Nursing Grants – Nursing School Grants

Archive for the ‘Single Mother Grants’ Category

Nursing Grants – Nursing School Grants

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

Due to scientific advances in health and medicine, the life expectancy of the average American has increased considerably from a low of 49 between 1900 and 1910 to a high of 78.32 in 2011.

While this is good news in general, there’s a corresponding increase in responsibility on the part of everyone to ensure the quality of life of those who have surpassed their productive years through better health care facilities and services. Increased life expectancy should mean more and better healthcare facilities and workers, like nurses, to attend to the needs of the elderly and the sick.

Faced with a steadily growing number of senior citizens in its midst, the government has tried to address the issue by relaxing its rules on immigration to lure in more qualified nurses from other countries, but this appears to be a quick-fix solution to the real problem of inadequate nurses.

According to a report dated April 1, 2011 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the healthcare industry continues to grow despite high percentages of job losses in almost all key industries in recent months. This is because more people are getting older and they need nurses to help them.

Many healthcare facilities created over 35,000 new jobs in the first quarter of 2011. The BLS also confirmed the addition of 283,000 new healthcare-related jobs in 2010. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has sounded the alarm over the frightening shortage of qualified nurses and is closely working with nursing schools, legislators, and the media to address the issue.

Unfortunately, the alarm appears to have been largely ignored by millions of high school graduates across the country. The AACN reported a measly 5.7% increase in enrollment in 2010, which is far from ideal to cover the projected demand for nurses in the coming years.

The passage of the Patient Protect and Affordable Care Act in 2010 translates to have more than 32 million Americans gaining access to healthcare services, including those provided by registered nurses. Unfortunately, there are not enough qualified nurses available to implement the law anytime soon.

Demanding Profession

Nursing is decidedly a noble profession, but it often requires rigorous work and long hours. Student nurses are subjected to exact and extensive training in laboratory settings and have to spend more for tuition and laboratory fees on top of other school expenses to cover their needs.

As a response to the shortage of registered nurses and the high cost of training them, both federal and local governments offer grants and scholarships as incentives to encourage students to choose this profession. Grants are useful in providing a means for more students to obtain the quality of education required to succeed in this occupation.

Federal Grants for Nursing Students

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers two major nursing grants – the Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students and the Nursing Scholarship Program.

Scholarships for disadvantaged nursing school students are intended for full-time students with demonstrated financial need and with expressed desire to pursue health sciences-related degrees, including nursing.

Students interested in this program can secure the specific application requirements from the nursing school of their choice. Successful applicants will be chosen primarily based on their financial need and their capability to finish the course.

Another nursing grant available from the federal government is the nursing school scholarship program, with over 200 scholarships awarded annually. Unlike the scholarships for disadvantaged nursing school students, the nursing scholarship program is primarily merit-based. Students availing of this full scholarship are required to work for at least two years in a priority nursing facility.

State Funded Grants

Nursing is a high priority profession all over the United States. At least, 38 states are offering some form of grant program for nursing students, with the states of Florida and North Carolina topping the list of the most aggressive thus far.

Some counties, towns, and cities within some states have their own version of nursing grants to encourage high school graduates to take up nursing and help meet the need for health workers in various nursing facilities in their respective jurisdictions. You should check with your state or county/city/town to determine the availability of a nursing grant.

Professional Nursing

Nurses with advanced degrees are assets to any nursing facility. They can be expected to provide the leadership and advanced knowledge in the management and operation of various nursing facilities. They are also usually hired to teach their specialties in nursing schools.

Like regular registered nurses, there is a dearth of RNs with advanced degrees to hold management positions in hospitals and nursing facilities, and to serve as faculty in nursing schools. In fact, the lack of registered nurses with advanced studies has been cited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing as one of the reasons why some nursing schools cannot accommodate more students.

Grants for registered nurses who wish to pursue advance studies in nursing are also supported by both federal and local scholarship bodies precisely in response to a need to produce more nurses with postgraduate degrees. Grants for this purpose are usually reserved for those who have already been pursuing advanced degrees.

