personal mission statement examples | personal statement sample | admission essay

Available Scholarships at Duke University

admin — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:55:06 +0000

Duke University costs $53,265 a year to attend. The amount already includes on campus room and board, books and other supplies, aside from the tuition. Because of the huge annual cost, students coming from families with yearly household incomes of $40,000 and below are discouraged from applying for student loans. Instead, they are advised to apply for grants and scholarships.

Duke University scholarships

It is good that there are many scholarships on offer at Duke University. There are, of course, the usual merit-based scholarships. There are academic, art and athletic scholarships up for grabs. If you are exceptional at general academics, art, theater or sports, you may qualify for one of these merit-based scholarships. There are also scholarships that may not be need-based but are also not merit-based. You can apply for scholarships that are awarded to minorities, members of particular religious groups and to student leaders. You may also join the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) to qualify for a scholarship.

If you do your research well, you will find that there are several merit-based and need-based scholarships you can apply for if you want to study at Duke. Some of the scholarships are named after the donors who generously provided the money to be used for the education of their scholars.An example is the Roy Wilkins Scholarship. You need only be an incoming freshman and a US citizen. You also have to maintain a 2.5 or higher GPA. The required grade is not that high compared to that of other scholarships. However, you can only be awarded a maximum amount of $2,000.

You will see that if you have been accepted at Duke, you have a strong chance of being qualified for merit-based scholarships outside of the university. After all, Duke has admitted you based on your high school GPA, leadership, personality and community involvement.

A full scholarship will certainly pave the way to a Duke degree. It is best to apply for several scholarships at a time as early as possible. You may get that full ride.

Available Grants at Duke University

admin — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:55:05 +0000

A study grant to Duke University can alleviate the stress of having to pay the full amount needed to attend the top university. At Duke, you will need $53,265 a year to pay for your tuition, on campus residence, books and other supplies. This package is actually the best unless you can stay with a family near the university.

Grants

What makes grants especially ideal is that they are basically free money that are awarded to students who are financially in need. This places grants in a safer spot between student loans and merit-based scholarships. With student loans, you have to repay the amount after graduation. The total amount will expand due to interest. With merit-based scholarships, you need exceptional grades to qualify. You also have to compete with several deserving Duke students. There are also not many of these academic scholarships to go around even if you do have those exceptional grades to support your application.

Examples of federal grants include the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). You must be pursuing your first bachelor’s degree and must not have an overpayment on another grant, the Federal Pell Grant. Even non-US citizens who are eligible for the grant can be awarded with the FSEOG. An FSEOG can award up to $4,000 a year. Both the FSEOG and the Pell Grant are awarded to students who are in dire financial need. Grants, such as the Academic Competitiveness Grant and the SMART grant require the maintenance of a certain GPA to qualify. As with loans, you have to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form for your case to be assessed.

Grants are not perfect, though. They may support those who are financially in need despite the absence of star quality grades and they may also be free money but they may not fully fund even just your tuition. However, you may be awarded with more than just one grant. Put together, those grants can help you finance your Duke University education.

Available Federal Loans at Duke University

admin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:55:04 +0000

As of 2010, the annual cost of attendance at Duke University totals to $53,265. Tuition is worth $38,741. The rest of the total cost of attendance is allotted to books, room and board, supplies and other fees. Rooming and boarding on campus is actually less expensive than living in a rented place elsewhere. Not only that, it is also more conducive to learning. Unfortunately, the cost is still too high especially for families with household incomes of $100,000 or less a year. The university also recognizes this.

Federal loans

So why does some universities discourage student loans? Actually, they do not really discourage all student loans. They just want students and their families to be more aware of the consequences of borrowing money. Student loans need to be repaid. The payment is the product of the total cost of education at Duke University and the interest rate. Outside private institutions tend to charge higher interest rates than the university itself or government-issued loans. Students from low-income families are already experiencing a lot of financial pressure. If they loan money for their education, they will be facing a similar financial situation or worse when it is time to pay back.

Not all loans have very difficult payment terms. Federal and state loans have fixed interest rates. They also can be paid six months after graduation. By then, the student could have already adjusted financially with employment to back him or her up. You can apply for federal loans via Duke University by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and submitting it at Duke’s prescribed deadline.

It can be scary to borrow money, especially if there is interest involved. However, if you want to be educated at one of the best schools in the country, you just have to take the risk. After all, a good education is always worth it, as this is an excellent investment.