I was compensated for this post, but all opinions are my own.

 

I don’t know if things have changed in the school system now a days, but when I was in high school, nobody really talked about how expensive attending college or university was. And worst of all, we weren’t given any (or much) information about how to manage finances.

I just remember that when I was in my senior year, my parents told me that I HAD to attend university, but that they weren’t going to pay for it. And don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining. I never expected my parents to pay for my post secondary education because financially they  just couldn’t afford it. I know that if they could have afforded it, they would have.

So, I found myself applying to any and all scholarships that were applicable to me. Scholarships helped  me out during my first semester of college. I was able to pay for classes and even cover the cost of a couple of text books. My advice to students in high school is to keep their grades good, volunteer in their community, join sports teams and be a positive role model in their school and community. And to the students in their last year of high school is to apply to EVERY scholarship available to them. Even if you get one scholarship, it can help cover the cost of text books, a class or even semester, depending on how much the scholarship is worth.

Also, don’t only rely on your  high school (or college/university) for scholarships. Look into your community district, your local polititcal party may even have a scholarship (mine did!), your varsity team, the company your parents work for? Even big companies are supporting education by providing scholarships!

Coca-Cola for example, understands the value Hispanic families place in education and is proud to continue its long-standing partnership of 35-years with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the nation’s largest not-for-profit organization supporting Hispanic American higher education.

As part of the Coca-Cola – HSF For The Dream National Scholarship Program, this year Coca-Cola is donating $150,000 to HSF to be awarded via scholarships to qualifying students who apply from January 1 to March 30, 2016 at www.Coke.com/ForTheDream, to help Hispanic families plan, prepare and pay for college.

Below you will find “Coca-Cola’s Roadmap to Your Teen’s College Acceptance”, a detailed infographic to help parents understand key steps in supporting their children through the college application process.

What are some of the challenges you faced while applying/during college?

Please, make sure to pass along the Coca-Cola and HSF scholarship info before March 30, 2016 at www.Coke.com/ForTheDream, to help Hispanic families plan, prepare and pay for college.