Scholarship Dollars for Returning Students The money is there. Financial aid administrators tell you how to find it
By Stephanie Lyncheski
Finding the right scholarship is not easy. It can be a tedious, confusing and downright frustrating job. However, the rewards can be great. Here, some “scholarship pros” offer advice on the nuts and bolts on finding money for returning students.
“The most important thing is to file any financial forms early,” suggests Maryann Gelato at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Also, contact the financial aid office of the school to find out about any
scholarships the university offers.”
Will Limban, Assistant Director of Admissions at The Art Institute of Phoenix, says that there are many scholarships waiting to be claimed. “There are some specifically geared toward women, there are some for those that have been at other schools. We hear of different scholarships and loan opportunities all the time.”
Alice Olson, Director of Continuing Education at Sarah Lawrence College, brings 13 years of expertise and this advice to the table. “It’s not as easy as some might lead you to believe. I think there is a great myth that tens of thousands of scholarship dollars go unspent each year because no one applied for them. It’s true that there are lots of scholarships out there, but the criteria for eligibility are generally very closely defined and reach only a tiny universe of applicants.” She continues with the positive side of scholarship searching, “The fact that it’s difficult shouldn’t stop students from trying. I have had students succeed in finding a fund, making an application, and getting as much as $2000, renewable for up to three years.” That’s quite a payoff to fill out an application.
Limban directs students to the library or to the Internet to facilitate their search. Some Websites that may be helpful include FastAid and FreSch! These sites prompt a person to fill out a general questionnaire and then perform a search based on the entered criteria.
Another helpful site is The Power Students Network, an alliance of 11 leading educational websites that help students get into, pay for and succeed in college. Here a perspective student will find a free online database of thousands of scholarships as well as articles to help understand the financial aid process and to increase your chances of winning scholarships.
Peterson’s has launched CollegeQuest, an online database of 800,000 scholarship awards searchable by various criteria. Another organization is The Citizens Scholarship Foundation of America , which has provided $81.8 million to nearly 86,000 students in 1998. They have pledged to grow to serve 110,000 students with scholarship support totaling more than $110 million annually by the year 2000 in support of the goals of the Presidents Summit for America’s Future.
Gelato agrees with Limban’s advice. “Returning students can search the databases on the Web and also scholarship books. Most public libraries and local colleges and universities have these books. They might even have some geared to returning adult students.” Gelato suggests one book in particular, the Back to School Money Book for older women returning to college, while Olson suggests a book entitled Financial Aid Resources for Women.
There are many other good resources available in print. Peterson’s has a full line of books including Peterson’s Scholarships, Grants and Prizes 2000, The College Money Handbook, and the Peterson’s Scholarship Almanac.
Checking out the organizations to where you belong might also be helpful. Fraternities, sororities, and honor societies may offer scholarships to alumni or current members. Don’t depend on only one source for information. Private scholarships often aren’t advertised so you should inquire with individual universities, professional organizations, churches, clubs and other interest groups. Often employers provide tuition reimbursement as do military programs. Another source of private scholarships are local libraries.
Scholarships are not limited to those with a 4.0 GPA. Some have a base criteria of an average GPA and focus on career interests, extracurricular activities, ethnicity, or gender.
The most difficult part is diligence, but the harder you work at the search, the more options you will find. Limban explains his philosophy in finding scholarships. “I would tell students that the results are dependent upon the work that one puts into this search. What’s satisfying is to see so many organizations out there that do want to help.”
Stephanie Lyncheski is a freelance writer and college professor living in Phoenix, Arizona. She has a master’s degree from Marquette University and is currently working on a master of education degree in Educational Psychology.
Additional Resources:
Scholarships for Re-entry Students.
A special listing of awards for adults returning to college.
Directory of Financial Aids for Women: 1999-2001.
Named “cream of the crop” by School Library Journal and “best of the best” in education and career information by the National Education and Information Center Advisory Committee, this directory identifies billions of dollars in financial aid set aside for women and women’s organizations each year. Examples include up to $5,000 annually for older women to start or go back to college, thousands of dollars for women to study engineering or chemistry, $18,000 for women to work on a Ph.D. dissertation, and up to $50,000 in venture capital. Issued biennially since 1978, this award-winning directory references more than 1,700 national and international scholarships, fellowships, grants, awards, and internships set aside for women, and is the only comprehensive and regularly updated list of funding opportunities available to women and women’s organizations.
Scholarships & Loans for Adult Students by Peterson’s
The only guide to financing for students over 25. Provides details on loans, government aid, and scholarships, including descriptions of awards, deadlines, contact information, eligibility requirements, and application details.
Financing Your College Degree : A Guide for Adult Students by David F. Finney
Written by a financial aid expert, this book shows adult students how to use all possible resources to finance a college education. Step-by-step, the book helps them find out what they’ll have to pay and how much aid they might receive, apply for public and private financial aid, save money by shortening the time it takes to get a degree, and more.
Paying for College : Without Going Broke 2000 Edition by Kalman A. Chany
Plan ahead to improve your chances of receiving financial aid, calculate your aid eligibility before you apply to colleges, complete the 1999-2000 financial aid forms (including FAFSA and the CSS PROFILE), negotiate with the financial aid office, take advantage of the new tax law, and handle special circumstances if you’re a single parent or independent student.
Free College and Training Money for Women.
by Matthew Lesko. More than $80 billion in government money & private scholarships is available for women who want to go back to school or train for a new position. Find out how to receive $2,000 towards a 2-year degree, get free training and find affordable child care while going to college. Scholarship information includes $1,500 for women over 35 getting graduate degrees; $1,500 for women studying business; scholarships for single parents and much more. Over 800 pages.
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