People all over America are feeling the financial crunch of a failing economy. For too many adults, this means putting off higher education for better times. You may not know this but there is no better time than now to start working toward that degree. With all of the financial aid options available today, a lack of funds is no longer a viable excuse for procrastination.

The first step to going back to school is to choose a course of study and a school. Many people don’t realize that most of the same financial aid options available for on-campus programs are also available for online degree programs and distance learning degrees.  Once you’ve done that, the admissions counselors will help you to explore all of your options for financial aid including federal and state grants, scholarships, and student loans.

Not sure how to apply for financial aid? No problem. Get online and fill out a Free Application for Student Aid, also known as a FAFSA. Your FAFSA application will apply you for any aid you are eligible for and have opted to use. You can get grants, loans, and some scholarships by filling out this one form. The website has a list of all of the information needed to completely fill out your FAFSA as well as worksheets to help you through the process. If you run into anything you don’t understand, the website has a FAQ section and provides excellent customer service through email or by calling their 800 number.

PELL grants should be any would-be student’s first option for financial aid. A PELL grant comes form the federal government. The great thing about these is that as long as you don’t drop out or fail, you don’t ever have to pay them back. The Pell Grant is sponsored by the US Department of Education, and the amount of funds you receive is based on your financial situation and needs. There are other grants available for specific minorities and professions that should be researched. Your first choice for financial aid should always be a grant as opposed to a loan. Read this article »

Since President Obama recentl approved an increase in Federal Pell Grants, enrollment in college degree programs has increased. 

Obama improves Grants and Scholarships

Federal Pell Grants will now cover up to $5,500 for each year of a college education!  And, they may be used for online degree programs, as well as for traditional on-campus programs.   These grants will allow as many as 7 million people return to school to earn a college degree.  Why don’t you become one of those people?

Find Free College Money!

Many people don’t realize that you can obtain college scholarships, grants and student loans for accredited online degree programs, just like traditional on campus programs. In fact, there are grants and scholarships for single mom’s and working mothers, too.

The process is the same, you have to file the Federal Student Aid FAFSA form that most schools and scholarship granting entities use to determine need.  Although not all scholarships and grants are based on need, you should still file the FAFSA to find every dollar for which you qualify and are entitled.

One really great way to find all the financial aid programs for which you may qualify is to use a scholarship/grant matching service such as FastWeb.com. These matching services can help you find grants and scholarships all in one place, rather than having to research each school and each separate entity.  You probably qualify for more than you think, so get started now!

Heading Back to School? – Don’t forget to find scholarships for college at FastWeb.com

Want to go back to school and earn on online college degree?  Are you a single mom who doesn’t have sufficient funding to earn your degree?  If so, you will be glad to know that there is help out there for you!

There are free grants and scholarships for single mothers.  You just have to do your homework, and research the available funding sources.  Here is some advice as to how to find these opportunities if you are a single mom looking to improve your future:

1. Start with the school at which you are interested in obtaining your degree. Request information from more than one school, and ask if they have scholarship or grants for single mothers or women in general.  Contact the schools financial aid office.
2. Compile the necessary financial documentation (income tax returns, etc.). Check out the helpful list located at www.fafsa.ed.gov/before001.htm.
3. Complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). This step opens the door for virtually all types of financial aid including the Pell Grant, Cal Grant, scholarships and low interest student loans.
4. Sometimes the best place to look for a college scholarship or grant is in your own backyard. Local groups, clubs, businesses, churches, and organizations are all potential sources for scholarships and grants. Usually, these types of scholarships are not widely publicized, so you may need to do more legwork to find them; however, that means fewer applicants and higher odds of winning.
5. Don’t be afraid to try a free scholarship matching service.  Schloarship matching services such as ScholarshipExperts or FastWeb.com are two examples of great online sources to help you find the financial aid you need.  You complete a questionnaire and they search their database of all scholarship and grant funding sources to match you with the ones for which you may qualify.  It can save you a lot of time.  FreeScholarshipGuide offers a guide that you can download for free, and FreeSchoarshipGuide offers a Bi-Annual $5000 Scholarship Contest

Remember, it’s never too late to continue your education.   Apply for grants and scholarships to make a brighter future for yourself and your children.