The news is bad. Whether you have a college degree or not, its not pretty. You’re lucky if you have a job – and there are many well-educated, smart, capable people out of a job, unemployed – due to the general downward trajectory of the economy. So here’s a proposal that I think needs to be thought about a bit more.

Instead of the chants of “Global” “Global” that we’ve gotten used to over the last several years – we should look inward “Local” “Local”. That does not mean we should adopt an isolationist approach – I’m talking about the local (city – town) outlook and not on a national scale.

The problem is that we don’t have jobs and companies are moving jobs overseas. Cities face dwindling tax revenues and that’s going to get worse if there are less jobs (less jobs = less spending = less tax revenue). So if we can come up with a solution that allows cities to provide their young residents college grants to local universities and maybe even in partnership with private universities to foster a better society for their own city that would be great.

For example, a city can provide say cover 50% of the cost of going to an in-state institution with the condition that the student will work for the city for a few years or atleast stay in the city and find a local job. I know this is not the greatest idea, and it definitely needs a lot of revision and thinking – but I’m not above throwing out a less-than-perfect idea to foster debate.

The rough idea is that we should focus on developing strong local economies that will in turn have a positive affect on the national economy. That can be achieved through a partnership between local companies, municipalities and educational institutions all of which have a stake and interest in their local economy functioning well. Why? Because increasing multinationals will intrude on the space of local companies.

If we can develop a nice system that levels the playing field somewhat and fosters partnership between these 3 key areas – it would go a long way in making our economic woes better and it might take longer and the climb might be harder but it will be a permanent victory and not a temporary one.

For any student (undergrad or grad) or high school senior looking for scholarships, Google can be one daunting place.
Its a jungle out there! and if you go by what “experts” say you’ll find as many myriad opinions as the number of universities and colleges that exist out there.

So we here at Private School Grants decided to do a little research of our own, and we’ll share the “expert” opinions (both human and robot) and then give you our take. But for those if us who are not familiar with such search engines – a quick intro is needed.

Essentially, scholarship search engines (the FREE ones!) allow you to search for grants and scholarships according to your preferences, needs, major, etc. Its one of the most powerful resources you can utilize. Some are more advanced than others, some are more regularly updated then others. From our standpoint (the student – always!) there’s only one thing to consider: How many can you find in the shortest amount of time that you can apply for? That’s it – that’s the qualification we want to look at.

#1 Choice of the Search Engines:
The search engines (Google, Yahoo, etc) will most often give you: Scholarships.com the reason to SEO people is obvious (their name is their keyword). To the rest of us – it doesn’t mean that they are necessarily the best, but they do have the smartest name on the block.

#1 Choice of US News & World Report:
US News and World Report is well known for ranking colleges and universities according to different criteria. So its no surprise they have a ranking on top scholarship search engines as well. They go with College Board

#1 Choice from Forbes:
Forbes – the home page of business leaders – a stellar business magazine and website well-known for its “Best of the Web” series and “Lists” such as the Forbes 400 ranks Scholarship Experts as the best scholarship search engine.

Are you ready for our choice – our pick – here it is…

#1 Choice of Private School Grants:
We’ve focused on that one thing that we believe in all along: not fancy graphics, not streamlined searching – and these are valid evaluation points – but for us its the nitty-gritty and based on that our #1 choice is Fastweb

I don’t want to get into details and waste your time about the pros and cons of each but suffice it to say that all of the above are great, excellent and free resources.

If you have the time you should regularly check up on each of them. Pick a day and assign it to a particular site, keep one that you check more often, that you find easier to use and navigate and stick with it.

The only way (that we know of) that you can design your own college grant is to combine two ways (one old and one new) to make college and university that much lighter on your wallet. This is a powerful, yet simple way of getting the best for the least. We believe students need to really focus on getting as many grants and scholarships that they can. But sometimes the competition for some grants is way too tough, or you don’t meet certain criteria, or you just don’t get the one you’re hoping for, and the list goes on and on.

Whatever the case may be – you need to use a two-pronged approach. Lets say you are in the 1st year or are just starting out, your first step is to consider junior colleges or community colleges that are close by. These are going to be relatively inexpensive and you won’t carry and debt. As long as you’re enrolled in classes, many of these colleges also offer jobs to enrolled students, and that’s an easy, no-hassle way of earning some money to pay for the classes. The most important thing is that you can focus on taking general courses, prerequisites and so on right here, close to home for the lowest possible cost. So our 1st approach has 3 main advantages:

1.) Low Cost
2.) Stress-free, Hassle-Free Jobs available to enrolled students
3.) Time to think about your major/degree.

