Financial Aid Students who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of knowledge often find themselves in college classrooms, studying teaching and learning for many years of their young adult lives. In many cases, if not nearly all, students receive some sort of financial aid to help fund these academic endeavors and provide a worthwhile and lasting career in their chosen field.

The purpose of this essay is to investigate and highlight many of the ideas and terms associate with financial aid for those students seeking a post-secondary education. This essay will first give some background about how students can receive some of this treasured financial aid before delving into the success rates of these aids programs as measured in retention and graduation rates. The issue of financial concern and its effects on learning at this level will also be explored to help understand the effectiveness and efficiency of these financial programs that are designed to benefit the greater good in society.

Background Information

Students who have chosen their pathway to success by means of post secondary education face many hurdles in the classroom, as these programs are meant to test and challenge these students at the highest level to help produce an excellent product. Regardless of the motivations of each student, the educational services provided by the college or university requires resources and money to help keep them operational and in good working order that reflects the desires of the educational community.

One such challenge for these students is how exactly they will pay...

Luckily for these students, if their desires are true, they will find ways to help pay for these costly programs if they research their options and remain vigilant and forthright in their search.
Grants are one way these programs are paid for. Grants are essentially gifts that do not need to be repaid. Grants come in many fashions and can be offered by state, local and federal sources as well as private organizations who are looking for philanthropic outlets to help spend their money. Grants usually come with some rigid stipulations. Students who receive grant money must be excellent students and keep their grades at a certain high level.

Scholarships, are another method of paying for an advanced education. Scholarships are given to students based on their past performance in academics or athletics. Some students receive scholarships simply because of their race or financial background. Some scholarships are large and pay for the entire education, while others are much smaller and are designed to take care of smaller financial problems such as books or study supplies.

Fellowships are another alternative to financing a postsecondary education. Fellowships are much like scholarships. These awards are based on the individual need of the student and the ability of that student to perform at high levels of academic excellence. Fellowships are awarded at the university or college level and serves as an internal means of offering help to students who need the help most.

The most…