Public Service to Pay for College

Three forms of public service -- the United States military, the National Health Service Corps and Americorps -- reward your dedication with money for your education.These three mainstays are worthy of your consideration in addition to other opportunities you may find at your college fellowship office (or its equivalent).

Military Options
Program: The Reserve Officers' Training Corp
How Much: Up to $17,000 per year as a cadet in Army ROTC. This scholarship can be used toward tuition and mandatory fees. Cadets are also provided a book allowance of $600 per year and a subsistence allowance of $250 per month for freshmen, $300 for sophomores, $350 for juniors and $400 for seniors.
Details: ROTC programs are offered by all four branches of military service (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps). Although the program varies depending on which branch of the military you choose. Army ROTC training will consist of taking elective courses in military science, physical training, and an intensive leadership training camp between your junior and senior year where you get to put into practice everything you've learned in the classroom. When you graduate from college you will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army. As a scholarship recipient, your time commitment will vary. Typically, you will serve 2 years for every one year that you received a scholarship.

Program: The National Guard
How Much: A salary of up to $263 a month during full-time college enrollment and up to 75% of tuition costs not covered by the GI Bill. Many states also offer their own tuition assistance, which can include paying for 100% of the tuition at state colleges and universities.
Details: The traditional National Guard service requirement is one weekend a month and two weeks a year. National Guard members could be called for active duty at any time. During your time away, your job will be protected by the 1994 Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act. This act protects reservists and other military personnel from discrimination or retaliation for fulfilling their military duties. The law guarantees that if you get called to active duty, you cannot be denied your job or your seniority when you return to work (unless they were planning on firing you before you left.)

Non-Military Options
Program: National Health Service Corps
How Much: For students, the scholarships cover tuition, books and other school-related expenses, plus a monthly stipend. For graduates, their loan repayment program can earn you up to $35,000 a year to pay off college loans.
Details: This is an ideal program for students interested in pursuing a career in health care. You'll get hands-on experience for your resume; and the personal satisfaction of helping keep people healthy in underprivileged communities. And if you're fresh out of medical school and looking for a job, NHSC offers you salary and certain tax benefits, in addition to their already generous loan-repayment program.
The Catch: You won't be working in the most glamorous or high-tech medical environments; underprivileged communities have limited medical resources. Also note that this is a program for students pursuing careers in health care and health care professionals only.

Program: AmeriCorps
How Much: An education voucher worth $4,725 that you can use to pay for college expenses or to pay back college loans.
Details: With more than 25,000 volunteers serving in more than 430 programs across the country, Americorps is one the nation's most important service organizations. They offer a wide variety of service opportunities from working with children to building houses; so you're virtually guaranteed to find a way you can share your time and skills. Also, if you choose to volunteer in an area related to your career-goals, it can be an excellent resume; builder.
The Catch: You have to sign on for a 10- to 12-month "tour of duty" with Americorps. If the full-time commitment is too much, you could sign up for part-time service, but in that case you receive less money in your educational voucher. Some service opportunities require you to travel or take time off school, as well.

Next: ROTC Scholarships

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Paying For College Without Going Broke 2006 by Kalman A. Chany. Publisher: Princeton Review

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