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The Difference Between Scholarships And Loans
There is often some confusion regarding applications for scholarships and loans and which to apply for. In most cases, a scholarship is money that comes from an institution, a school, a private business or government which has been set aside to assist students in their monetary obligations to study in a certain field. The student who is awarded this scholarship will not be obliged to pay the money back. The benefit for the company or institution is that they target students who are motivated and who do excel in their studies, which means that they can then cultivate either a growing sector, such as the health sector to stimulate the economy, or they are ensured that they have a future employee who will be competent in the job once they graduate. If there are certain terms to which the student has to comply, it will be clearly stipulated in the scholarship agreement, such as the student has to obtain certain grades or has to work for the company for a certain amount of years after graduation.
On the other hand, a loan is money given by a financial institute or a loaning company. The only terms and conditions that are applicable to the loan are the standard terms and conditions of any other loan. The amount is given to the student upon registration at an educational facility and the student has to pay back the amount plus an agreed amount of interest upon completion of the course.
Financial aid is also available to students who do not have the financial means to study, and do not qualify for a scholarship.
Grants For The Students Who Show Potential
Scholarships are not simply handed out to those who apply and can show proof that they will be studying for the next however many years. A student will have to provide motivation regarding why they deserve to get the scholarship above all the other candidates. The student will then also have to prove that they are able to bring their side of the deal by having good grades and keeping those grades up.
The different types of scholarships available are:
- National ScholarshipsThese scholarships are available nationwide in the USA and will not be limited to a specific region or state.
- Scholarships for Women and MinoritiesThese scholarships are limited to women and minority groups such as the Native American groups or any other minority ethnic group seeking an education in pharmacy fields.
- State-Specific ScholarshipsThese scholarships will bind the student to go to schools in a specific region or a specific state and will not be awarded to any students from other states or schools in other regions.
- School-Specific ScholarshipsSpecific schools will give scholarships to students who will only be attending their schools. This benefits the student in a way that they get to study for the subjects they want to because they will be able to afford it and the school is guaranteed the attendance it needs from the types of students they want in their schools.
How Much It Costs To Study To Be A Pharmacy Technician
The course could set you back between roughly $700 and $2500. This will be dependent on where you study and how many semesters you will be attending. You can also prepare yourself to be studying for about 6 months to a year. In this time you will have to think about your career prospects as well. To study something for four years at least gives you the opportunity to only focus on your studies and then your career, but with such a short course it does not leave you with a lot of time to prepare you for job hunting once you have been certified.
Apart from the tuition fees there will of course also be the normal administration fees that go with studying. You could make arrangements with your school to pay the tuition off in installments, although this may just cost you more in the long run, or you could apply for pharmacy technician scholarships.
To further your cause even more before you start studying so that you do not waste time and money, you can set up a checklist which all of the qualities and qualifications you will need to become a pharmacy technician. You will need to have the right subjects in high school and be in top condition where your health is concerned.
You can apply for pharmacy technician scholarships at:
- Collegeprowler.com
- Scholarships.com
- Any university financial aid department
It is very important that you keep your grades up so that you can qualify for one of these scholarships as they are not just handed out to everyone who needs financial aid. You might also not receive a full scholarship, but you should be able to fund the rest of your fees and tuition with a loan or financial aid from your school.
Where To Search
Some of the scholarships will limit you to where you will be able to study, such as the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses Cheerios Brand Health Initiative Scholarship. The applicant won’t have to be an African-American to qualify for this scholarship, but will have to attend school at one of these districts.
Other scholarships will be offered to students who intend to go into certain fields such as the Carole J. Streeter, KB9JBR Scholarship which will give preference to students who are proficient in Morse Code and are studying in the health and healing arts fields.
There are also a few scholarships that are open to more types of students such as the $2000 “No Essay” Scholarship.
Collegeprowler.com
The scholarships at Collegeprowler.com range from $750 – $20 000. The criteria of what you will need to qualify for each scholarship is outlined very neatly on the website. You can apply online as well for the scholarships that are offered.
Scholarships.com
The scholarships that are offered on this website are quite varied. Although most of these scholarships are state specific, there are some of the different types of scholarships are represented within this grouping such as:
School specific: The Scott A. Gunder, MD, DCMS Presidential Scholarship which is aimed at second year students from Penn State College of Medicine. The scholarship is for $1500.
