A Brief Introduction to Soccer Scholarships

All Colleges and Universities these days have various scholarship programs in place to help a multitude of students procure a quality education. Scholarships are a form of financial aid to help students from weak financial backgrounds to attain further education. Each scholarship is awarded based of different criteria. The most common types of scholarships are Merit-based, Need-based, Student-specific and Career-Specific. Merit-based scholarships are based on the student's superior skills in academic, athletic or artistic field. When the student's ability is recognized, scholarships are awarded by private organizations or by the college itself, to which the student has applied. Need-based scholarships are given to those students who are incapable of putting together the tuition fees and related expenses. Student-specific scholarship contenders are generally assessed on race, gender, medical history or religion. These scholarships are often given to students from minority groups. Career-based scholarships are given by the college or university to students pursuing a particular field of education. Some scholarships may even come with a "bond", stating that after he or she has finished the required study he or she must join the organization that provided the scholarship for a stipulated time period. The most common form of such scholarships is offered by the defense associations of various countries.

Sports scholarships or Athletic Scholarships are a form of Merit-based scholarship. They are awarded based entirely on the student's ability to play a sport. These scholarships are generally hard to come by because the competition is very fierce. A Soccer scholarship is an example of such a scholarship. Universities have in their employment scouts who assess the skill of players in various high schools and recommend players to the scholarship lists. These scouts are often approached by the high school coach who has noticed a rising star on his team. The scouts often come to important matches and judge the player's performance. If the performance is everything the coach promised, the player can expect a spectacular windfall. But not all scholarships cover the entire tuition cost. The reason for this is though the university offers a certain number of scholarships the scouts end up recruiting double the number of players and offering them half the scholarship.

Of course the player's expertise on the field is not the only factor towards a scholarship assessment. Being able to score the highest number of goals in a soccer game can only get you so far. His or her academic record also plays an important role in getting the scholarship. The player has to be able to keep up respectable grades so as to not side-track education altogether. Not only does a contender have to maintain at least a "B" to apply for the scholarship but must also be able to get those grades once he or she joins university as well. A continual drop in grades can be grounds for revoking the scholarship. Though the soccer scholarship is awarded to the next soccer superstar out there, equal stress is placed on an overall growth of the student. These scholarships literally push you to be all that you can.

Scholarships Offered To Maryland Residents

When it comes to scholarships, Maryland has come up with some very unique packages for its citizenry. It also has teamed up with many of its neighboring states to properly reward promising scholars not only for their academic merit, but also meritorious citizenship.

For example, Maryland shares the Horatio P. Alger Scholarship program with Washington DC and Virginia. Applicants must prove they have overcome "great" obstacles in their lives to be considered. They must also prove that they in turn are leaders in their community and service-oriented. On the academic side, the student must have a 2.0 grade point average or better, and intend to get either an Associate's or Bachelor's degree. It can be in any major. In return, the recipient will receive a $2,500 award.

The state is also part of the Christa McAuliffe Memorial Teacher Education Award. In this case, the McAuliffe is a loan forgiveness program, waiving college loans to anyone with a degree in Teaching for a predetermined number of years working in an under-served elementary or secondary school. It is open to both undergraduates and professionals with degrees and can not exceed $17,700 dollars.

Like a number of other states, Maryland also has come to an arrangement with its state chapter of the American Legion. The Maryland version is open to anyone between 16-19 years old, the dependent of a soldier or veteran and comes to $500.

One of the more unique programs offered in the state is offered by the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association. Each year, the Association offers two full scholarships to students planning on degrees in either Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice. All applications are administered through a student's local police department. Candidates must be 17-21 years old, also have a track record for community service and scholastic achievement.

There is also the Jack and Jill of America program. It is awarded to graduating high school seniors also with a record of community service as well as a strong academic record. They must also prove financial need. In this case, the program is administered through one's personal high school.

Yet one of the most unique programs offered in Maryland is the Lighthouse Scholarship and Career award. This plan is open to the blind or severely visually impaired. This scholarship program actually has four different awards, valued at $5,000 each. The first is the College-Bound and is for high school graduates. Then there are Undergraduate I and Undergraduate II. The first is also for students straight out of high school. The second is for those returning to college, as long as it is after ten years or more of their high school graduation of leaving college. Lastly, they also have a program for those pursuing their Masters or Doctorate degree. Candidates also have the option of going to college in 18 different U.S. states.

Discover College Scholarships That You Can Be Awarded

Have you already decided on the college you want to attend, or are you in total limbo trying to get a handle on which colleges fit your educational needs and more importantly, your financial situation. There are student loans and scholarships available to help you, but it can become an overwhelming task to navigate the vast source of information you need to determine a course of action.

Many college scholarships are available to help you. There are college scholarships tailored towards particular fields of study, based on your grade point average, your ACT and/or SAT scores, and even awarded to children and or siblings of Alumnus or current students.

