A high-paying career may await diagnostic medical sonographers but studying to be one can be quite pricey. Whether you’re enrolled in a certificate, Associate’s, or Bachelor’s degree program, a sonography education will cost you thousands of dollars. Fortunately, there are sonography scholarships widely available today. And there’s no stopping you from getting one, so long as you put in enough effort and time. As you read on, you will be able to learn where and how to score one or more of these scholarship grants that will spare you from financial burden.
How to Find Sonography Scholarships
Scholarships for sonography students are offered not only by educational institutions but also by private companies, organizations and of course, by federal and state sources. Commonly, prospective students first search for scholarships in the school of their choice. Universities and colleges offer grants to those who deserve it, based on academic performance and/or financial status. Several corporations and organizations also dedicate a considerable portion of their profits and funds to sponsoring bright students. What’s best is that some of them, especially those in the medical or health-services field, would often absorb their scholars into their company for immediate employment.
A savior for most sonography students is the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Educational Foundation. The Foundation offers scholarships worth $2,500 to SDMS members enrolled in a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).
It also helps if you’re already certain which area you want to specialize in as some organizations offer scholarships to students aiming for a particular specialization. The Society for Vascular Ultrasound, for example, offers the Anne Jones Scholarship for students with a concentration in ultrasound technology.
A no-fail provider of financial assistance for college students in general are the Federal Student Aid programs. Medical sonography enrollees can apply for the following: Pell grants, Stafford loans, Consolidation loans, Federal Work Study (FWS), Perkins loans or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG).
The key to a successful scholarship hunt is patience, perseverance, and a whole lot of research. Let the worldwide web and Google be your best friends and search for scholarships online. There are websites completely dedicated to this.
Tips When Applying For Scholarships
While there is quite a surplus of financial assistance programs, they’re not freely given. To put it bluntly, you have to deserve it. You must prove that you’re worth every penny. So how exactly do you do that?
First, impress them with your credentials. Make sure you have soaring grades, a string of extracurricular activities and reputable affiliations as these will show just how promising you are. A strong letter of recommendation or more will also be crucial when applying for scholarships. Furthermore, you have to ensure that you have complied with every single one of their requirements in your application. All sections should be filled up completely and truthfully without any typos. Lastly, apply for as many scholarships as you can to increase your chances.