5 Reasons to Use Federal Student Aid

By Terry Howell

Servicemembers and veterans have a tendency to discount the value of applying for Federal Student Aid (FSA) programs because they have the GI Bill. In most cases veterans and active-duty are eligible to apply FSA though they are maybe using their GI Bill or other programs.

Here are five reasons you shouldn’t blow-off FSA:
1. There is only one application, called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), for all the federally sponsored education aid programs including subsidized and unsubsidized loans, and Pell Grants.

2. FSA can help cover the initial cost of starting school (enrollment and lab fees, up-front tuition, books , etc.)until your GI Bill kicks in. It can take up to 45 days for your benefits to start.

3. You may qualify for free money! That’s right Pell Grants are just that - grants – they are a gift.

4. Applying for FSA is not binding; you can turn down any loans you do not want.

5. FSA is less expensive than borrowing from private sources or running up your credit cards.

As a person who has used every possible source of education money, I can tell you that FSA is worth the effort. In fact, I received Pell Grants as an E-7 when I was on active-duty.

You can learn more about Federal Student Aid.

About the Author: A Retired Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer, Terry completed his BS in Management and Communications using a combination of CLEP exams, credit for military service, and distance learning while on active-duty. Terry now serves as Managing Editor for the Education Channel at Military.com.

1st Cav Scholarship Program

By Terry Howell

Another new scholarship has become available, this time for 1st Cavalry Division Soldiers and their families.

As the costs of tuition at most universities and colleges continue to rise, 1st Cavalry Division Soldiers and their families have an option available to them which helps defray some of the costs incurred when seeking higher education.

The 1st Cavalry Division Association, a non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian Soldiers and veterans fraternity, provides this opportunity to First Team families in the form of a scholarship grant from the association's scholarship foundation.

Read more...

Foundation Awards Veteran Scholarships

By Terry Howell

This week I had the honor of attending the Imagine America Foundation’s 2008 LDRSHIP Awards ceremony in Washington D.C. The award ceremony celebrated the accomplishments and exceptional academic performance of six deserving young military veterans. Not only did all six serve their country with honor and distinction, they also maintained 3.5 or higher grade point averages and perfect attendance. Each of the six honoraries will receive up to $5,000 toward their education.

The ceremony was held in a House of Representatives Committee room overlooking the U.S. Capitol - a great venue for honoring the hard work of commitment made by the students who had once served to protect our nation. Family members, school representatives, and several congressmen were present to pass along their congratulations and thanks to the young veterans.

The scholarships were presented by the Imagine America Foundation (IAF), the Career Colleges Association (CCA) and Military.com.

The IAF established the Military Leadership Award in 2004 to recognize and honor exceptional career college students who have served their country honorably in the military and decided to further their education at Imagine America participating institutions. The scholarship is open to active-duty, reserve, retired and honorably discharged military personnel attending career colleges. To qualify for consideration, eligible students must also maintain a minimum of 3.5 GPA and 95 percent or higher attendance record.

This is only one of hundreds of such scholarships available to servicemembers and veterans each year. There are two ways you can learn about these scholarship opportunities – ask your school and visit the Military.com “Scholarship Finder.”

About the author:
A Retired Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer, Terry completed his BS in Management and Communications using a combination of CLEP exams, credit for military service, and distance learning while on active-duty. Terry now serves as Managing Editor for the Education Channel at Military.com.