But the thing to note is that you don't have to be an academic genius or have a 4.0 GPA to qualify for many scholarships, in fact some even estimate that is a majority of scholarships. Of course there are scholarships for academic achievement where a high GPA is a requirement, but gone are the days when only high GPA students or the outstanding jocks or the musical geniuses were eligible for scholarships,

The cost of attending college can vary greatly, depending on the school, geographical location, or just name recognition. State institutions of higher learning are generally less expensive than private institutions. State colleges have lower tuition for in state students, and the tuition for out of state students can be more than double. Even as an in-state resident at a state university, tuition for a year will likely be more than $5000, and at private schools, easily twice that. Then you have books, where those can cost another $500 per semester, and lodging, even in the dorm or college housing, will be about $7500 per year or more. The particular college you have chosen may be a bit more or less, but those figures get you in the ballpark.

Research local college scholarships first, as there may be some great programs offered by local schools, corporations, health-care institutions, or even local philanthropists. Your high school guidance counselor should be the first person to look to for advice on determining which college scholarship programs meet your specific needs and interests, and to help you navigate the application process. Your local library is another good source of research into college scholarships. There probably are sources of assistance known to members of your extended family as well as your friends and their families. The internet has a plethora of contacts to pursue in your quest for information on college scholarships.

You should research the many large national scholarships such as the Gates scholarship funds, those offered by branches of the U.S. military branches, National Merit Scholarship Foundation, college scholarships offered by Coca Cola, and hosts of corporate funded scholarship programs.

The key is to get out there and apply for as many scholarships as you can find. The students who do so can be awarded multiple scholarships, and some even graduate from college with almost zero student debt to be repaid, which takes a tremendous load off your shoulders.

Minimum Necessities For Academic Scholarships

The academic scholarships are more commonly referred to as merit scholarships. The scholarships are offered by businesses, federal government and state programs, universities, community organizations, rotary foundation, Fortune Company, colleges, institutional foundations and corporations. The different types of academic scholarships which consider different criteria such as:

1. Grade points average

2. Securing highest ranks in high school or college

3. Proper attendance in school or college

4. High ranks secured despite being minor or left handed

5. Essay competition

6. Topper of the subject

There are many scholarships where you have an essay competition followed by an interview. For these types of scholarships you require, reference letter, essay, transcripts and the form. The academic scholarships are offered by community organizations such as church, religious organizations and national honor society.

In order to receive an academic scholarship it is necessary to submit a filled application form before a pre-assigned date. You need to follow the suggestions printed on the application form. This is considered to be one of the better ways of looking for talent and give it the recognition. There are many organizations which offer the scholarships to not only students of merit but also to academic all-rounder candidate. The main goal behind offering academic scholarships is to make leaders and also guide the students towards human needs and also have a distribution of the scholars across the geographical area.

In the process of offering this type of scholarship, interviews of students are conducted to find their inclinations and encourage them to a good future. This is significant in for minorities and left handers. The money also encourages the student towards education and increases different opportunities for him to improve the quality of life of his community.

While filling out the form for the academic scholarships, some information needs to be filled like your positive and negative points, plans for future, public speaking, activities, interests, reasons for going for the scholarship. This financing the education is a huge help for students. However you need to fill out the form carefully. If you don't get this academic scholarship during school and high school it doesn't automatically point that you will not get help after high school. You have to ready yourself for the academic scholarship. If your college doesn't offer you the scholarship you can also get it from some organization outside your college. It is also possible to search for the merit scholarship via internet. Apply for as many scholarships as you want every week. The scholarships are different for different subjects and can be need based, career specific, merit based and student specific.

The merit based and also need based scholarships depend on the family condition of the student. Though these scholarships are tough to achieve but not impossible. All you need is the patience in processing the application. Make sure that you fulfill all the formalities in right way to avoid any delay. Some people may not be smart enough but they must value the funds and aids they are getting from the government.

Random Scholarships - There Are Some Doozies Out There

When you think of scholarships for college or university, do you instantly think of academics and sports? I am guessing so. You may be surprised to know; there are numerous "random scholarships" out there that are available to you. Some of the categories in which these sometimes whacky scholarships fall are contests, personal characteristics, and talents or skills. Let's take a look at each.

Contests

The more popular scholarship contests are of course, in the academic area. Essay writing and exams are the givens. But there exist quite a few random scholarships based on very odd, albeit amusing, challenges. Here is one. Dress head-to-toe in Duck Tape for your prom and a scholarship check will be written out in your name (from the DuckBrands company, of course). Really.

Personal Characteristics

Perhaps you didn't know that money for higher education is available to you if you are of a particular family background, nationality, or simply have a certain last name. And who would have thought it would pay to be red-headed, short, on the tall side, left-handed, a twin, or a triplet! Even certain medical conditions such as asthma can get you free money for your college education.

Talents and Skills

In this category, you will typically find the traditional sports' scholarships. But if the conventional sports like baseball and football aren't your forté; how about a golf caddy scholarship or a bowling scholarship? Or perhaps bagpipes or knitting are more your speed?

The American Nudist Research Library also provides free money for college. Would this go in the personal characteristics or talents category? I'm not sure.

