Attention all students hitting the books at Austin Community College District (ACC): the quest to nab extra cash for your education just got easier. ACC has thrown open the doors to over 800 scholarship opportunities, doling out more than a million smackaroos dedicated to making college less of a bank-breaker. In a pledge to fight the skyrocketing costs of higher education, ACC's scholarship program is now accepting applications from students looking to lighten their financial load.
"We are seeing this shift of younger populations questioning the value of a degree because college has become almost unaffordable. We are working to change that by removing the financial burden and debt our students face while leading them to a brighter future," ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart stated, according to ACC. "This college is deeply committed to equity and ensuring everyone has success here."
One beneficiary of the scholarship initiative, Billy Fairley, shared his experience, "I felt very grateful to receive such an award, and it has motivated me to be the best I could possibly be in my program. I believe that when someone believes in you and supports you, that there is only one way to repay them and that is by achieving the goal they invested in with you," Fairley told the ACC newsroom. "It has taken financial burdens off of my shoulders, and allowed me to purchase all of the supplies that I needed for the semester."
Mark your calendars—if you’re gunning for priority consideration, the deadline to apply is Wednesday, May 1. The odds are in your favor—historically, about 1 in 4 applicants land some sort of financial aid from the program. You don’t need to have your FAFSA finished to throw your hat in the ring. Just get ready to detail your work history, volunteer gigs, school exploits, and life experiences in your application alongside a personal statement between 250 and 500 words. Stick around your inbox mid-summer when ACC plans to notify chosen candidates via their ACC email, as reported by ACC.
