A young friend of mine was recently complaining that working in retail was getting him nowhere. He had been out of high school for five years and was an hourly employee in a big box store making $8 an hour. "Why don't you go to the community college?" I asked him. "You were always good at math in school. Why not get a BA in math?" "Sure, I want to get my degree," he said to me. "But, holy cow, where am I going to find the money to pay for it?"
Well, I'll tell you what I told him. Use the internet! It's never been easier to find sources of money for college.
Institutions of higher learning want you to attend their schools and they've made themselves readily accessible to you through the internet. Our federal and state governments also want you to go to college. They know the value of an educated population. Everything is stacked in your favor and all you need do is apply!
But, as with everything important in this old life, first things first.
You'll first have to decide what area of expertise you want to pursue and where you want to do it. You already have a handle on your capabilities based on your experience and work history. Online certificates and degrees are extremely affordable and available through universities everywhere. They let you progress at your own pace.
There are vocational schools, professional schools and low cost community colleges in your area, as well as fully accredited four year institutions to attend as a commuter or an on-campus resident. Many of these offer class schedules to fit the busy lives of adults. Investigate the schools' websites over the internet and read about the programs they offer. Pursuing the college degree of your choice doesn't need to add to the craziness of juggling work and family and your personal life, so bookmark the programs which best suit your lifestyle as well as your goals. You'll need all of this information when you fill out financial aid applications. It is only once you've accomplished this that it make sense to hunt for the money.
Now, sit yourself down in front of your computer and go to the Federal Student Aid website. You can access it here.
This website was written just for you. It is easily understandable and well organized and is your source for free information from the U.S. Department of Education. You'll find answers to virtually all of your questions regarding federal student aid and even some information on private funding sources. My advice is to pursue only the legitimate sources of money and to forget about searching for the mythical, niche scholarships you may have heard about, such as money for one-armed, minority transvestite immigrants who come from broken families.
You'll quickly find that you need to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA. This is the form where you identify the schools that you are interested in attending and those schools disclose to you the amount of aid available to you, including grants, scholarships, work opportunities and federal student loans. If you select a federal student loan your chosen school will contact you with instructions on the next step, including how to select a bank or other lender. It's easy to follow the FAFSA instructions. You can also visit the FAFSA website here for more information.
Another worthwhile internet site to visit for career and education information is the U.S. Department of Labor sponsored site here. If you are out of work, you may be able to get money to live on as well as money to pay for entrepreneur training in order to run your own business! These programs are run with federal money and state money. Each state has different rules and the main idea is that they have money for you to train to get a better job along with money to live on while you are training. And your new job can be starting your own business! These programs are run through your state One-Stop Career Center located in your state capital but will have additional offices all over your state.
Good luck in all your future endeavors.