Scholarships, Bursaries, and Grants: How to Pay for School

You want to go to university. You want to get a fantastic, well-paying job. In the meantime, however, you are stuck with a bill for thousands of dollars. Where are you going to get the money?

Get a Scholarship

You can get scholarships for many different things. Some scholarships are available through academic achievement. Other scholarships are available for sports. Some schools offer you scholarships simply for attending. Sometimes you have to search for scholarships. Talk to your guidance counselor, or your school’s department of awards and financial aid for information on how to find and apply for scholarships. (You can also check out http://www.theguideto-studentloans.com for more information).

Get a Bursary

Bursaries are like scholarships, but they often require you to prove that you need financial aid. Sometimes it is simple to prove financial aid (by bringing in proof that your income doesn’t meet your needs to pay tuition and living expenses). Other times you have to go through a more strenuous application process where you have to have your parents’ financial information as well.

Unlike scholarships, which are sometimes offered without you even applying, you typically have to apply for any bursary that you want. You can find bursaries online at scholarship sites, or you can find them through your high school or college.

Get a Grant

Grants are typically given to upper year students or students who are writing a thesis or dissertation. Grants are not like scholarships. For scholarships, you send in your resume or curriculum vitae and you hope that an organization will give you money based on your previous success record. For grants, you have to send in your resume and CV as well, but you also have to write a proposal. In your proposal, you explain what work you intend to do. You might then get a grant based on your proposal. Grant-writing tends to be much more involved than scholarship applications. You can get grants from the government, from your school, and from third party organizations.

Get a Fellowship

Upper year students and graduate students can also often apply for a fellowship. A fellowship means that you will be filling a position at the school. This typically means that you deliver a lecture or two, or sometimes teach a course. Each fellowship position is different. Fellowships are competitive, but worth the application. They will in turn look good on your curriculum vitae.

Get a Job

If applying for grants, scholarships, and bursaries is not your cup of tea, consider going to school part time and working part time. You might also be able to fit a small part time job in on top of your full-time coursework.

You can often get a job on campus that will help you to better balance your work and school. Can you work in your department?

Not only can you work on campus, you could choose to work at a job that supports your studies. If you are a great student, consider tutoring. If you are studying theatre, get a job at the box office. If you are in sciences, see if there are any laboratory positions available. You can work as a research assistant in almost any department at a university. Will they pay you to co-ordinate student volunteer programs or to run the childcare center? Finding employment during college can be easy and fun.

Get a Loan

Anyone can successfully obtain a student loan. You just want to make sure that you get the loan that’s right for you. You want the best rates, the best package, and the best deal. To sort yourself through the maze of student loans (graduate student loans, parent loans for students, student loan consolidation, international student loans and much more) visit The Guide to Student Loans (link below).

With all of the options on how you can pay for your post-secondary education, it’s no wonder that more people are going to college and university now. It might seem daunting at first, but narrow your options and choices to find out the best way to pay for your university funding, and you will be one step closer to your degree!

That Traditional Or Online Master Degree Advances Your Forensic Accounting Career

As any historian of criminal justice will tell you, Elliot Ness and his Untouchables didn't bring down Al Capone. What finally put the boss of all bosses away were the actions of a man named Frank J. Wilson. Wilson audited Capone's financial records and nailed the gangster on tax evasion. Thus forensic accounting was born.

Move on nearly 80 years later and Forensic Accounting is one of the most in-demand occupations in the U.S. This interdisciplinary occupation has become particularly relevant after the recent real estate collapse caused by shady mortgages and the subsequent fall of companies like AIG, Lehman Brothers and what feels like half of Wall Street. The public wants to know what caused this collapse in detail, and pouring over the financial records is a good way to uncover any malfeasance.

At the same time, this is an occupation that not only includes its share of accounting and particularly auditing knowledge, but also its measure of criminal justice expertise. This means a student who wishes to go down this career path will need a masters degree, minimum, plus certification. In all, this is a five to six year education process on the average. Further, that kind of education can put a student deep in debt if he or she doesn't plan carefully.

The trick is to realize that this occupation truly is a cross-disciplinary occupation. Therefore, a student needing financial aid can tap into the aid available for both accounting/auditing and law enforcement.

Not that there aren't scholarships specifically created for those in the field. For example, there is the Richie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship, created by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. It can contribute up to $1,000 a year. The FBI also has its Common Knowledge Scholarship, which will contribute as much as an additional $1,000 a year.

At same time, a student shouldn't limit him or herself to strictly forensic accounting grants and scholarships. They should also examine such organizations as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, even the Internal Revenue Service. On the criminal justice side, there are an equal number of organizations out there to help fund your education. In other words, all these groups need accountants, and many are willing to help foot the bill for their continued education. Don't forget such standard packages as the Pell Grant, SEOG, Lifetime Learning for post-grads or similar programs as they can also take thousands off of the tuition bill.

While it's critical for any accounting student to sit down and do their own share of research, it does not hurt to do it with their on-campus or online college's financial aid advisor. These people are specifically there to help make getting the cash easier for the student. This includes everything from suggesting even more sources to doing the paperwork.