The last one is very important. Why would you want to fritter away two years at an expensive, private university when you are not sure about your major? Even if you are sure what degree you are going for – you should continue looking at it from all angles. The world economy is changing very fast. Is what you’re doing, going to be in demand or will it be obsolete by the time you graduate? By going to a community college you can delay that major decision and keep an eye on the economy, where the jobs are, and have a solid decision when the times comes to transfer to a private university.

Let’s now look at the disadvantage. Your main problem will be that you won’t get the “same level of teaching” that higher standard university might provide. That’s where are two pronged approach comes in. Many universities (ivy league and others) are offering lots of courses free online. One of the best is iTunes U. Basically you have literally 350,000+ lectures from top-rated universities and other institutions at your fingertips. For FREE! That’s right. The software to download is FREE. The classes are also FREE.

As an example, lets say you’re taking an organic chemistry class at your local community college. You can supplement that with an Organic Chemistry lecture from Yale.

Perhaps you want to become a psychologist – you can supplement your for credit classes with “Introduction to Psychology” from MIT.

I could give you many more examples but I hope you see the learning tools at your disposal. You have the capability to basically design your own scholarship.

So we combine our two step process you have a low cost way of getting your prerequisites while continuing to reinforce learned material and new courses from top instructors. You get the credit for the courses you take at your community college and you get the learning you need from top ivy-league schools. Result? You just designed your own custom college grant.

If you’re the creative type, you have probably thought about a fun and rewarding career that will give you the opportunity to put your artistic talents to work each and every day.

Even if you have a knack for art, you’ll still want to get an education that will help you to hone those skills, work with current and advancing technology, etc.

An art school education will arm you with the knowledge you need to land a job at a firm where you can really put your creativity to use or to work as a freelance artist.

Art education is important and paying for it can present a real dilemma. Everyone knows that higher education doesn’t come cheap. The good news is that there are art school grants available to help you build and develop your skills. This is free money. No strings attached. No need to worry about future repayment.

Simply apply for the money and when you receive an award, use it to pay for your education so you can get started on the path to a career in art!

So, just where do you look to find art school grants? A good first step is to fill out the FAFSA. This is the form you use to apply for government financial aid. Check the box that lets them know that you are interested in government grant money, and they will send you a report which tells you what you are eligible for.

This is a valuable way to help pay for your education and a realistic way to help you realize your dreams of being an artist. However, grant money from the government alone is not likely to pay for your entire art school education; you will want to look into and apply for other art school grants as well.

There are a number of other places which offer art school grants. Two great sources to apply are The National Endowment of the Arts – Grants Section and The Smithsonian Institute Fellowships. Of course, if you have chosen a reputable arts college, they may also have a special grant program as well.

If you are pursuing a particular medium of art, it is a good idea to look into foundations which offer grants in support of education in these fields. Another alternative is to practice your skill and enter you projects into contests.

You have nothing to lose! You could win cash that you can use to pay for your education and some of these competitions even award you with grant money specifically for art school!

What – you didn’t know there was a “secret password” that unlocks grants and scholarships for you? Well you’ve been living under a rock my dear friend.

Let me tell you a story about “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” – you see Ali Baba was a poor man and earned his living has a woodcutter. One day he sees that forty thieves have opened a cave by using a secret password.

Inside the cave there are unbelievable amounts of gold coins, jewelry and valuable treasures. Qasim, Ali Baba’s rich brother finds out and forces Ali Baba to show him the cave. Once in though, Qasim forgets how to get out and the thieves come back and find him and kill him.

The password was “Open, Sesame” and “Close, Sesame” to open and close the entrance to the treasure-filled cave. Okay – back to our main topic – so call it the buzz word, call it the password but I want you to start thinking one thing for sure, there is a password that can lead you to a free or very low-cost private university education.

You’re ready for this — okay — here it is: “Open, Neighbor.” Yes, that’s the password. Okay so how does it work? Good queston – here’s the answer. More and more private universities are awarding full scholarships or huge grants to incoming freshmen who graduate from nearby schools where the university is located. You’re their neighbor, and call it PR, call it being a good neighbor, they will give you preference over other applicants residing outside that are.

