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More Quad-Cities students are earning help toward college tuition and other academic awards via a mix of local, state and national organizations.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced its first wave of 2024 National Merit Scholarship winners Wednesday, including the following two Quad-Cities students:
These annual, $2,500 scholarships are awarded to National Merit Finalists in each state with the, “strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies.”
According to an NMSC press release, Chen plans to pursue a career in ophthalmology and Wolf plans to study veterinary medicine.
National Merit Scholars are selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors. This committee weighs factors such as a student’s academic record, GPA, assessment test scores; school/community leadership, recommendation letter and an essay.
Last month, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg recognized 13 local high school seniors at the 22nd-Annual Governor’s Scholar Recognition Ceremony in Des Moines on April 28.
Wolf also earned this honor, along with the following local students:
A total of 424 students from across Iowa were recognized at the 2024 ceremony.
Each year, the Governor’s Scholar program asks Iowa high schools to select a senior student with the highest academic ranking for the award. Recipients are given a photo plaque of their meeting with Reynolds and Gregg, along with an opportunity to recognize their favorite/most influential teacher.
A total of 70 Rock Island High School seniors earned a record-breaking $175,200 in scholarships from the Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation Wednesday night.
These were presented at the Austin Academic Achievement Awards/RIMEF Scholarships Night, an annual ceremony to recognize academic excellence at Rock Island High School. This year, students earned a total of $35,000 in Austin Academic Achievement Awards and $140,200 in RIMEF scholarships.
Teachers select Austin Award recipients within 10 different academic areas — first and second place students inn each area receive a $2,000 and $1,500 scholarship, respectively.
The RIMEF scholarships range from $500 to $8,000, awarded for academics, athletics, community involvement and other achievements. Students complete just one application for RIMEF’s 51 separate named scholarships.
As previously reported, RIMEF added two new scholarships this year: The Steven and Mabel M. Velge Track & Cross-Country Scholarship and the Troy H. Ellis Scholarship. They also recognized Rocky’s “Top 10” students from each graduating class with a gift-bundle and certificate of recognition Wednesday.
Additionally, Geneseo High School graduate Abigail Frank received a $1,000 “Richard C. Keith” scholarship from IMT Insurance. These scholarships are awarded to high school seniors, undergraduate, trade school and higher education students who are active in their schools and communities. Recipients must also demonstrate a high level of academic success.
Two Black Hawk College students were selected for the 2024 All-Illinois Academic Team due to their scholarly efforts.
This year, Black Hawk nominated:
Black Hawk College students Lena Slininger and Elizabeth McDonald, the college’s 2024 All-USA Academic Team nominees.
Both students attend Black Hawk’s main campus in Moline and are members of Phi Theta Kappa — the official honor society for accredited two-year colleges.
Black Hawk also recently honored the following 11 students at its East (Galva) Campus during its 40th annual Founders’ Scholars Awards on May 2:
Black Hawk College East (Galva) Campus students Paula Burke, Jaysen Heitzler, Jaxson Hicks, Kennedy Kloepping, Hannah Maher, Timothy Nichols and Morgan Wood pose after the college’s 40th annual Founders’ Scholars Awards Ceremony.
These awards are named after the East Campus founders: Dr. Glenn Case, James Golby, Gust “Brick” Lundberg, Theodore “Ted” Vlahos and Robert White.
Gov. JB Pritzker talks about FY 2024 budget and MAP program at Black Hawk College.
You’ve packed your belongings, told your loved ones goodbye and left for college. All is well until you receive a notification from your college indicating that you have an outstanding balance. The federal student loans you were awarded fell short of covering the bill. What should you do?
If there’s a gap between the amount you were awarded in federal student loans and what you need for tuition and expenses, you’ll need to make it up somehow. Experian offers some options to consider.
If you find you need more financial aid than you received in direct federal student loans, appeal directly to your school’s financial aid office. You can do this at any time, including after receiving your financial aid package and after the school year starts. Most schools will require you to provide an explanation of special circumstances, such as a change in income from a job loss or pay cut, that led to you needing more funds. But whether or not there has been a change, this is your best place to start. At worst, your financial aid administrator will say no—at best, you may get the extra funding you need.
