[Updated 12/12/24]

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? (aside from the percentage of students receiving scholarship or grant aid)
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

Mason Butts

After graduating from UCLA with a Master's in Education, Mason spent 5 years as a science educator in a South Los Angeles public high school. He is committed to supporting the holistic growth of all students and empowering them to live a life of relational, academic, and financial success. Now settled in the Bay Area, Mason enjoys facilitating professional developments and partnering with educators as they prepare students for a bright financial future. When Mason is not building curriculum or planning a training, he can be found cycling, trying new foods, and exploring the outdoors.