If you already have a specific specialty to pursue – critical care, geriatrics, cancer, pediatrics, anesthesia, emergency, public health, etc. – then you can contact the governing association of your chosen specialty:

American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. A grant applicant must be certified registered nurse anesthetist or CRNA and a member of the AANA to qualify.

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. The AANP offers special grants, usually in research, to nurse practitioners.

American Association of Critical Care Nurses. This is another exclusive members-only grant in the amount of $1500 for undergraduate and graduate nurses specializing in critical care.

Emergency Nurses Foundation Association. This is a scholarship for practicing emergency room nurses nationwide. The amount of the award varies according to funds provided by sponsors during an academic year. It’s open to undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

Gerontological Society of America. This association offers educational grants from $250 for a research-based article to $10,000 for a comprehensive research on the subject aging.

In the light of the nursing shortage that’s slowly evolving into another crisis if not addressed properly, finding funding sources to finance your nursing education is not exactly like looking for a needle in a haystack. Well, if you know where to look. The following tips might help:

1. Conscientiously fill up your FAFSA

2. Regularly research possible sources of nursing grants and trim them down accordingly.
Grants and scholarships become available throughout the year. You can start by discussing your options with your school’s career center or doing online research.

3. Expand your nursing scholarship eligibility and expand your network.
School activities and community involvement efforts can play an important role in your search for nursing scholarships. These activities demonstrate your well-rounded background which you can highlight in your essay. You can also meet important contacts, like teachers, parents, and even fellow, who may have some tips for you.

4. Write an exceptional grant application essay.
If you have extracurricular activities at school and have community involvement, this should not be a difficult task. You should likewise, indicate in your essay why you deserved to be awarded the scholarship. If your family is financially, say so and explain why. Take note of the following essay writing tips:

5. Attend internships and other training opportunities in the field of nursing whenever possible.
Internship, whether paid or unpaid, can help you better understand the nursing profession. Your internship experience helps when it’s time for you to apply for a nursing grant.

More Demand Coming

With an increasing and aging population, sedimentary lifestyle, pollution, climate change, stress, unhealthy food intake, smoking, alcohol, obesity, and other health threats, the need for health workers, especially nurses, are not about to wane in the short term.

This is why more nurses are needed to take care of the elderly and the sick in our society. According to a report by the Nursing Institute of the University of Illinois College of Nursing, it sees a future of limited access to health care unless more students train to become nurses.

If you want a career whose demand will not wane in many years to come, then pursue a career in nursing. There are grants available for you, if you just look around you.

Tags: Nursing Grants, Nursing School Grants
Posted in Federal Grants, Single Mother Grants, Women Grants | No Comments »

Grants for Women Going Back to School

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

It may be true, as a wise man once said that the world makes way for the man who knows where he is going. But did you know that for a woman who knows where she is going – especially if it’s back to school – the world finds a way.

Sociologists and economists, as well as family life experts, have noted that when a woman goes back to school – and especially if that woman is a wife and/or mother – she improves not only her life, but that of her family as well.

While definitely men who have more advanced education generally have better opportunities for employment, and are thus able to provide for a comparatively higher standard of living for their family, studies on gender differences with regard to educational attainment and outcomes tend to indicate that women who go back to school fare just as well, if not better.

The reason seems to be that women tend to want to go back to school because they want to start or advance in a career, earn better and give themselves and their families a brighter future. And because of a prevailing notion that it’s generally harder for women to get an education, the woman who does go back to school tends to be more determined not just to find a way to go back to school, but to stay in school.

And that’s why so many ways have been found to encourage more women to make the move back to school, and to help her stay the course until she graduates.

Making the Move to College

We’re talking here, of course, of going back to school from the perspective of an interrupted educational path, or as a simpler way of putting it, having taken time off after graduation from high school before moving on to college.

The number of American students who belong to this group is growing. U.S. Department of Education statistics showed that since 10 years ago 75% of American college students have been in the category known as “nontraditional.” This is defined as students who are older (above 25 years); took a break after secondary school or obtained a GED or some other non-traditional high school diploma; were married and/or had children; or worked full-time and attended school part-time.

