With the economy in recession and heading towards depression workers feel a greater pressure to keep their job skills up to date or even learn a new trade. With rising unemployment, employers can pick and chose the workers with the best and most current skills.  And these workers are able to demand a higher salary then their less educated peers.  A college degree is often required for a promotion or certain management positions. The United States Bureau of Census states that a college degree can increase your lifetime earnings by more than a million dollars.

Many colleges now cater to adult students, also referred to “non-traditional students,” by offering more flexible schedules. You can now complete  your degree, such as the Masters of Business Administration, by taking classes at night or even the weekends at major universities.  Others options include a combination of weekend, evening and online courses to accommodate the schedules of busy parents and people all ready in the workforce.

Online universities have become extremely popular option for earning your degree.  Online degrees are now the first choice for a growing number of adult students.  Online programs often try to simulate the classroom experience with chat rooms and discussion groups between students and professors. This option allows students to study when it is convenient for them such as after the kids go to bed, after the husband goes to work or during a break at work.  Online schools vary their start and stop times to allow you to customize your schedule around your busy life.

Non-traditional students can qualify for financial aid like any other student.  To qualify for federal financial aid they must be enrolled at least half-time. Two full credit classes will usually fill this requirement, however the amount of aid will be less than a full time student.  Their schools must be  accredited to participate in Title IV programs in order for them to be eligible for federal financial aid. It is always best to make sure any program you are enrolling in is regionally accredited, especially online.

Once a non-traditional student is enrolled in a fully accredited  program and is taking enough credits to qualify, he or she then applies for federal financial aid which includes filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. The FAFSA is available at your college and online.  While the FAFSA is primarily for federal financial aid it is also used to determine your eligibility  for some need based scholarships.

To qualify for government grants,  a student must demonstrates financial need. The great thing about grant is, unlike loans, they do not have to be paid back. Also for low-income students,The Perkins Loan program provides loans at extremely low interest rates that are paid back over a period of ten years starting nine months after finishing school.

College students must take care to maintain at least a “C” average and half time status or they may lose their eligibility to receive government loans and grants. Students also have to take courses that relate to their major or federal aid will be cut off if the student exceeds 1 and 1/2 times the number of credits required for the program.

Non-traditional students should always work with their financial aid officer at the college.  It is important to check with the financial aid officer often to catch any issues with your application early. The  counselor can help them with their FAFSAs and other forms. Any mistake on the form will delay approval.

A good motivated financial aid officer works with students to find private scholarship money. It is also important to do scholarship research on your own.  There are private scholarship search companies, but students should be able to do this task themselves for free on the internet or through their financial aid office.  Most scholarships will be for traditional undergraduates, however, there are many scholarships targeted for the non-traditional student.

Some employers offer a tuition reimbursement benefit for continuing education.  The benefit depends on the employer some will pay for any accredited program while others must be job related.  The amount of the compensation also varies from full tuition to just partial compensation. A student should check with the human resources department at work to find out the employers policies.

Some private trade schools try to pressure students into enrolling prior to the students knowing  how much financial aid they will receive per semester. One way to avoid this issue, is to go online and get a rough estimate of your financial aid package. Your financial aid officer should be able help you get this estimate before you start classes.  It is important to focus on the cost of attending, not just the aid being received, as the loans will need to be paid back.

Finally, it is imperative that you know the school’s policies if you have to drop a class or withdraw completely. If there is an emergency or a change in family or work, some students may find that they cannot continue to carry a half-load of college work. If the student does drop out it is important to know  whether the tuition will be refunded in part or in whole . Keep in mind that even if you drop out you are still required to pay back your student loans.

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