These days it’s not really a matter of “if” your credit score will drop but how far for so many Americans. As you would expect the tier is much different for an individual who simply misses a payment versus a person who has a property fall into a foreclosure status.

Little People of America, Inc., is a nonprofit organization that provides support and information to people of short stature and their families. Membership is offered to those people who are usually no taller than 4′10″ in height.As part of our service to people with dwarfism and the community at large, LPA offers educational scholarships to prospective and current students attending college or vocational school in the Unite States. Awards can range from $250 to $1000 (sometimes more). A scholarship committee, headed by LPA’s Vice President of Programs, will selectively review all scholarship application packets.

The American Society for Enology and Viticulture annually awards numerous scholarships to students pursuing a degree in enology, viticulture, or in a curriculum emphasizing a science basic to the wine and grape industry. The awards are not in predetermined amounts and may vary from year to year.

Microsoft is excited to be offering more than a half-million dollars in scholarships for the 2010-2011 academic year. Applications must be postmarked by February 1, 2010.

Microsoft will review all applications and select final candidates on the basis of eligibility, quality of application, displayed interest in the software industry, commitment to leadership, and financial need. All applicants will be notified of their status via email on March 19, 2010.

We want to encourage students from groups currently underrepresented in the field of computer science to pursue technical degrees. While all candidates who meet the criteria for eligibility described below may apply, a large majority of our scholarships will be awarded to female students, underrepresented minority students, and students with disabilities. Minority applicants must be a member of one of the following groups underrepresented in the software field: African-American, Hispanic, or Native American.

“Lawmakers who will decide whether to give the green light to Gov. Sean Parnell’s merit-based scholarship plan said they support the concept of giving full rides to Alaska’s strongest students, but need to better understand where he expects the money to come from,” the Alaska Dispatch reports.

“The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation Monday announced the official launch of Go On, a statewide initiative that aims to bring awareness to and address Idaho’s post-secondary success rate, as well as increase opportunities for Idaho students,” the Idaho Press-Tribune reports.

“November brings a nerve-racking deadline for May’s college graduates: It’s time to make the first payment on their student loans,” NPR reports. “With this year’s tough job market, many graduates don’t know how they’ll come up with the money. Many are asking for deferments, and some may have to default. But a new federal law designed to ease the pain of repayment may help some make it through this tough time.”

“Faced with limited job options, many young adults are turning to an old standby to weather the recession: moving back in with mom and dad,” Associated Press reports. “Among 16- to 24-year-olds, less than half, or 46.1%, are currently employed, the smallest share since the government began collecting such data in 1948. At the same time, a record high of about 11.5 million Americans ages 18 to 24, or nearly 40%, attended college in October 2008.”

“Education Secretary Arne Duncan is watching colleges struggle with tough economic conditions and wants them to know that the federal government is trying to help. But, Mr. Duncan said Tuesday, it can help only so much,” The Chronicle of Higher Education reports. “The secretary spoke in San Antonio at the annual conference of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, whose members say they’re struggling to maintain their traditional commitment to missions of teaching, research, and public service at a time of continuing state budget cuts.”

“As Congress moves closer to wrapping up deliberation on the Obama administration’s proposal to convert the U.S. higher education student loan system of public and private lending into one fully run by the federal government, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) aren’t expected to be among the institutions opposing the reform, HBCU leaders say,” Diverse reports. “[A]mong the 105 HBCUs, a few dozen of which are private colleges and small public universities, HBCU association and individual school officials report that the majority of their institutions are supportive of the administration’s proposal on direct lending.”