The more interesting numbers, though, are those on women. Majority (around 60%) of college students older than 29 years were women. The figures further reveal that over a 30-year period (1970-2000), the women in undergraduate programs in the United States went from being a minority (42%) to a majority (56%). More and more women, it seems, dream of more than just a high school education – and appreciating the value of a dream realized, are determined to find the means to achieve it and hold fast with the will to see it through.

If you are such a woman, who has even just considered the idea of getting back into the student ranks, hitting the books and doing homework along with home chores, it helps to know that there are organizations and individuals who are willing to support you in this quest.

Deterrents

If you’re convinced in the idea of going back to school despite your very busy schedule as wife and mom, then the usual baggage that goes with making a decision to realign your priorities becomes lighter and less formidable. Everything else, from the care of the kids to funding your education, becomes more manageable for you and your family.

The cost of going back to college will no longer be the same as when you graduated from high school and decided to start a family instead of pursuing a degree. It will definitely be higher and costlier, and both you and your spouse are certainly not inclined to use your family budget to spend for education. If at all, you worry more about the education of your children.

It’s a good idea to engage in some research and some pencil pushing just so you’ll how much it would cost to pursue your dream. While going to college is not a cheap undertaking, it’s not as expensive as some people make them to be. An expense of $50,000 per year is true, to some extent, but it’s not the general rule. From a list of over 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States, not even 10 per cent of them charge that much.

Recent estimates place the annual average cost in public colleges and universities at $6000 to $7000, while private colleges and universities charge from $20000 to $50000 a year, depending on the private school and your course. But this is certainly not to say that $7000 is not a lot of money because it is. If you or your husband can’t afford it yet, there are hundreds of academic grants available not just to high school graduates and regular students, but also to nontraditional students like you.

You can ask for information from the financial aid office of the college of your choice, or you can check the website of the American Council of Education (ACE). There’s no shame in asking. A great majority of students, 70 percent according to a recent figure, seek financial assistance for college education.

Given this competition and considering your situation, you need to plan your moves ahead of time, like a head start of at least six months, not just for application purposes but to prepare yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally for the arduous tasks ahead. Yes, it’s arduous and you need the support and understanding of your family to succeed in your new endeavor.

FAFSA Application

Regardless of your source of grant, you will need to allot time to prepare and submit your FAFSA, an application form prepared by the U.S. Department of Education for purposes of determining your eligibility for financial assistance and the types of aid you can avail of.

As long as you’re a U.S. citizen or a permanent U.S. resident, then you’re qualified to receive some form of financial assistance. If you want to receive a bigger grant, then you need to demonstrate your need for financial assistance using your family’s income statement and other proofs of neediness. A FAFSA examiner can readily estimate how much you can contribute to your college education within three weeks from your date of FAFSA submission, so it’s imperative that you submit your FAFSA form at the earliest time possible.

If you submit your application too close to the deadline, then some of the juicier grants may no longer be available for you, or you lose your chance to make an appeal in case your FAFSA examiner allots you an amount not enough to meet your financial needs for college.

Federal Pell Grants

One of the favorable grants you can receive through FAFSA is the Federal Pell Grants, an all-expense college grant based on your financial need. The Federal Pell Grant is considered one the juiciest, if not the juiciest, and most sought after non-merit based grants available from the federal government.

If you’re a housewife, and you can show proofs that your husband does not earn enough to support your education, mention it right in the beginning paragraph of your college essay to draw the attention of readers. Make the most of your story to convince your readers that you deserve to win a grant.

When applying for Pell Grants and other federally-funded grants, bear in mind that you’re up against other regular students applying for the same student aid. While it’s perfectly alright to take your chances to aspire for regular federal student assistance, it’s also a good idea to consider other options where competition is less fierce, specifically grants designed for women.

Some of them are the following:

Philanthropic Educational Organization. This grant-giving body gives both merit and need based grants and loans to women of your circumstances, specifically those whose college education was interrupted.

Talbot Scholarship Foundation. This foundation is even more specific, offering grants to women returning to college to complete some unfinished college units.

