College Raptor Staff

Scholarship awards are essentially free money* to help you pay for college. Any award money you win will lower your student loan debt by that much. With so much riding on scholarship awards, you want to make sure that every application you put together is as close to perfect as it can be. You’ve done …

Key takeaways Private scholarships are usually sponsored by businesses, nonprofits, or individuals. They often reward achievements or membership in specific groups. Government grants, such as the Pell Grant, are need-based awards funded by federal or state programs. Applying usually requires filling out the FAFSA. Institutional scholarships are offered directly by colleges and universities. They can …