There Is Financial Aid Available For Those Final Years Of College!

While it seems like it's hard enough just getting accepted into a college, what freshmen don't realize is the pressure doesn't really start to escalate until they get into their junior or later years. Some of those pressures aren't even academic. Financial pressure, due mainly to the seemingly annual rising cost of tuition, can really put a burden on a student. This affects those attending both traditional and online schools. 

That's one of the key reasons the U.S. has been busy creating supplemental grants to keep more students in institutions of higher learning, whether on campus or at an online college. Proof is the Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (aka SMART) grant.

Created in 2006, the SMART Grant is awarded based on need, much like the Pell. As such, a FASFA form must be completed in order to get one. One of the benefits is the same FASFA form can be used for both grants. It is awarded in addition to the student's Pell Grant award.

This grant is only available to students who are majoring in physical, life, computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering, a critical foreign language, or non-major single liberal arts programs. One can find out exactly what curricula are appropriate by going to the Board of Education's website. Also, applicants must be enrolled in the courses necessary to complete their selected degree program. In addition, the student must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0 in course work required for the major.

The grant will provide up to $4,000 for each of the third through fifth years of undergraduate study. The amount, when combined with a Pell Grant, may not exceed the student's cost of attendance. To be eligible, the student must also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.

Being enrolled in degree-applicable courses is an important proviso. There must be at least one such course in every semester. A senior who had fulfilled all his degree-appropriate courses first, planning to just coast on non-appropriate electives during the last semester is NOT qualified for a SMART Grant. As such, grant beneficiaries are advised to take another curriculum-appropriate class, even if it's not needed to graduate, to maintain qualification.

It is critical to stay up to date with this program. It is changed almost yearly. For instance, when it was started it didn't recognize students who were "home-schooled" or took classes overseas. That's been changed, provided these students meet certain set standards.

Applicants should get in contact with their selected school's financial aid officer about this program (as well as any others they might qualify for). It's the officer's job to stay current on these programs and help the applicant through the process. It also makes sense for a student to do a little homework on their own. A good place to start is the U.S. Board of Education where many questions can be answered and further resources found.

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