Going Back to School?
Apply for Scholarships so it Won't be as Hard
While you might have quit college to enter the workforce, have children or get married, your return to earn that degree will be faced with the same uncertainty that other incoming college students face - money. How will you pay for your education? Applying for scholarships is part of that answer.
The Prep Work
As a returning student, your scholarship search will follow along the same lines as a traditional student. You identify the college you want to attend and choose a course of study. Next, you inquire at the college financial aid office about scholarship information and collect the appropriate forms. Be sure to ask about these things in particular:
- Are there any scholarships available at the college specifically for returning students? What about in your field of study?
- Are any of the scholarships age-specific or geared toward graduating high school seniors? If no age requirements are given, can you apply as a returning student?
- Confirm scholarship application deadlines.
Your next step is the college library to research scholarship sources in the many reference books they have on the subject. There are also a number of resources online that will help you in your scholarship search.
Evaluate Yourself
Up to now, your scholarship search has probably mirrored that of many students entering college for the first time. However, returning students like you have to go the extra mile when it comes to finding and competing for scholarships. And for that extra mile, you will need a map of self-evaluation. Write down all of the qualities and abilities that define who you are. Be sure to include the various roles you fill in life like single father, mother, parent, volunteer and more. Hobbies, membership in organizations or your role in church are also qualities that define who you are.
Scholarships Based on Membership
Look at your self-evaluation list and pick out all of your memberships to various organizations. If you are a member of a church or even a union, you may be eligible for scholarships through your local chapter. For instance, if you are a member of an AFL-CIO affiliated union, you could qualify for a scholarship. Just check with your state union office to inquire about scholarships or visit aflcio.org for details.
Some churches offer scholarships at the national level as well as the local level. For example, the United Methodist Church created a special governing board called the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, which grants scholarships to students attending a Methodist university.
As a member of the American Legion, if you are a military reservist or former serviceman who served in a war like Desert Storm, Vietnam or one of the Central American wars like Grenada and Panama, you are probably eligible for a scholarship from the organization. Even being a descendant of an American Legion member may qualify you. Check out their website at www.legion.org. Some scholarships are decided by the individual posts throughout the country, so be sure to also inquire about local Legionnaire opportunities as well.
Gender and Situational Based Scholarships
Sometimes being a certain gender helps in garnering a scholarship. There are more opportunities like the Talbot's Women's Scholarship Fund for women attending two or four year colleges or vocational schools. Executive Women International has the Adult Students in Scholastic Transition (ASIST) program which is coordinated by their independent branches in a number of states. View a more complete list of women's scholarships here.
Single parents also have options for scholarships as a returning student. The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund provides help with tuition and books. In some instances, even other costs such as car maintenance and child care are covered. If you are a single parent in Arkansas, you can read about it at aspsf.org.
Workplace Scholarships
Don't discount your own workplace when it comes to scholarships. If it is a large company, chances are that they will have some sort of funding in place for employees returning to school. In addition, they also might have a corporately funded foundation which awards scholarships to returning students as well. The Wal-mart Foundation is one such example. They have a program for eligible Wal-Mart employees called The Higher REACH Scholarship.
Volunteerism and Community Service Scholarships
The best source of scholarships could be in your own backyard. Inquire about the service organizations in your area through the local Chamber of Commerce. Some of them are local branches of national organizations like Rotary International or the National Exchange Club. They present scholarships to people in the community who display outstanding community service or volunteerism, regardless of age or student status. Scholarship rules and applications are often unique to each local branch, so be sure to ask about your returning student status when you apply.
