According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of non-traditional students on college campuses was 40.9% totally 6.2 million students. A non-traditional student is one who is at least 24 years of age; normally between the ages of 24 and 69. They are married and single and many of them are parents! Some have been to college before, left and are now returning after a number of years; others went straight into the workforce. A new group of non-traditional students are popping up on college campuses all over the country. Those are the students are attending class alongisde their children!

I am one of those in the new classification. I am a junior, my youngest daughter is a freshman. I am pursuing a degree in Advertising/Public Relations,as she majors in Early Childhood Education. I want to go on and get my Master's while she wants to teach Kindergarten after graduation. I have a Pell Grant and she doesn't.

What?

Lauren lives on campus, her dad and I support her, and pay for the portion of school that her scholarships don't. Yet, I receive Pell money and she doesn't. It makes no sense to me, but this is the way that the system was set up.

The first thing you must do is fill out FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) which is required for all students seeking any kind of financial assistance for higher education. One of the steps to this process is to figure your Expected Family Contribution. It asks for your student status: Are you full or part time? Are you dependent or independent student? Then it asks for your family size and wants to know how many are in college.

At this point, it says "Parents are not included in the college figure but instead must contact the school for a professional judgement review." Seems simple enough, yet, I've not spoken to anyone who has ever come out on the positive end of a professional judgement review. We certainly didn't. Continue reading ...

Article by, Paula Carpenter and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.

Posted by Candice Arnold on July 14, 2009 at 1:33 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The forms, applications, and documents that are required by financial aid offices can seem endless, and the process at times impossible. And unfortunately, it is something you get to deal with every year during school. When your frustration level rises, though, try to remember that the point of it all is to provide you with an opportunity that you could not otherwise afford.

To start you off, here are some tips to make applying for and dealing with financial aid as painless as possible:

What Can I Do Early?

File taxes early! The sooner you get them done, the sooner you can complete your applications for the year.

File your applications early! Although in most cases it does not hurt to submit your applications nearer to the deadline, many schools have penalties (which can add up to hundreds of dollars) for late or incomplete applications. It's pretty common to have documents disappear or to discover a missing signature on a form, and sometimes it can take the school or processing company a while to catch these things. If you get everything in early, you will still have time to correct any mistakes they find or to re-supply information that may have gotten lost in the shuffle.

Hang on to any and all important financial documents throughout the year and put them in one safe place. This will save you countless hours of searching through piles and drawers when the time comes to file the FAFSA. W-2s and your most recent pay stubs are a must, as are any papers linked to filing taxes. If you itemize your deductions, any receipts or tax write-offs will come in handy, and so will medical bills and financial records. You will probably be required to submit copies of many of these documents as well, so keep them easily accessible in a pre-determined place such as a file cabinet for when the time comes. Continue reading ...

Article by, Unigo and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.

Posted by Candice Arnold on July 14, 2009 at 1:27 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

(based on Money Magazine, Jan. 2006)

January 1 marks the start of the financial aid season for the following school year, and it’s
also the day the federal government begins accepting submissions for Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA). Here are some tips to qualify for more financial aid and save yourself some of the
headache associated with this ritual:

Continue reading "Get the MO$T from Financial Aid" »

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 27, 2007 at 3:17 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

If you are considering going to a college and money is a problem you may be eligible to apply for financial help. You can apply to get free or inexpensive money to help you get that college education.

Continue reading "How to Apply for Scholarships, Grants and Student Loans" »

Posted by CandiceArnold on December 7, 2007 at 2:49 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Don't Get Your Hopes Up

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

In another recent article, I outlined the basic steps for filling out the FAFSA.

Continue reading "Looking for College Money? - the Truth About Pell Grants" »

Posted by CandiceArnold on November 1, 2007 at 10:15 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

Let's face it, college is expensive. It consumes 25% of the annual median household income. It's not getting any cheaper either, tuition on average rises 7% per year. In response to the rising cost of tuition, the federal government has a great number of programs that were created in order to help students who cannot quite pay for college to get there.

Continue reading "A Guide to Federal College Assistance" »

Posted by CandiceArnold on October 4, 2007 at 11:46 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Understanding Federal Pell Grants, Student Loans, and Work Study Programs

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

College preparation is a large focus of every high school student's senior' year. For many, the frustration of financing the college tuition may lead to many not pursuing a college education simply based on fear of the financial struggle.

Continue reading "Educational Funding: What Are the Options for High School Seniors Heading to College?" »

Posted by CandiceArnold on October 3, 2007 at 2:12 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

There are many different things that can assist you if you are a university student in search of college grant money. The best thing that you can do is apply for as many college grants as you can. Obviously the more you apply for, the greater the chance will be of receiving financial assistance.

Continue reading "Government Grants: Tips on How to Obtain One" »

Posted by CandiceArnold on October 3, 2007 at 10:29 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

Federal work-study programs are part of Federal Student Aid, which is awarded based on financial need. Federal work-study programs provide employment to undergraduate and graduate students to help them earn money to pay for their education expenses.

Continue reading "Paying for College Through Federal Work-Study Programs" »

Posted by CandiceArnold on September 20, 2007 at 2:47 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Last year alone, over $30 Billion in government grants were awarded to people like you. Over 20 million people get government money every year. About 6,000,000 get money to go to college. Approximately 10,000,000 will get fully paid help and training for a better job. And 1,000,000 entrepreneurs will get money to start or expand an existing business.

Continue reading "Government grants fund education & businesses " »

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on September 14, 2007 at 11:36 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

As a science or engineering major, you may be eligible for specific scholarships or financial aid packages awarded on the basis of need or merit. Follow the guidelines below, and you and your parents may be surprised at the outcome.

Continue reading "The "Science" Of Getting Money For College [ And Engineering Your Way Through The Process]" »

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on August 29, 2007 at 12:37 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Looking for U.S. government provided financial aid or other such benefits? Head to GovBenefits.gov. It was recently named a “Cool Site of the Day” by Internet guru and talk radio host, Kim Komando. GovBenefits.gov is the official benefits Web site of U.S. Government, and includes more than 1,000 government benefit and assistance programs from all 50 states. Visitors to the site can use the unique eligibility questionnaire that helps them find programs that match their needs. To date, 21 million Americans have visited these sites, and 4.5 million people have been referred to the proper government agency for assistance.

Students and parents can go on GovBenefits.gov to find out if they are eligible for various education reimbursement programs to help them obtain the assistance they need to pay for their education. GovLoans.gov is the sister site of GovBenefits.gov, and provides information on government loan reimbursement programs, including education loan reimbursement programs.

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on June 21, 2006 at 6:05 PM | Leave a Comment (0)