West Virginia Colleges and The Pell Grant

Back in 1991, when I was applying for financial aid to attend Marshall University in Huntington West Virginia, I found out about the Pell Grant. The Pell Grant is a grant offered through the government to students attending certain West Virginia colleges. I applied for and received a Pell Grant of $1000.00. I was able to use this grant to help pay for my college costs and it enabled me to not have to apply for $1000.00 worth of student loans.

Applying for the Pell Grant was easy. Here is a link to anything and everything you would or could possibly want to know about the Pell Grant: http://www.thepell.com/state-pell-grants/west-virginia-pell-grant.shtml . The only downside to the Pell Grant that I can think of is that it can only be used for colleges in West Virginia. This is not a problem, unless you are wanting to go to an out of state school. However, it helps to promote West Virginia schools and keeps the government money local, so that really is a plus.

I would recommend that everyone planning to attend a West Virginia college using financial aid apply for the Pell Grant. Its free to apply and you have nothing to lose and possibly free money to gain for college! It is a highly coveted grant though, so get your application in as soon as you are allowed/able to do so. Waiting could cost you the opportunity to get the free grant money for school.