Emerge Scholarship Fund. This is a merit-based grant for women who have contributed some service to her community and want to resume their college education.

AARP Foundation. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to serving older women – 40 years and above – to pursue a college degree or technical/vocational education. It gives priority to women with low-paying jobs or were out of jobs for at least five years.

Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund. This scholarship fund is for low-income women 35 and above, who wish to pursue a degree or vocational/technical training.

It’s never too late for women interrupted by family concerns and cash shortage to pursue their dream of a college education and improve their chances for a better life. Grant or “goodwill” money from the government, well-meaning individuals, and educational foundations is available to help them continue to pursue and achieve a stronger sense of purpose for her family and the community at large, while finding a whole new world for them to control and command to help improve the rest of humanity.

Tags: Grants for Women Going Back to School
Posted in Federal Grants, Single Mother Grants, Uncategorized, Women Grants | No Comments »

Microsoft Scholarship Opens Door to Boundless Opportunities

Saturday, February 4th, 2012

The Microsoft Corporation is known worldwide for its pioneering and cutting-edge advances in the field of information technology (IT).

People whose employment history includes having worked at Microsoft or are known to have trained in any of the local Microsoft facilities have a definite advantage in terms of employment opportunities in most I.T.-related organizations in the United States and around the world.

Now imagine if you had been chosen by Microsoft to become one of its scholars or been selected to join one of its summer internship programs?

Every year, hundreds of people get this opportunity through the Microsoft Scholarship Program, whose objective is to encourage and support young men and women who aspire to pursue post-secondary education in computer science and other related technical courses.

The scholarship grants from Microsoft Corporation are available to students in the United States and its neighbors Canada and Mexico. A student must demonstrate a strong liking for technology and exhibit academic excellence to avail of this scholarship program. There are four distinct types of scholarships offered: General scholarships, women’s scholarship, minority scholarships, and others for students with disabilities.

Microsoft scholars are entitled to receive a full or partial scholarship to cover the cost of tuition for the academic year. At the end of your course, you’re given also priority, although not automatic entitlement, for a paid summer internship which you must apply for. The internship program is conducted at the Microsoft Corporation headquarters in Washington and serves as an invaluable credential for those who finished the training.

Eligibility

Aside from being an equal opportunity employer, Microsoft goes extra lengths to encourage minority and disadvantaged students – women, disabled, Afro-American, Hispanic, or Native Americans – to pursue computer-related and other similar technical degrees.

To qualify, applicants must be enrolled full-time in a bachelor’s degree at a four-year collegiate institution in the United States, Canada, or Mexico at the time of application. Non-citizens of these countries may apply for this scholarship as long as they are enrolled in colleges and universities located in any these countries.

Moreover, applicants need to show proof that they are making good progress in their resolve to acquire an undergraduate degree. A transcript of record should suffice for this purpose. You can send your unofficial transcript of record in the initial stages of your application, but you will be required to its official form later in the application process.

In general, Microsoft bases its choices according to the following criteria:

Eligibility
Worthiness of application
Demonstrated interest in the I.T. industry, specifically software
Leadership qualities
Financial need

As merit-based scholarship, beneficiaries of this program are required to maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average from a high of 4.0, or a 4.0 cumulative grade point average from a possible 5.0. This invariably means that high school, short-term, and graduate students are not entitled to this scholarship program.

How to Apply

As you would for any other scholarship program, you need focus on meeting the eligibility criteria in order to improve your chances of getting a scholarship at Microsoft. Your resume, transcript, answers to the essay questions, and letter of referral should be geared towards making sure that you meet these criteria.

This means that you have to show proofs of eligibility, quality of application, demonstrated interest in the I.T. industry, commitment to leadership, and financial need. You will need to write your name on each page of the documents you submit to ensure that they don’t get lost or mixed up with other applications.

You should include in your resume your email address, name of school with address and phone number, student number, your permanent address and phone number, academic major, and expected graduation date. One look at your resume should already allow Microsoft to determine if you qualify for the program or not. If you indicated political science as your academic major, for example, then you’re already out of the running.

