You hear people throw around the term "college grants" as if they grow on trees; as if they are available to all students at all times. But let's face it - if grants were available to every student for every situation, our college grads would be loaded with student loan debts. So you might ask yourself the question "where are these grants coming from and how do I get one?" There are many great resources available online. Lets first consider a few things about grants:
There are several types of grants available. Some of these are:
Government Grants
Federal Grants
Pell Grants
State Grants
Government Grants - the general logic here is that the government, and society as a whole, stands to benefit from its citizens seeking higher education. Those students who graduate from college tend to contribute more to society and help to stimulate the economy. Grants are set aside by the government at various times to address various needs. Sometimes the government puts together grants as a recruiting tool. In exchange for taking advantage of a government grant, you may have to commit to working for the government for a certain number of years.
Federal Grants - the federal government provides millions of students the financial means to attend college each year. They are able to do so through the collection of taxes annually from the private and public sectors. Example of this include the Pell Grant, which was established in 1972. Most federal grants are merit based and provided to specific demographics of the population. There are grants for single-mothers, native-americans, and so on.
Pell Grant - the Pell grant is intended for student originating from low-income households and communities. It was organised to provide a means for low-income families to provide better education for their children. Unlike most grants, the Pell Grant is not merit based. You are not judged against other candidates when applying for a Pell Grant.
Checkout students.gov for more information about grants.