Scholarships for woman and minorities: Endowment for South Asian Students of Indian Descent Scholarship Fund which is a scholarship for either a South Asian student or a descendant of South Asian origin.
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a government financial aid system which gives out financial aids to students who apply and who qualify. These grants are limited and have to be applied for every year while studying to ensure that the next year’s financial aid will be taken care of.
There is a form that needs to be filled in by the applicant and submitted in order for the student to apply for the Financial aid.
Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon
This college awards two $500 scholarships per year for students who can motivate that they are in financial need. These scholarships may not cover total tuition and administrative fees, but will help the student to cover some of their costs for the year.
The Health Professions Education Foundation
The students who apply for this scholarship which can be up to $4000 per year, need the following:
- Must be a Californian resident
- Must be a United States Citizen
- Must be taking at least 6 credits
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0
These criteria need to be maintained for the entire year in order to qualify for the next year’s scholarships as well.
What To Expect From The Entry Form
The basic questions that you will be asked in an application form are:
- Your college status such as being in college currently or having already graduated or not currently being in college but enrolled for the next semester.
- Personal details such as name, date of birth, ethnicity and religion.
- What subjects you intend to major in.
- Which year you graduated in.
- Your unweighted High School GPA.
- Your contact details for if you should be successful.
From these details the companies and institutions that grant the scholarships, will be able to see if you qualify according to their criteria.
Setting Yourself Up To Get That Scholarship
Getting into a school to study for a pharmacy technician is hard enough, but getting a scholarship to do so may be even more difficult. There are a few things that can be done to increase chances of acceptance for the scholarship to give a little helping hand.
- Make sure that you are accepted into the course:
It is pointless pouring your soul into getting a scholarship for a course that you will not be able to study. Getting into the school will be the first step closer to ensuring success on a scholarship application. Many who apply for scholarships do not succeed so it is also a good idea to have a backup plan should the scholarship be denied. This could be in the form of financial aid or a student loan at a bank.
- Make sure that the remainder of the money comes from somewhere:
Full scholarships are available, but some companies would rather help more students with a lower amount so the scholarship may be a fraction of the cost of the tuition, books, stationary, boarding, traveling costs as well as administrative and examination fees. Students need extra spending money as well. It is not practical to hope that the scholarship will cover all costs while studying.
- Pick your scholarship carefully:
Although scholarships are not a dime a dozen, it would be in the student’s best interest to find a scholarship that would guarantee employment after graduation. Some scholarships have a clause that states that the student has to work for the company for a certain amount of time. This gives the company assurance that the people they employ in future will be competent in their work and it gives the student something to work towards.
- It does not hurt too much to apply:
Due to the risk of rejection, many students do not take the time to apply for scholarships, when it truth, the more applications are sent out, the bigger the success rate. Even if the scholarship is just for a small amount, it is money that can go towards the cost of books or exam fees. Every cent counts and every cent can be made to count somewhere.
- Sell yourself:
Should the application ask for the applicant to write an essay on why they are the best candidate, then it should be seen as an opportunity to make yourself heard. The essay will tell the company a lot more than meets the eye about the confidence of the applicant. The essay will also reveal whether the applicant is passionate about the field they are about to study, or just trying to flatter or impress. Being confident in your motivation and boasting are two different elements and care should be taken to not let confidence come across as arrogance.
- Apply in good time:
There is such a thing as applying too late when it comes to scholarships. Applications should be sent off as soon as possible so that the answers come in good time before school starts. There are also only a limited amount of scholarships available and if timed properly, the applicant can be successful over those who did not make the deadline. Things can go wrong during postage and system glitches can happen on online application. Enough time should be given to follow up on the application and to apply for more should it be necessary.
- Make sure that you can back yourself up:
When information is given on a scholarship application, it should be backed up in writing. All documents that will be needed to prove High School GPAs and the applicant’s identity should be readily available in case they are required.
- Make sure that you know what is wanted:
Each scholarship comes with a list of requirements and it is in the applicant’s best interest to ensure that all requirements are met before applying.