Military veterans have undoubtedly learned invaluable skills as members of the U.S. Armed Forces. After they are released from active duty, however, they may wish to take new paths. A college education can start them on a whole new life, with new triumphs–and new challenges–on the horizon. One of these new challenges shouldn’t be tuition costs. Veteran college grants can help.

The major source of financial aid for veterans is the GI Bill. The GI Bill (also known as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act) was created in 1944 to benefit the veterans of World War II. This program disburses veteran college grants to eligible participants and pays for college or vocational training. As of 2006, the Montgomery GI Bill paid for up to 36 months of school and was accessible for up to 10 years after veterans left active service.

Veteran College Grants: Financial Assistance for Children of Veterans

However, veteran college grants aren’t just for veterans. Dependents of veterans are eligible for state, federal, and private grants just for them. Entities such as the American Legion and other military-related organizations are excellent sources of grants like this. There are also college grants like the Regents Award for Children of Deceased and Disabled Veterans. This grant was created for children of veterans who served during a national emergency or war.

Veterans or dependents of veterans have numerous grants at their disposal. Other grants included under the GI Bill include the Veterans Educational Assistance Program. Participants in this program receive $2 for every $1 they contribute to the program. Another option is the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program. This program provides qualified individuals with up to 45 months of educational benefits.

The University of Pennsylvania is an Ivy League university located in Philadelphia. Consistently ranked among the top ten schools in the country by the U.S. News and World Report, the University of Pennsylvania offers four undergraduate schools and twelve graduate schools from which to choose. Ben Franklin founded the university in 1740, and its location in central Philadelphia keeps students close to major historical landmarks as well as Philadelphia’s bustling arts and commerce districts.

With almost 10,000 undergrads, the University of Pennsylvania is large enough to offer a wide variety of viewpoints but not so large that a student can’t make personal connections with staff and other students. Undergrads may choose between majors in the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Nursing, and the Wharton School of Business. Students also have the opportunity to create their own dual-discipline majors that involve programs or classes in more than one school.

Opportunities for Graduate Students at the University of Pennsylvania

Graduate students also number approximately 10,000. Masters and PhD programs are available in a wide variety of programs, including nursing, medicine, dental, communication, education, and more. The Wharton School offers an extremely competitive top-ranked MBA degree program, from which many of the nation’s top executives have graduated.

The University of Pennsylvania also offers many opportunities for research. With a budget of approximately $660 million for fiscal year 2006, the university employs thousands of research fellows, postdocs, and support staff. The university is one of the nation’s top earners in terms of external funding, as well–nearly $500 million in grants support the university’s researchers each year.

Located in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale University is considered to be one of the nation’s top colleges. Since its founding in 1701, Yale’s campus has grown into large 260-acre campus with over with 11,000 students and more than 3,000 faculty members. A member of the Ivy League, Yale has fostered an ongoing rivalry with fellow Ivy campus Harvard.

Beyond being incredibly prestigious (Yale University alumni have been overwhelmingly represented in presidential campaigns), Yale’s library sets it apart from other Ivy League schools. With 11 million volumes, Yale’s library system is the second largest among U.S. universities. As a result of their impressive academic reputation and ample facilities, Yale attracts many of the nation’s top students and has developed a rigorous screening process for prospective applicants.

Among the student body, nearly half (44 percent) of students major in fields within Arts and Humanities, another 37 percent are in the Social Sciences, and only 19 percent major in Biological and Physical Sciences. Not surprisingly, political science, history, and economics are the most popular majors at Yale University. Yale University’s student body split evenly among men and women.

As part of the NCAA’s Division I, Yale University Bulldogs have 35 sports to choose from, divided almost evenly between men and women. Beyond sports, many students participate in the Yale Political Union, one of the university’s oldest and most popular groups. Along with the oldest student political group in the country, Yale also features the nation’s oldest student newspaper, the Yale Daily News.

Stanford University, located in charming Palo Alto, is a West Coast powerhouse when it comes to athletics and academics. The university’s graduate programs are highly sought after and very competitive, especially degree programs within the School of Law and the School of Medicine. Aside from its academics, the campus itself is an integral part of Palo Alto. The university’s Cantor Center is a renowned art museum in its own right, with an impressive collection of works by French sculptor Auguste Rodin.

