The Best Advice to Find the Perfect College Scholarships for your Family

From the Editors of Las Fabulosas

The cost of college tuition is continually rising. But students and parents should not let financial worries stop them from pursuing higher education. There are a number of resources and strategies out there to help defray college costs. And many of them are targeted specifically for Hispanic students.

The first step is to send in a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to see what federal aid you may qualify for. And in general, you need to be creative, do your homework and get as much information as possible about ways to keep college costs low. For example, look at in-state schools or find an accelerated degree program so you are paying for fewer years. Also keep in mind that schools and organizations are increasingly offering financial incentives to students committed to pursuing an education in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) field.

Finally, research scholarships and grants. FastWeb, ¡Adelante! and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund are excellent resources for finding and applying for additional college money. And Latinos in College has a great page of Unconventional Ways to Pay for College.

Our sponsors, P&G and Orgullosa, have teamed up with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund to increase the number of Hispanic college graduates! “Like” Orgullosa to support them in these efforts, and get more information on how to apply for the P&G and Orgullosa – HSF STEM scholarships here.  

Valeria Guston   has ghostwritten style and beauty books for Hyperion and HarperCollins Publishers. She is also a regular contributor to Mamiverse.com. She has previously contributed to Las Fabulosas.