By Peter H. Okun
Lincoln Educational Services

As your child embarks on his/her final year of high school, they should be taking the first steps towards a rewarding career and should consider a post-secondary education.

The thought may be daunting as you can’t believe the day is finally here, but you need to spend some time thinking about how you can afford to pay for this level of education.

Funding an education is expensive, but obtaining a post-secondary education is one of the most important things your child can do. The good news is pursuing a post-secondary education doesn’t have to become an impossible mission.

“The number one mistake many parents and students make is believing they can’t afford an education,” says financial aid expert Barry Beckham, author of The Black Student’s Guide to Scholarships.

“Parents and students shouldn’t take the position that there isn’t enough money out there and that they don’t qualify for scholarships," Beckham says.

"You can get a post-secondary education and there is money for almost everybody – you’ve just got to find the right combination of your abilities, what the school offers and your financial needs." The Department of Education is providing more than $83 billion in financial aid this year, about 60 percent of student aid, to help millions of students and families pay for their education. (1)

Financial aid programs are available for those who qualify, so you may be able to sleep a little better knowing that there may be help. According to Wachovia Corporation, nearly all students are eligible for some type of financial aid. (2)

If you’re concerned about how you’re going to repay loans, scholarships are a form of financial aid that may be worth exploring. They can make a world of tuition dollar difference. Scholarships vary and may be given based on: financial need, academic merit either by grades or test scores, or by community service.

Spend some time researching scholarships that match your son or daughter’s unique background and abilities. Ask yourself, “What makes my child unique?” Perhaps your child is good at hands-on tasks. Whatever their interest is, they can use it to their benefit. Financial aid can be complex, confusing, and even frustrating, but finding out the facts is worth the time and effort.

If your child is looking for a post-secondary education that offers hands-on, career-oriented programs, then you’ll be happy to know that Lincoln Technical Institute and Lincoln College of Technology is offering Scholarship testing on Saturday, August 16th for their Automotive Technology, Diesel and Truck Technology, High Performance and Collision Repair and Refinishing programs. Note: The scholarship test is relevant the Denver campus and Grand Prairie, TX campus.

Students graduating from high school in 2009 are being given the opportunity to apply for scholarships so they can obtain the skills they need to succeed in the automotive field. If your son or daughter likes to work on cars or trucks, they can change their lives….in 90 minutes!

Lincoln Tech and Lincoln College of Technology offer career-training programs in Automotive Technology, Diesel and Truck Technology, High Performance and Collision Repair and Refinishing. These hands-on training programs vary by campus and are taught by ASE Certified instructors.

Depending on the program, their training will consist of: repairing and maintaining trucks and construction equipment, computer diagnostics, engine dyno testing, and the ins and outs of auto body construction, surface prep, dent repair, welding and cutting.

Graduates from Lincoln Tech and Lincoln College of Technology’s Automotive and Diesel training programs may also qualify for a variety of exciting third-party manufacturer training programs that specialize in training with their brand of vehicles.

The opportunity is now! Take the next step and register for the scholarship test by visiting www.lincolntech.com or www.lincolncollegeoftechnology.com.

From the site, viewers can choose and click on the various campus links: Denver, Melrose Park, Columbia, Mahwah, Indianapolis, Union, Queens, Philadelphia and Grand Prairie.

Lincoln Tech and Lincoln College of Technology offer day and evening classes and career placement assistance upon graduation.

Sources:
1. U.S. Department of Education. July 18, 2008.
2. Wachovia Corporation. Five Steps to Financial Aid. July 18, 2008.