Free Money for College: A Guide to More Than l,000 Grants and Scholarships for Undergraduate Study by Laurie Blum

From the Publisher

In Free Money for College, 4th Edition, professional financial adviser and "Free Money" lecturer Laurie Blum provides you with thoroughly up-to-date information in easy-to-read listings that include all you need to know to apply for a wide variety of scholarships and loans. Listings are conveniently organized into six categories: state; area of study; miscellaneous grants; and grants for women, members of various ethnic groups, and the disabled. Each listing includes contact names and addresses, eligibility and restriction information, all deadlines, and numbers and amounts of awards given. With tips on filling out applications and finding sources of money not listed in the book, Blum provides access to the funding that can help finance a college education and a future.

NACADA Journal

"This easy-to-reference handbook provides a beacon of hope for those who feel that the demands of college expenses are unbearable."

Library Journal

Blum, a professional fund raiser with more than 20 books on the subject of free money to her credit, here lists more than 1000 grants and scholarships for undergraduate education in the United States--none of which requires an application fee. Each entry includes the funding agency name, address, telephone number, contact person (if applicable), number of awards, amount of money awarded, restrictions, and deadline for application. The entries are arranged in four categories: geographic location, subject field, special groups, and miscellaneous sources. First published in 1990, this book will be revised every two years. It is not as user-friendly as the author claims--there is no index, and the table of contents is too general. Still, secondary school students, their parents, and guidance counselors will find it useful. The McKees, founders of College Resource Materials who published the first edition of this book in hardcover in 1994, include the same information as Blum: address, telephone number, a brief description of the type of aid offered, and deadline. However, they also include the web site of each organization, if known. Their coverage is broader than Blum's--they include over 4000 entries representing $5,445,500--and their advice is generally helpful. One weakness is the book's lack of a subject listing. Seven of the appendixes may be copied for personal use; the eighth is a sample high school r sum . Both books are valuable and complementary reference sources.--Samuel T. Huang, Northern Illinois Univ. Libs., DeKalb Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

This directory of undergraduate scholarships and loans has four main parts: programs listed by state; listings by field of study; aid for women, ethnic groups, and the handicapped; and awards limited to fraternal orders, unions, etc., as well as grants with no special restrictions. Entries include eligibility requirements, application information, and the nature of awards. Although a program may be listed more than once, it is quite difficult to locate specific sources of aid because there is no index, and the table of contents is skimpy. Additionally, this work is less comprehensive than standard tools like the Annual Register of Grant Support, 1990 (National Register Pub. Co., 1989). Not recommended.-- Leonard Grundt, Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, N.Y.

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