Beginning the search for college scholarships is challenging. Students and their parents have to find scholarships for which they fit the application criteria (i.e., as members of a particular ethnic group or classification, have been in the foster care system, or are military family members).
School counselors and deans can help with the search and application process; however, military family members can face a particular challenge as they have lived all over the world.
Significance
Children whose parents are in the military are in a class all their own: they have often lived all over the world, many times overseas. These children have gained experiences unique to their military status; by living all over the United States, in Europe or Asia, they have witnessed historical events, visited sites where history was made or have been touched by the specter of terrorism. Yet, when they are in high school, they face a particular challenge in seeking financial aid for college.
Considerations
What major is the student contemplating? What experiences has he had? Is he planning on entering the military, as well?
These questions influence the scholarship search from the beginning. Several websites offer good, general information for scholarship searches. These websites contain links which will take the student to other sites containing more specialized information. Students or their families can visit the College Scholarships website.
Types
Whether students visit scholarship websites or browse through brochures, they are seeking information which will fit their individual situation. What kind of scholarship will best fit their needs? What will they qualify for?
If the student's military parent died in action, several states offer scholarship assistance. By visiting the College Scholarships website, they can find these programs.
Benefits
Many military families want their children to go as far as they can and reach their highest potential, which often means college attendance. By extending their education beyond high school, the child of military members can lay the foundation for a more secure life for herself and her own family.
While some members of the military want to see their children enter the military, others would rather have their children establish a life for themselves in the civilian world. Having access to scholarships helps them to achieve this dream.
Function
The military dependent scholarships are designed to assist families in paying for college expenses, such as tuition, fees, books and room/board. Some scholarships will spell out specifically what they are to be used for. Others are aimed at a special class of military family member, such as children of military who have died while on active duty or in a war zone. As in any other specialized search, the most important research activity is to study each scholarship for its specific offerings.
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