Research has always been a strong component of Stanford University’s prestige. Current faculty members count an impressive number of prizes and awards between them, including four Pulitzer Prizes and 16 Nobel Prizes. Ideas as diverse as recombinant DNA and IQ tests came out of Stanford’s research labs. Continuing this tradition, the Bio-X research program was designed to facilitate cross-discipline research in fields such as biology and medicine.

Student Life and Academics at Stanford University

Athletics play a large part in Stanford University student life–in fact, 80 percent of students participate in campus sports. College football is the most visible of Stanford’s athletic programs, showcased in the annual Big Game against Bay Area rival Cal. Famous alumni in the world of sports include Jim Plunkett and John Elway.

In the world of the arts, Stanford University also fields an impressive set of programs. Most notable is the creative writing program, founded by Wallace Stegner. Cross-cultural studies are also an important part of Stanford’s humanities programs. Students interested in cultural studies may choose between programs offered through the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, the Center for Latin American Studies, and the Institute for Diversity in the Arts.

Unlike a private loan, private college grants do not need to be repaid. Private grants are simply a form of financial aid that comes from private non-profit sources as opposed to the government. (For-profit sources issue scholarships, not grants. Beyond this distinction, there are no real differences between private college grants and scholarships.) The sources of private college grants include universities, social clubs, scholarship organizations, and more.

About half of all undergraduates are given grants, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, and the average total amount hovered at about $4,000 in 2006. With the cost of a private university education exceeding $20,000 per year in many areas, students should apply for as many grants as possible. Grant money is tax exempt, so there are no negative financial ramifications for the recipient.

Sources of Private College Grants

While many grants are need-based, meaning that applicants would have to demonstrate a financial hardship, quite a few grants are merit-based. Students with exceptionally high grades, excellent leadership skills, or even a unique talent can seek out grant sources. Some grant organizations also offer funds based on an applicant’s ethnic or cultural background, including the United Negro College Fund and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

Many grants are renewable, meaning that an applicant can continue to receive additional funding for each year of college attended. However, these private college grants will usually require the applicant to meet basic criteria before a renewal is approved. For example, maintaining a certain GPA or participating in a set number of volunteer hours may be required.

Located in New Jersey, Princeton University is one the country’s prestigious Ivy League colleges. Founded in 1746, the country’s fourth-oldest college was known for years as the College of New Jersey. The name “Princeton University” was adopted in 1896, with the university designation indicating the expanded number of courses and degrees available.

The university boasts a rich history–in fact, the campus’s Nassau Hall was, at one point, the capitol of the United States. Today, the school is dedicated to both undergraduate education and its research capabilities and enrolls approximately 2,000 graduate students and 7,000 undergrads.

Faculty and Students at Princeton University

Princeton’s faculty has won a slough of awards, including Nobel Prizes. Past winners include John Nash, Toni Morrison, and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. In addition, 15 current or former faculty members have won the National Medal of Science. All Princeton faculty members are encouraged to work closely with undergrads to develop their interests and form working relationships–this is made possible by the 5:1 student to faculty member ratio.

Student life at Princeton University is lively and diverse. For the first two years, students are required to live on campus in one of five dormitories. Additional housing is available for upper classmen who also wish to live on campus (a surprising 97 percent of them chose to do so). Creative activities are sponsored and encouraged; the facility at 185 Nassau Street hosts fiction and poetry readings while student-run Theatre Intime produces musicals and plays.

Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois. With a wide range of options for both undergraduates and graduate students, Northwestern provides the opportunity to create cross-discipline curricula. Undergraduate options include programs in the School of Communication, the School of Education and Social Policy, the Medill School of Journalism, and the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, among others.

The Kellogg School of Management is Northwestern University’s renowned business school. MBA programs offer an emphasis in executive studies or international studies. Students may choose between programs in accounting, finance, management, managerial strategy, and marketing.

