501 Ways for Adult Students to Pay for College : Going Back to School Without Going Broke

by Unknown

• ISBN13: 9781932662016
• ISBN10: 1932662014
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2004-04-01
• Publisher: Supercollege, Llc

Summary

Aimed squarely at single parents, senior citizens, or adult students who are changing careers or going to college or graduate school, this book examines the issues and challenges unique to adults who want to go back to school despite the pressing responsibilities of families, work, and mortgages. These 501 strategies cover everything from finding and winning scholarships intended especially for adult students, obtaining financial support from employers, and negotiating with colleges for more financial aid to taking advantage of educational tax breaks, benefiting from government-subsidized student loans, and exploring cheaper alternatives to expensive colleges. Twenty inspirational stories of adult students who have used creative ways to pay for their educations are also included.

Author Biography

Gen Tanabe and Kelly Tanabe are Harvard graduates and the authors of Accepted! 50 Successful College Admission Essays, Get Free Cash for College, and Get into Any College. They have appeared on more than 100 television news programs, including CNN Financial News and Fox Morning News. They live in Palo Alto, California.

Table of Contents

Get The Money You Need	13	(19)
Get the money you need	14	(1)
How this book will help you cut your tuition bill	14	(2)
How to read this book	16	(1)
What are you waiting for? Let's get started!	17	(2)
The Best Places To Find Scholarships For Adults	19	(48)
Extra! Adult student scholarships do exist!	20	(1)
Reality check	20	(1)
Lena's story	21	(3)
The golden rule of scholarships	24	(1)
Looking for scholarships in your community	25	(6)
What is the purpose of the scholarship essay?	31	(5)
How do I write a winning scholarship essay?	36	(4)
Aren't all scholarships based on financial need?	40	(1)
Don't ignore your college or university	41	(4)
Searching beyond your community	45	(15)
How do I describe my accomplishments to impress the scholarship judges?	60	(5)
How do I actually win a scholarship?	65	(2)
Scholarships Just For Adult Students	67	(12)
Ardella's story	68	(3)
Scholarships for adult students	71	(7)
Scholarship drawings	78	(1)
Maximize Your Federal Financial Aid	79	(24)
Getting your share of federal financial aid	80	(1)
Jane and Marilou's story	81	(2)
Getting started with financial aid	83	(1)
What is the timeline for applying for financial aid?	84	(1)
How to determine your financial need	85	(3)
What counts as expenses	88	(1)
Where do I get the FAFSA?	89	(2)
Lower your Expected Family Contribution	91	(6)
When should I apply for financial aid?	97	(6)
Borrowing The Money You Need	103	(20)
Investing in your education	104	(1)
Diane's story	105	(3)
Student loan programs	108	(9)
Private student loans	117	(2)
Can I ever get my student loan totally forgiven?	119	(4)
Money From Your State	123	(24)
Getting money from your state government	124	(1)
Jacqueline's story	124	(2)
What your state offers	126	(3)
State aid programs	129	(8)
What can I get from my state higher education agency?	137	(10)
Money From Your College	147	(20)
Money from your college	148	(1)
Lynne's story	149	(2)
Hitting up your college for money	151	(8)
Pam's story	159	(6)
How should I contact the financial aid office to ask for a reassessment?	165	(2)
Get Your Employer To Pay	167	(10)
Get your employer to pay	168	(1)
Alan's story	169	(2)
Why would my company pay for my education?	171	(1)
What do these education benefits look like?	171	(6)
Take Advantage Of Retraining Programs	177	(8)
Take advantage of retraining programs	178	(1)
Dawn's story	178	(2)
Federal and state retraining programs	180	(5)
Earn Credit For Life Experiences	185	(10)
Earn credit for life experiences	186	(1)
Jane's story	187	(2)
Earn college credit to graduate early	189	(6)
Be A Part-Time Student	195	(10)
Working and studying at the same time	196	(1)
Jennifer's story	196	(3)
Part-time options	199	(4)
What things should I look for when selecting a part-time program?	203	(2)
Smart Saving Strategies For College	205	(18)
Saving for college	206	(1)
Roberta's story	207	(7)
Why you should consider your state's 529 Plan	214	(1)
Make a super gift to your 529 Savings Plan	214	(1)
How to choose a 529 Savings Plan	215	(1)
Beware of the pitfalls of 529 Savings Plans	216	(1)
Don't stop saving once you're in college	217	(6)
Tax Breaks For Students	223	(12)
Get your tax dollars back	224	(1)
Paula's story	224	(2)
The no double-dipping rule	226	(5)
What's the difference between a tax credit and deduction?	231	(4)
Loan Forgiveness Programs	235	(18)
Have your student loans forgiven	236	(1)
Hee Ryu's story	237	(2)
National loan repayment and scholarship for service programs	239	(5)
State loan forgiveness programs	244	(9)
Military Education Benefits	253	(16)
Soldiering your way to an education	254	(1)
Charles and Arthur's story	255	(2)
The Montgomery GI Bill	257	(5)
Randall's story	262	(2)
Special military and veteran scholarships	264	(3)
Can I go to college at the same time I am serving in the military?	267	(2)
Avoid Financial Aid Scams	269	(8)
Keeping your money safe	270	(1)
Arnold's story	270	(4)
Why do so many scammers succeed?	274	(3)
You Can Do It	277	(4)
You can do it	277	(4)
Index	281