Your facility in the use of the English language is certainly a welcome bonus in writing your essay, but its bearing will not have that much impact if your answers to the following essay questions do not jibe with the program’s eligibility criteria:

Describe how you demonstrate your passion for technology outside the classroom.

Describe the toughest technical problem you’ve worked on, how you addressed the problem, your role in reaching the outcome if it was team-based, and the final outcome.

Describe a situation that demonstrates initiative and your willingness to go above and beyond.

Describe how you are currently funding your college education.

In answering these essay questions, you need to convince Microsoft that you deserve to be in the program more than the other applicants.

Aside from your transcript, you will also need a letter of referral from one of your teachers or an academic adviser. The letter of referral should support your transcript, and vice versa. The endorsement should indicate why he or she thinks you’re the best candidate to receive this scholarship.

Finally, you need to attach a printed copy of the Application Confirmation page, which you acquire during the online application process. If you have more specific questions, you can email scholars@microsoft.com.

All correspondence and inquiries should be addressed to

Microsoft Scholarship Program
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-8303

Internship

If you have been successful in getting a Microsoft scholarship, then your next moves would be to keep your grades up, finish your course, and apply for a Microsoft internship.

As mentioned earlier in this article, internship at the Microsoft head office at Washington is not automatic privilege even if you have been granted a Microsoft scholarship. You need to apply for it and explain in your application essay why you deserve to be included in the internship program.

Microsoft is famous for this salaried internship program, which includes software development, hardware engineering, I.T. and operations, game design, content publishing, and project management.

If you’re armed with a Microsoft scholarship and internship certificate, then you’ve just open for yourself an array of opportunities in an industry with unlimited opportunities for now and the future.

Tags: College Grants for Women and Minorities, grants for college students, Microsoft Scholarship
Posted in Single Mother Grants, Women Grants | No Comments »

Single Mother Grants – Scholarships for Single Mothers

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Single Mother Grants

Single moms can have a hard time getting ahead. It is difficult to go back to school and get a degree along with the promise of a better life because so much time is consumed working and taking care of the kids single handedly. It is usually not feasible to quit your job to free up time because the income is needed to pay for college and keep the family afloat. Single mother grants can be a big help.

Single Mother Grants may not pay the entire cost of a college degree but they can contribute a significant amount and make it easier for you to juggle a home life, job, and college. These grants should be used in combination with other forms of financial aid like government grants and other scholarships. When combined, the total amount may be enough to cover the cost of college as well as living expenses so you can make college a priority.

These grants for moms provide a great way for single mothers to get back into school.

Raise the Nation is an organization that provides single mother grants in the amount of $500 to $1000 each. Soroptimist is another organization that awards $10,000 grants to women who are the head of the home and want to go back to college or vocational school. There are some organizations that offer grants specifically for women regardless of whether they are single mothers or not. Plus you will find many private grants that you can apply for as a single mom even though they are not specifically single mother grants.

What can you do with Single Mother Grants for college? First of all, you must be enrolled in college. Depending upon the type of grant you get, the money may be sent directly to you or it may go straight to your college account. If the money goes into your college account, which is usually the case with government grants, your tuition will be paid from that account first. Any money that is left over will be released to you to spend on books and living expenses.

If you secure a single mother grant and then drop out of school, you may have to pay the money back, so be sure you understand the regulations that accompany your grant. You might also be required to get good grades in order to renew your grant for another year.

You can apply for as many College Grants for Women as you want but you should know if your grant money goes into your college account, the total amount will probably not increase as the amount of your college scholarship or college loan will probably decrease accordingly. In other words, you can receive a total amount of money that will cover your college costs and living expenses but not enough to live extravagantly on.

As a single mom, you know you need a good education or vocational school in order to get a decent job that will give your kids the lifestyle they want and deserve. Don’t let lack of money stop you. There is financial assistance available in the form of Single Mother Grants, scholarships, and loans that will turn your dream into a reality.

Posted in Other Sources, Single Mother Grants | 5 Comments »

Archive for the ‘Single Mother Grants’ Category