Grants for Non-Traditional Students
Not the Normal College Student?
Non-traditional students include that sector of the population that has not pursued the traditional avenues to a college education. Increasing numbers of working adults are choosing to pursue a college education that they never sought right out of high school. Military personnel are also typically labeled "non-traditional." As the trend on online education grows we can only hope that the label itself becomes extinct.
There are far fewer grants for non-traditional students than there are for traditional; and that includes minorities and women. But hopes are that this will not be the case for too much longer. Many educational institutions are pushing the matter with financial aid programs and scholarship and grant funds.
Online Access
Right now one of the biggest trends in adult education is the boom of online degree universities, such as The University of Phoenix and others like it. The trend is not going unnoticed in the realm of college funding. The leaders in traditional education realize that students pursuing these avenues are doing so out of necessity; and certainly not because of the funding they receive.
Programs
While many programs cost thousands of dollars less and let you pay-as-you-go, there remain big gaps in all types of funding for non-traditional students. The primary reason non-traditional students pursue online college programs is for the flexibility and independence they afford versus the rigid class schedule of a physical campus program. Many non-traditional students are balancing work and families besides studying, which sets them up to face unique challenges usually not a concern for traditional college students.
- The University of Phoenix was given a large grant to award stipends to students pursuing degrees in teaching. Thousands of dollars are given annually to dozens of University of Phoenix Masters in Education students, as part of Project REACH, with the agreement that students commit to three years of teaching in high-need areas.
Researching Grants for Non-Traditional Students
The best advice is to look everywhere for grant money. Local and state governments often extend grants for continuing education or adults pursuing career enrichment. If part of your reasons for avoiding the traditional avenue to college was financial inability, then consider filling out the FAFSA application for federal aid and applying for a Pell Grant. The federally funded Pell awards thousands of grant awards annually to students who can prove a financial need. Be cautious when applying for grants, though, since many of them contain stipulations regarding the type of educational institution you may attend and on what basis.
Books for Non-Traditional Students
While a lot of your research can be done online, don't overlook the local library or bookstore. Books recently published that provide advice and financial aid information for adults returning to school:
- 501 Ways for Adult Students to Pay for College: Going Back to School Without Going Broke, Gen Tanabe, 2004
- The Adult Student's Guide to Survival and Success, Al Seibert, 2003
- New Beginnings: A Guide for Adult Learners, Linda Simon, 2001