Furthering Education for Minorities a Real Priority.
With a black man in the White House, one can say the U.S. has made some strides regarding racial equality in the last half-century. Still, it looks like a glass half-full situation. While African Americans make up over 12% of the country's population, the Board of Education reports black attendance at college is barely half that percentage. The dropout rate is also higher than average when compared to other races and this is even with the assistance of such financial aids as Pell grants.
The issue is a matter of concern on all levels, from public agencies to private corporations. As such, there are a number of organizations out to rectify this problem. After all, these numbers mean many children are being left behind, a situation no one wants to see continue.
One of the biggest contributing factors for both low attendance and high drop out rates is financial. With the current economy, many promising students simply can't afford to go to college, even if they get such basic federal grants such as the Pell and the ACG. To combat this, a number of organizations are providing much needed cash so black kids can go on to school. Here are just four of them:
The United Negro College Fund - The oldest and most prestigious of the bunch, they personally hand out scholarships of $2,500 a year to students who have a 2.5 grade average or better. They also administer grants and other aid from 30 or so other groups; from other charitable organizations to top pop stars. They highly advise going to their website and applying to all of them.
The Thurgood Marshall Fund - Created in 1987, it's dedicated to the late Supreme Court Justice. Over its history, the Marshall Fund has handed out $100 million to candidates who go to one of 47 recognized historical black colleges. In comparison, the Negro College Fund is for any Title IV school, brick-and-mortar or online.
The Ron H. Brown Scholar Program - Started after the untimely death of the former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, every year it gives out $10,000 a year to 40 new students who demonstrate what they describe as leadership capabilities. This money can be applied to any Title IV college of their choice, and the check is sent directly to the student, not the school.
Blacks At Microsoft Scholarship - Charitable organizations aren't the only ones trying to help minorities get higher educations. Microsoft has two different programs on the matter. The Blacks program is a special scholarship set up that awards high school seniors $5,000 a year for the first four years of college. The other, open to all minorities, covers all tuition and fees for STEM majors who demonstrate academic excellence and need.
Now what's important is that these are only four programs out of literally hundreds, not to mention the traditional such as Pell Grants. Before you think about student loans, do the research. Another African American group, called Black Excel, has over 200 different groups on its website. So it's highly advisable for any student wanting to go to college to hop on a search engine and get to work. Apply for a federal Pell Grant online and then see what else is out there. You'll be surprised at how much is waiting.
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