Here are a few examples to get your mind around how BIG of an opportunity this is:

1.) Northwestern University: They’ve come out with the “Good Neighbor, Great University Program“, and if you’re coming out of Evanston High School (NU is located in Evanston) or Chicago, can apply for this program.

How Much: Well, enough to cover the $40K it costs to go there for most of the students. So if you thought you couldn’t afford a top-notch university, then just repeat that password with me…did I hear you say “Open, Neighbor” – yes, that’s the password – go for it!

2.) University of Evansville: If you’re a resident of Vanderburgh County (you know it if you live in it!), then you can get up to $18K a year for all 4 years. That’s right, “Open, Neighbor”

3.) Let’s say you live in Virginia – you have access to the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant, and if you attend a private college there, you get up to $3,200/year in grants and you can use this at up to 30 local colleges. Let’s add some more juice to this, take Sweet Briar College, you attend there you get another $7,500 discount of the tuition price (that’s in addition to the $3,200/year). So you get $10,700 total off the top and you’re still eligible for need or merit-based scholarships.

Staying with Virgina – take the example of the Highland Scholars Program at David & Elkins College. If you live in one of the 7 communities around their campus – get what! “Open Neighbor” – you get $14,000 scholarship (for those wanting to live on campus) or a $11,000 scholarship (off-campus). Can you imagine that times 4 years – that’s a $56K and $44K value respectively.

4.) Think local! That’s the key – if you’re competing for a grant with 400 students in your neighborhood – that’s sure easier than the 4,000 from all over the place. Let’s say you want to go to Boston University, and you live in the town of Brookline, well did you know there’s a scholarship just for those students who live in Brookline? Its called the Brookline High Scholarship. You see how that narrows the competition. And what’s the prize. A full-tuition, a full-ride – and its renewable.

If you’ve ever wanted to know how exactly various income classes pay for their college education, we’ve got some great information for you today.

Maybe you already know the answer, by the New York Times has a cool chart titled, “How the Typical Family pays for College, Average Amounts by Income Level”

Looking at the chart – it is glaringly obvious that those families where the income is $100,000 or more contribute double the amount towards their children’s college education than those families where the income is $35,000 to $100,000. All in all higher income families pick up the tab for half of their children’s college education – which makes it quite easier to afford a college education.

If you break that down further to a lower income group – we see that this “middle class” group contributes almost 4x as much towards their children’s college education then those families where the income is low (below $35,000). Obviously – low-income families cannot contribute that much, but the chart kind of gives you an idea of how everything stacks up.

How Families Pay for College?

Being a parent isn’t easy. In fact, it is probably the most difficult job that exists. seeing a single parent is even tougher. There are many men and women today raising their children on their own, trying to take care of them, work to pay the bills and put food on the table, hoping to provide their kids with a better and brighter future.

That great future does not have to wait until the children are old enough to pursue a college education and a career of their own. it can start right here, right now… with you, the parent.

Some single parents do not feel that there is any way that they can continue to care for their children, hold down a job and go to school. Today, with online classes, night classes and flexible class schedules, obtaining a college degree is easier than ever.

Of course, a single parent dreaming of going to school, pursuing a better career and giving their children a better life will, no doubt, wonder how they can possibly do so when their income is already tied up.

Education costs money, and the average single parent doesn’t have much of that lying around as it is.

No worries! Being a single parent with little to no money does not have to stand in your way. Following your dreams and reaching toward that better future is now more attainable than ever.

There are tons of grant programs out there for all kinds of students. These days, that includes specialized grants awarded to certain classifications of students, often based on need.

This is great for the single parent who wants to further their education, as obtaining a grant or multiple grants will often pay for your tuition, books and fees, even leaving some excess to help supplement your income and living expenses. That can make a huge difference when one is trying to go to school, work a job and raise their children too.

*To begin, fill out the FAFSA to see if you qualify for government grants. Most single parents meet the income and need-based criteria to receive some government aid for their education.

*Talk directly to your school. Some schools have financial aid options specifically for single parents. Another good place to seek out grants for single parents is through your employer. While some smaller companies might or might not offer assistance, larger companies often have some kind of education fund or even their own foundation which offers scholarships and grants for students.

