Although K-State has its share of shiny sports cars wheeling through campus and its environs, there is no reason to feel you must be among their drivers to come here. As a public university, K-State has long been able to offer an excellent education at a reasonable price, and has been considered a 'best value' in a number of independent publications (see http://consider.k-state.edu/awards/ for details).

Up-to-date information on costs for undergraduates can be found at: http://consider.k-state.edu/tuitionandcosts/

Although the costs may at first seem daunting, K-State and the Geology Department can help offset them. There are many scholarships available. Many students find part-time employment, some in the department, others elsewhere on campus, and still others at many of the businesses in town. A few manage to hold down full-time jobs as full-time students (we don't recommend this, as grades [and quality of education] may suffer). K-State maintains an up-to-date listing of student employment opportunities at http://www.k-state.edu/ces/students/parttimejobs.htm

K-State will also assist students in applications for student loans and grants. For more information, see http://consider.k-state.edu/financialaid/

Both K-State and the Geology Department offer a number of scholarships. For the former, see http://consider.k-state.edu/premierscholarships/. For the latter, see 'Departmental Scholarships', below.

Finally, the Kansas Geological Society, through the Kansas Geological Foundation, offers scholarships to geology majors at Kansas universities. The Kansas Geological Society is an organization of professional geologists interested in furthering the education, applications, and awareness of geology in Kansas. Many of their members are graduates of K-State and other Kansas universities.

Thanks to the generosity of its alumni (and alumnae), the Department of Geology has been able to award about $30,000 in scholarships each year. [The amount varies with the economy, and no promises can be made for the future.] As we are a small department, and like to award all the money we can, many of our students find these scholarships to be a significant part of their financial plans.

There are currently over 20 scholarship and travel grant funds, some of which support multiple recipients each year. Some have requirements for scholastic achievement, some require financial need, and others have neither requirement; some are restricted to undergraduates (one to entering freshmen), some are for graduate students only, and some are for either. Most support, well, scholarship. Some support travel, to meetings or research areas. One supports attendance at field camp. All get awarded, as long as funds are available and qualified students apply.

With a few exceptions, application for these scholarships is simple and straightforward. In most cases an applicant can submit a single application to be considered for all scholarships for which he or she is eligible. A detailed list of these scholarships, and details for applying for them, are available from the Geology Department. If you are an outstanding high school student interested in one of our freshman scholarships, write to the Head, Department of Geology, at the address above.