For students seeking to make their education more affordable, there are many institutional and outside college scholarships that are available. These scholarships, whatever the size, can help take the bite out of the rising costs of higher education at any university, public or private, and allow students to make decisions about their future free from the looming fear of undergraduate debt.
Director of Undergraduate Admissions Kristen English said that all Newman applicants are automatically considered for Newman Academic Scholarships just by applying to the university. Recently, the deadlines to apply for several other “special” Newman scholarships were changed to the same date, Feb. 15, English said.
“These include the ASC Community Leaders Scholarship, the Cardinal Newman Scholarship, and the Honors Scholarship for students who apply for and gain admission to the Honors Program,” she said.
Newman scholarships are not the only scholarship opportunities students can take advantage of, though they are often the most lucrative. English said a good way to supplement these Newman scholarships is by utilizing “outside,” or non-institutional, scholarships.
“These scholarships are often smaller and require additional application processes as well, but small scholarships can add up quickly and every dollar counts,” English said.
She said the state of Kansas also offers scholarships for residents that many students may not seek because it requires a separate application process. Also, she said some colleges will even commit to matching certain outside scholarships.
For example, Newman will match any scholarship from the Kansas Hispanic Education & Development Foundation that is received by a new incoming student.
English’s advice to students and families looking to save money on higher education is to do as much research as they can early in the process to avoid missing deadlines.
“And ask lots of questions,” she said. “Financial aid and admissions counselors are excellent resources, and especially at a school like Newman, we are happy to work one-on-one with each student to help them make a plan to pay for college.”
