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

by Gen Tanabe, Kelly Tanabe

Overview

Adults can find the means to go back to school despite the pressures of work, family, and a mortgage with this guide to funding continued education.

With expanded information on online and distance learning and part-time classes and new financial aid, loan, and scholarship opportunities, this updated resource teaches adult students how to find and win scholarships designed especially for them, obtain financial support from employers, get financial aid for distance learning, receive larger financial aid packages, take advantage of educational tax breaks, trade tuition costs for volunteer service, and cancel education debts with loan forgiveness programs. Twenty firsthand anecdotes inspire adult students with creative and unusual ways to pay for their education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781617601675
Publisher:	SuperCollege LLC
Publication date:	06/15/2021
Edition description:	Eighth Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Gen Tanabe and Kelly Tanabe won more than $100,000 in merit-based scholarships to graduate from Harvard debt-free. They are the authors of 14 books including The Ultimate Scholarship Book, How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay, and 50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays. They tour the country as speakers on college planning and live in the Bay Area, California.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Get the Money You Need 13

Get the money you need 14

How this book will help you cut your tuition bill 14

How to read this book 15

What are you waiting for? Let's get started! 16

Chapter 2 Best Places to Find Scholarships for Adults 19

Extra! Adult student scholarships do exist! 20

Reality check 20

Lena's story 21

The golden rule of scholarships 24

Looking for scholarships in your community 25

What is the purpose of the scholarship essay? 31

How do I write a winning scholarship essay? 36

Don't ignore your college or university 39

Aren't all scholarships based on financial need? 40

Searching beyond your community 44

How do I describe my accomplishments to impress the judges? 60

How do I actually win a scholarship? 64

Chapter 3 Scholarships Just for Adult Students 67

Ardella's story 68

Scholarships for adult students 71

Scholarship drawings 76

Chapter 4 Maximize Your Federal Financial Aid 79

Getting your share of federal financial aid 80

Jane and Marilou's story 81

Getting started with financial aid 83

What is the timeline for applying for financial aid? 84

How to determine your financial need 84

What counts as expenses 88

Where do I get the FAFSA? 89

Lower your Expected Family Contribution 90

When should I apply for financial aid? 97

Chapter 5 Borrowing the Money You Need 103

Investing in your education 104

Diane's story 105

Student loan programs 108

Private student loans 117

Can I ever get my student loan totally forgiven? 119

Chapter 6 Money from Your State 123

Getting money from your state government 124

Jacqueline's story 124

What your state offers 126

State aid programs 128

What can I get from my state higher education agency? 137

Chapter 7 Money from Your College 143

Money from your college 144

Stephanie's story 145

Hitting up your college for money 147

Pam's story 155

How should I contact the financial aid office to ask for a reassessment? 159

Chapter 8 Get Your Employer to Pay 163

Get your employer to pay 164

Alan's story 165

Why would my company pay for my education? 167

What do these education benefits look like? 167

Chapter 9 Take Advantage of Retraining Programs 173

Take advantage of retraining programs 174

Dawn's story 174

Federal and state retraining programs 176

Chapter 10 Earn Credit for Life Experiences 181

Earn credit for life experiences 182

Jane's story 183

Earn college credit to graduate early 185

Chapter 11 Be a Part-Time Student 191

Working and studying at the same time 192

Jennifer's story 192

Part-time options 195

What should I look for when selecting a part-time program? 199

Chapter 12 Smart Saving Strategies for College 201

Saving for college 202

Roberta's story 203

Why you should consider your state's 529 Plan 209

Make a super gift to your 529 Savings Plan 209

How to choose a 529 Savings Plan 209

Don't stop saving once you're in college 211

Chapter 13 Tax Breaks for Students 217

Get your tax dollars back 218

Paula's story 218

The no double-dipping rule 220

What's the difference between a tax credit and deduction? 225

Chapter 14 Loan Forgiveness Programs 229

Have your student loans forgiven 230

Hee's story/231

National loan repayment and scholarship for service programs 233

State loan forgiveness programs 238

Chapter 15 Military Education Benefits 249

Soldiering your way to an education 250

Charles and Arthur's story 250

The Montgomery GI Bill 253

Randall's story 257

Special military and veteran scholarships 259

Can I go to college at the same time I am in the military? 263

Chapter 16 Avoid Financial Aid Scams 265

Keeping your money safe 266

Arnold's story 266

Why do so many scammers succeed? 270

Chapter 17 You Can Do It 273

You can do it 274

Index 277

Editorial Reviews

About the Authors' Previous Books
"Advice on applying for scholarships from start to finish." —Town & Country Magazine
"All students will profit from this highly detailed book." —David Miller, Director of College Counseling, Stevenson School
"Upbeat tone and clear, practical advice." —Book News

From the Publisher