Facts about Northwestern University

Northwestern University’s athletic program fields teams in basketball, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, and more. In December of 2005, the school’s football team earned a berth in the Sun Bowl. Intramural and club sports are also popular campus activities, offering sports such as dodgeball and volleyball. Northwestern is the only private university to belong to the Big 10.

The university enrolls nearly 8,000 undergraduate students and approximately 7,000 graduate students. Most graduate programs are housed in Northwestern’s satellite campus in Chicago. The college may be most well known for its outstanding journalism program, which has been ranked among the top three in the country. Northwestern’s newspaper, not surprisingly, is ranked as one of the nation’s best college papers.

People of Hispanic descent make up the biggest minority group in the U.S. This group is also the youngest. However, according to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) in 2006, more than 87 percent of Hispanics did not have bachelor’s degrees. This poor number is due in part to financial hardship. Hispanic college grants can help more Latinos attend (and graduate from) the universities they desire.

One major source of Hispanic college grants comes from the CHCI itself. This organization, founded in 1978, focuses on encouraging Hispanics to take leadership roles in the government and the community. Therefore, CHCI college grants are meant for students who have a history of getting involved in public service–and who wish to continue to do so in the future. There are no requirements as far as GPA or majors.

More Facts About Hispanic College Grants

To be eligible for a CHCI college grant, the student must be accepted into a four-year college, a community college, or a graduate or professional program. They must meet financial need guidelines and display strong writing skills. Also, eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens or legal (permanent) residents.

Hispanic students are far more likely to be attending college part-time (or attending community college) than any other ethnic group. Fortunately, several organizations have stepped up to the plate to offer Hispanic college grants, including need-based and merit-based grants. Interested students can explore grants offered by the federal government, private organizations, and other entities.

Harvard University is famous as the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. The university was founded by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636. Although founded in a Puritan colony, Harvard has no religious affiliation. The school’s famous alumni include quite a few U.S. presidents, including John Adams, Franklin Roosevelt, and John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Because of its age, the Harvard campus offers wonderful examples of Colonial architecture. Brick buildings, iron-tipped gates, and well-manicured greenbelts characterize the campus. Campus tours are popular with visiting tourists as well as incoming freshmen. The oldest buildings on campus pre-date the Revolutionary War.

The Impressive Achievements of Harvard University Faculty

Harvard University is made up of 12 different colleges, including the Business School, Design School, Divinity School, and the School of Public Health. Faculty members in each school are renowned within their fields; past and present faculty members have racked up an impressive 46 Pulitzer Prizes. Recent winners include Geraldine Brooks, winner of the 2006 prize for literature.

Harvard’s research facilities have made impressive breakthroughs in the world of science and medicine. In 1993, Harvard University researchers identified the gene for Huntington’s Disease. In 2000, a Harvard team created a new cancer drug being tested in patients for whom chemotherapy is either not an option or has not been successful. With dozens of affiliated research institutes, Harvard is well positioned for another remarkable century of discovery.

Students who are planning their future college careers–but aren’t sure how to fund them–may worry about being saddled with enormous student loans after graduation. While typical student loans feature low interest rates and grace periods before they need to be repaid, the prospect of being approximately $50,000-$150,000 in debt fresh out of college is daunting. Federal college grants can help.

Unlike student loans, federal college grants do not need to be paid back. And there is a lot of money out there for students: as of 2006, the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) disbursed approximately $60 billion dollars each year. In fact, the FSA is the largest source for student financial aid in the United States. One of the most well-know federal grants is the Pell Grant, a need-based reward. However, new grants are created each year, including the Academic Competitiveness Grant and the National SMART (Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent) Grant.

How to Apply for Federal College Grants

To apply for federal aid, prospective students must fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). While each state will have a deadline to turn in the form, it cannot be submitted before January 1 of the academic year in question. Applicants will detail their personal information as well as their college plans and general financial standings.

The typical eligibility requirements for federal grants are as follows: applicants must be citizens of the U.S. or qualified noncitizens. For most FSA grants, applicants must meet certain financial need guidelines. They must have valid Social Security numbers and high school diplomas. Qualified applicants must be working toward a degree or a certificate and must promise to only use the grant money for educational uses. Most importantly, recipients must achieve satisfactory grades once they get to college!