Finding Funds for College – at Any Age

Today the statement, “I have homework to do,” may be just as often heard from a parent as it is from a high school or college student in the family. Education is no longer reserved just for the young; lifelong learning is an expectation for everyone. Sometimes that means returning to college for a course, a certificate program, or an entire degree. No matter what the age of the student, financing one’s education is always a challenge. Here are five great resources for both adult students (24 years and up) as well as traditional college students (18-23 years of age):

1. The Illinois Student Assistance Corporation (ISAC) is a public non-profit agency that offers information for students and parents on college planning, financial aid programs, outreach centers, and events. Its website is www.collegezone.com. If you reside in a different state, you’ll find the equivalent organization in the list of State Grant Agencies found on the U.S. Department of Education website.
2. Find out how to avoid unscrupulous practices while in search of college funding by reading the Federal Trade Commission webpage on Scholarship and Financial Aid Scams.
3. The publication, Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid is available to download from the U.S. Department of Education. It is a resource for information on grants, loans and work study and how to apply for them.
4. Fastweb.com is a searchable database of over 6,000 scholarships and 4,000 colleges. Note that the search information asks for one’s intended major and career objective, all the better to source scholarships that are tailored to those criteria. This website is also useful for adult students as well.Some scholarships are specifically targeted toward the adult student, so if you are in this category, be sure to search them out. These are ideal for a parent returning for education in order to change careers or re-enter the workforce.
5. A company-sponsored tuition reimbursement program is an excellent educational benefit for adult students to investigate. A 2005 study by Hewitt Associates reported that 75% of the 1000 major U.S. companies responding offered tuition reimbursement, yet only a fraction of employees use this benefit. Companies use tuition assistance programs as a retention, employee development, and recruiting tool.

According to the Wharton School of Business, employees who use these programs have stronger motivation and morale, as well as higher productivity levels. (“The Case for Employer-Sponsored Tuition Assistance: Invest in Employees or Lose Them,” April 2005.) Progressive employers know tuition reimbursement programs pay off. “An Updated Approach to Tuition Assistance,” an article on CareerJournal.com, describes a great example of a tuition assistance program and how it benefits employees and the company.

As lifelong learners, we need to know and access all the educational resources available for us to continually develop our potential, maintain our career satisfaction and our competitive edge in the world of work.