We all know college is expensive. Gift aid can reduce the net price. 

Answer: 64% of all undergraduates receive at least one grant or scholarship.

Questions:

1. Would you choose a college just based on how much scholarship / grant aid you get from them? Why or why not?
2. What else would you want to know when researching colleges? 
3. How are scholarships and grants different from loans?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (Sallie Mae):

"Nearly two-thirds of college families (64%) used scholarships to help pay for AY 2023–24...

Why didn’t more students apply for scholarships? Most college families (87%) agree earning a scholarship is something to be proud of. Moreover, 80% of families who relied on scholarships to cover the cost of college agree these scholarships made it possible for the student to go to college. That said, among the 36% of families who did not use scholarships in AY 2023–24 only 30% applied."

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About the Author

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.