If you’re a working adult who wants to follow your dreams and a path to
a college degree of some kind, but you just don’t have the ability to
pay, there may now be help available. You probably realize that in
order to move forward at work or into a new career field, you’re going
to need education and training.
Today, there are a number of programs
available that are specifically geared to people who need a helping
hand more than ever, so they can move up in education and job
opportunities.
However, just because you’re a working adult doesn’t mean you have a
lot of extra money to spend on school. If you have a family, the money
available for “luxury” purchases, like a college education, just may
not be available in the budget. You may find yourself in a situation
with no apparent solution, especially if you are just getting by.
Surprisingly, millions of dollars in financial aid goes unclaimed every
year because people make assumptions about what they will be qualified
for. Now, more middle income families will qualify for financial aid
of one kind or another.
It is very likely that if a person is not
qualified for one particular type of aid, they will be qualified for
another. In order to find out if you are eligible for any kind of
finical aid, the first thing you need to do is complete the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Students returning to school have several options when applying for
financial aid. Among the most popular type of financing are grants and
scholarships, because they are not like loans. Students do not have to
repay the grant once they graduate. The Pell Grant is a federal grant
(funded by the government) that is a need-based grant. That means that
the amount of money that is awarded is based on the student’s financial
needs. Students who are in the lowest income brackets will receive the
highest awards.
In 2009, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA), which increased funding for the Pell Grant, as well as some
other important changes. The top award has been increased to $5,350,
with additional increases due to cost of living adjustments scheduled
through the 2013 – 2014 school year. Now students who go to school on
a part time basis because they need to work can qualify to receive Pell
Grant money, whereas before the ARRA, only full time students qualified.
Other major changes to the program include availability of grant money
during summer sessions. Previously, no Pell Grant awards were made for
summer semesters, but now students can essentially get two Pell Grants
in one year: one for the fall and spring, and now an additional one for
the summer. This may enable students to take classes at a faster rate
and graduate sooner. The final change is the availability of Pell
Grant money to students who find themselves unemployed.
Before the
change, students who were unemployed had to wait one year for the grant
once they provided proof of unemployment. Now, however, there is no
waiting period, a student can apply for aid as soon as they can provide
proof of unemployment.
The other popular option to help students pay for school is
scholarships. Like grants, scholarships don’t have to be repaid. The
important thing to remember when you are looking for scholarship money
is to look for scholarships that apply specifically to your particular
situation.
Make a checklist of your attributes that may help you
qualify for scholarships in that area. If you are academically gifted
and have the records to prove it, apply for academic scholarships. If
you are involved in a certain career field, apply for scholarships from
the societies that are associated with it.
Today, there are more chances for adults going back to online school to get
help paying for their post secondary education. Adults who need job
training and college education can now apply for more degree programs that the
government has dedicated billions of dollars to. While many people may
think they might not qualify for government money, they may be
surprised to find that more help is available for middle income
families with adults going back to school than before. Don’t take a chance on losing out, make your
application today.
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