While many scholarships put no limitations upon where you can attend school, some scholarships are location-specific. If you’re lucky enough to live in certain states, or if your dream is to attend a specific school that offers a special scholarship, it’s worth pursuing.
For example, high school seniors in Florida with an acceptable grade point average, good test scores and a history of volunteerism are eligible to apply for a stipend that will pay for four years of college tuition. The Florida Bright Future Scholarship distributes monies the state has earned from lotteries. Recipients can attend either private or public institutions. Also note the Florida Academic Scholar Award, which covers tuition, $300 per semester for lab fees, and $300 per semester for miscellaneous expenses. The Florida Medallion Scholar Award covers three quarters of your public college or university tuition as well as $300 a semester in lab fees. You are also not limited to attending a public institution. Recipients who prefer a private school will be offered an amount between 75% and 100% of average public college tuition.
High school graduates are encouraged to pursue a higher education by the state of Georgia. Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally, or the HOPE program, is a strong financial aid package. The funds are distributed as either HOPE grants or HOPE scholarships. HOPE grants are intended for students seeking a two-year certificate or a diploma from one of Georgia’s technical schools. Recipients are allowed to attend classes part-time. While there is no grade point average restriction, in order to retain the scholarship you must make reasonable academic progress. HOPE grants cover tuition, some fees, and $100 per quarter for books and materials.
Since 1993, Georgia high school graduates who enroll in a four-year college or university with at least a 3.0 grade point average can apply for HOPE scholarships to cover four years of support including tuition, some fees and a stipend for books. Students who received a high school degree in Georgia prior to 1993 must prove their academic worthiness by maintaining a 3.0 grade point average during the first academic quarter following the initial 45 credit hours. Those with a four-year degree or more than 190 credit hours accumulated are not eligible. The terms are the same as for the HOPE grant.
Most states offer partial or full funding in the form of grants or scholarships. Pay attention to the state of your education!