*Your best bet is to also get online and start looking at grant databases to see who is offering educational grants for single parents. You’ll want to get the details and start applying quickly.

As with the FAFSA, applying is not always a guarantee that you will get the money, so be sure to apply for several grants, making your application stand out as much as you possibly can. This will give you the best shot at obtaining the money you need to attain the future that you want… for yourself and your kids.

So you live in the Sunshine State – and would like to get some nice, cushy college grants to pay for school? Wonderful – you’ve come to the right place. We love Florida!

First of all, make sure you have all your information in your heard or by your side such as your GPA, the county you live in, financial need, intended degree or career you plan to pursue, minority status, etc – as these will help you quickly identify which grants and scholarships you are eligible for. You don’t want to waste time do you?

Career Journalism Scholarships: Want to be a journalist? How does $2500 per year sound to help you pay for that degree? Sounds great to me. Its offered by the St. Petersburg Times Fund and is open to college-bound students who reside in the following counties: Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus and Manatee. For application and further information please click here: Career Journalism Scholarship

Barnes Scholarship: This is a great scholarship – if you’ve faced significant obstacles in your life, and have financial need and yet have managed to do a great job at school – this is one scholarship you don’t want to miss. Its worth a cool $15,000 a year. (Nope – that’s not a typo!). Again this grant is for residents of the following counties: Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee. You can apply for it here: Barnes Scholarship

There are a number of grants available from the Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance. Did you know that you can apply online? As of this posting there are 16 grants available, which include grants for teachers, work experience grants, and more.

If you are going to be attending a private Florida college or university, the Access to Better Learning and Education Grant Program (ABLE) is ideal for you. Although the award amount is just under $1,000 – I believe its still worth it – every little bit counts.

For further information and to view all college grants offered visit: Florida Department of Education – Office of Student Financial Assistance

If you’re a minority woman who is looking to further your education, you have probably already discovered just how expensive that education is going to be. Seeing all those expenses itemized and totaled up can be overwhelming.

How in the world can I pay for that? you might be thinking. Well, the good news is that you have the opportunity to seek out grants for minority women. These grants are a huge blessing when it comes to paying for that valuable education you wish to pursue.

There are many grants out there for minority women. These are available from a variety of sources. Some of these sources give you the money simply based on your financial need and your ethnic background. The first place to look to if the Federal Government. Fill out that FAFSA because the government gives educational grants to many underrepresented minorities.

Other places to look for grants for minority women? Try looking for organizations within your ethnic group that offer some kind of educational funding. There are also resources throughout Corporate America; businesses dedicated to diversity and seeing you succeed. You might also find some grants aimed at minority women studying in certain fields as well or grants aimed specifically at women, minorities and minority women.

The most important thing is to determine what it is you need and who to ask for it. Find out what the application process entails and go for it. make yourself look good on that application, so you have a better chance of being awarded some cash that will help you to get your education and jump-start your future.

No matter who you are, where you’re from or what your financial circumstances are, you can get a college education. There is plenty of grant money waiting. It’s just a matter of applying and asking for some. Your not asking for a hand out… just a hand up and the right to got to college like many other people.

We at Private School Grants have always believed that students can get free money from the strangest places and in the weirdest of ways. Its just that you have to be a good detective and have the patience to venture into the unknown to find those nuggets of gold. As a Wall Street Journal reader – my favorite portion is the bottom of the first page where they have a human interest story everyday.

Today’s story in the WSJ (April 16th, 2010) fits perfectly with our blog and is titled “If You’re a Tall Vegan Named Zolp, Your Tuition Worries Are Over” – the articles lists scores of ways you can get free money, from last names, to height, to being a member of an Indian tribe.

How much can you get?
I myself was amazed to read that students with last name “Gatlin” or “Gatling” are eligible for grants worth up to $14,000 a year at North Carolina State University. How’s that for free money. $14K per year sounds sweet doesn’t it. That’s just for the last name!

What you need to do?
You have to be a really good detective and organizer – make lists, and whittle them down according to their eligibility criteria as much as possible and then apply for the ones where you meet all the criteria. Its hard, exhausting, and not too much fun. But you find a gem like that, $14K a year worries about paying for college are over!

Need more inspiration?
Check out the WSJ Article here: College Grants for Vegans? Tall Types? Students Tap Unusual Sources for Financial Aid