Hello everyone! Since summer is here and we all have a bit more time to breathe and relax we can focus on funding our future. Embry-Riddle is an amazing school that’s worth every penny plus some. However, it is really expensive, and that’s coming from a Florida resident. The only way that I have been able to attend Embry-Riddle for the past 3 years is all thanks to scholarships. I am so grateful for every single one of them and all the donors who are making my aviation safety dreams come true.

Now many people will tell you, “You’re going to have a bunch of student debt when you graduate” and “college is too expensive.” You know what my response to that is? I will always respond, “College funding can be a breeze if you prepare before hand and continue to pursue opportunities.”

Here’s my guide for how to graduate college debt free like me and so many others. I will warn you its not going to be handed to you. You will have to work and put effort in. Just remember that that effort will pay off big time and allow you to have a little less stress through your college years.

For my Florida resdidents look into the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. There are two different breakdowns depending upon your GPA, volunteer hours, and SAT/ACT scores. Since Embry-Riddle is a private university you will only recieve a percentage of this money but trust me when I say every little bit helps out. Alongside this there is the Florida EASE scholarship. You should be automatically put into this one depending upon residence and scores but all specific details can be found on the website.

Now for all the Riddle eagles out there please, and I cannot stress this enough, apply for the Donor Scholarship from the school when you see the email pop-up in your inbox. It takes less than an hour to fill out and gives you the opportunity to be considered for so many different donor scholarships. I have recieved a few each semester from this application and it has saved me time and time again. You only have to answer a few questions and write a personalized essay about how scholarships would help you and who you are.

Another great funding opportunity out there is FASFA. This is a government scholarship that has no interest and doesn’t require any payback. The application for this can be a little tricky and confusing but the program was recently updated allowing the process to go much smoother and quicker.

At Embry-Riddle having good grades helps a lot in the process of obtaining scholarships. The school offers a Presidential Scholarship to students with high GPA’s and performance. This is a great opportunity to obtain an easy scholarship and motivation to do well in your courses. For all the ladies out there Embry-Riddle offers a Women of Excellence Award under similar circumstances. Most recieve this every year without any extra work needed. So while some people say grades aren’t important they most defiently are! Having good grades and a decent GPA gives you a higher chance of recieving higher scholarships amount and more awards.

Overview of all scholarships mentioned:

• Florida Bright Futures
• Florida EASE
• Embry-Riddle Donor Scholarship
• FAFSA
• Presidential Scholarship
• Women of Excellence Award

I hope that this helps inspire some of you all to take the time and opportunity to apply for as many scholarships as you can. Scholarships have helped me pursue my educaticational goals and future career without all the financial stress and student debt. They can help you too! Please reach out to your financial advisor for any specific questions regarding your specific path.