Journelism

There are many colleges and universities with support programs that help assist students who lack preparation and financial resources to pursue a college degree. New York State established one such program in 1970; HEOP (Higher Education Opportunity Program) enabled me to attend a private college and successfully graduate. The program focuses on NYS residents and students who have already started the process of applying for colleges.

Emerging from an economically disadvantaged background myself, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to attend college until I heard about this program by chance 15 years ago. Back in 1992, I knew nothing about HEOP or what it offered. While many high-school students knew already which colleges they would go to, I was struggling with the fact that I might not have enough financial backing to attend any college. Neither my parents nor I were aware of the available help. I was lucky enough to hear about the program through a friend, and four years later I became the first in my family to earn a college degree.

Acceptance into the HEOP program is based on certain residency, school and financial requirements. The program offered by Manhattan College, where I attended in Riverdale, NY, provides testing, counseling, tutoring, academic advisement and financial assistance to prospective and accepted students throughout the four to five years they are in school.

A financial-aid package is also offered upon acceptance to the program. This can be a combination of New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), Pell Grant, Manhattan College HEOP Grant, HEOP stipends, Subsidized Stafford Loans and Federal Work Study Employment. For further information on the Manhattan College HEOP program, you may contact Marilyn Carter, the Director of HEOP, with any questions or comments at marilyn.carter@manhattan.edu. This is just one example of a school that provides this help; however, many colleges and universities offer the HEOP program, including Columbia University, New York University and St. John’s University.

Be sure to contact schools you are interested in to find out if they provide the HEOP program. There is no reason to forgo such compelling opportunities.

I would like to introduce myself before beginning this blog. I am a writer with interests in personal finance, money management, entrepreneurship and other business-related issues. I’ve been writing over the past couple of years for various online and print publications and have an MBA with a specialty in finance. I was born and raised here in the United States and my parents were born in Puerto Rico. For those of you who want to own a business and need advice, or would like to advance your education and are looking for the right resources to get started, you’ve come to the right place. This particular blog will focus on educational and business programs aimed at helping the Hispanic community become better informed. So please join me, let’s take a walk together in striving for success, while picking up the tools we need to build a better and brighter future.

Next week’s topic: Let’s Get Started! Resources Hispanic entrepreneurs use to initiate their businesses.

Week 3: Go for the Gold: Scholarships and grants aimed at developing Hispanic scholars

Week 4: A Shoulder to Lean On: Support programs for Hispanic students

Week 5: Don’t Let It Scare You! The college application process

Week 6: Ingredients Needed for Success: Determination and perseverance

Week 7: Don’t Give up: Obstacles entrepreneurs face and how to overcome them

Week 8: Money Talks: Where Hispanic small-business owners can go for financial help