You may be able to increase the funding you have for school by applying for scholarships. Scholarship dollars available to you may be small, but can really add up if you’re able to win several. Visit or call your university’s financial aid office and inquire about scholarships that are available to incoming and current students, and research opportunities online at sites such as Scholarships.com and Fastweb. Apply for any scholarships that you qualify for, even if they’re only for a few hundred dollars. Unlike loans, scholarships and grants don’t need to be repaid, nor are they considered taxable income.
A tuition payment plan may not reduce your expenses, but it could at least make them easier to manage. Inquire with your university bursar’s office about payment plans that will spread out your payment over several months instead of charging you all at once. Some universities extend payment plans to students who, like you, are dealing with a funding gap and need more time to come up with funds. You may be able to pay monthly without being charged late fees or getting dropped from your classes. This allows you to remain enrolled to avoid a gap in your studies and work the payments into your budget.
When you’ve reached your limit on federal loans, a part-time job can help you cover your remaining expenses without taking on more debt. Look for jobs that are on or near campus to reduce your fuel costs and time commuting (you’ll still have homework to do, after all).
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape of the job market, so some of the jobs that were in high demand months ago may not be an option. Instead consider industries that are newly ripe with opportunities for teenagers and young adults. Many grocers, for example, are hiring motivated young people to do grocery deliveries and restock shelves. Tutoring and freelancing are other viable options that can help you earn money quickly.
Has it been a while since you looked at your budget, or maybe you don’t have one at all? No worries. It’s a perfect time to start as you get creative and find ways to fund your education. Grab a notebook and list your monthly expenses and income. Classify your expenses as needs (rent, food, utilities) or wants (entertainment, travel) and prioritize them based on importance. Eliminate or drastically reduce your list of wants until you free up cash to reduce your tuition bill. Creating a lean budget may be painful, but your sacrifices will be well worth it.
You may also want to rethink your living situation. While the thought of ditching your pad for a cheaper one that’s smaller or farther away from school to cut costs may sadden you, moving could help you free up a big pile of cash. What you save on housing may be enough to cover a chunk of the outstanding balance still owed to the college or university you will be attending. If uprooting sounds unappealing or unrealistic, consider bringing in a roommate, which can similarly cut your rent payment.
Federal student loans are the best way to borrow for college, but they’re not the only way to do so. If the gap between your federal loans and the amount you owe is significant, you may need to look into additional loans.
Parent PLUS loans are one option. These are available for the parents of dependent students who are enrolled in college at least part time. The funds can be used to cover tuition, fees and other college-related costs.
A credit check is required during the application process, and parent borrowers can be denied if they have a poor history repaying debts. Parents who have been denied can still qualify if an endorser with good credit assumes repayment responsibility or the parent borrower is able to prove extenuating circumstances affected their credit history. If a parent’s loan application is denied, the student’s borrowing limit on unsubsidized federal student loans may be increased to the amount set for independent students.
If you’ve reached your annual limit for federal loans, you might consider applying for a private student loan to cover the remaining expenses. Private lenders decide what loan limits to set for borrowers, so your federal loan limit won’t be a factor.
Only consider private student loans after you’ve exhausted all other options. They sometimes come with steeper interest rates and require a credit check. Plus, you won’t get the perks, like income-based repayment plans, deferments, forbearance and loan forgiveness, that you’ll get with federal loans.
There are several options to help cover college costs if your federal student loans aren’t enough. Revisit your budget and cut costs to make up the difference or find ways to earn more. Also, consider grants and scholarships first as they do not have to be repaid.
Use funds from a parent PLUS or private student loan as a last resort, and be mindful that they require a credit check. Boost your approval odds by knowing where your credit stands and fixing any errors before you apply.
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The Quad Cities Community Foundation gave over $578,600 in scholarship awards to 74 area students this year.
Over the past two weeks, a laundry list of Quad-Cities area students earned scholarships from community agencies and their respective schools.
Jaycees of the Quad Cities honored several community members this year who are making a positive impact.
Black Hawk College students Lena Slininger and Elizabeth McDonald, the college’s 2024 All-USA Academic Team nominees.
Black Hawk College East (Galva) Campus students Paula Burke, Jaysen Heitzler, Jaxson Hicks, Kennedy Kloepping, Hannah Maher, Timothy Nichols and Morgan Wood pose after the college’s 40th annual Founders’ Scholars Awards Ceremony.
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