people need to think about. Geneva College not only offers an amazing personalized education for prospective students, but they are willing to help all students financially to obtain a high-value degree.
There's enough "fake news" out there already. Don’t fall for these myths you have have heard about federal student aid and the application process.
So much financial aid for college depends on a completely filled out and signed Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA). Avoid these five common mistakes to give yourself the best chance to get the money you need for a great college education.
With the promises of God as a model of authenticity and commitment, Geneva is happy to be a Preferred College Partner of The Pittsburgh Promise. This program promotes high educational aspirations among urban youth, funds scholarships for college, and fuels a prepared and diverse workforce in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region.
Learn how you can maximize financial aid, even after you have started pursuing your degree!
Concerned with what it takes to reenter school? Whether you’re interested in pursuing a graduate degree or finishing a bachelor’s program, push those worries aside and learn about the flexibility and affordability available to adult learners.
Learn more about Geneva College.
Have questions? Call us at 724-847-6505.
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