Scholarships for Non Traditional Students

 

California Certified College Planning Specialists

 

By Ben Liles

In times of economic hardship scholarships for non traditional students are more important than ever as conventional financing options for college become increasingly scarce.

Logically, when economic prosperity is abundant there is a surplus of cash into general scholarship funds as well as a greater likelihood that parents of college aged children will be able to comfortably afford to send their kids to institutions of
higher education. Non traditional students are generally defined as adults (22+ years old) entering college for the first time. Needless to say an overwhelming majority of scholarships are geared towards recent high school graduates with far less money being earmarked for the slightly older students. This article will outline some of the options available for non traditional students seeking scholarships.

Undergraduate transfer programs

While the vast majority of scholarship money is funneled directly to students attending four year colleges directly out of high school there is still a significant amount of money being awarded for students of all ages that are transferring
from two year community college to four year universities. As more universities have grown to directly align themselves with local community colleges the funds for these scholarships have become increasingly accessible. Although in many cases initially intended for students only a couple of years removed from high
school these scholarship opportunities are almost always open to anyone showing merit worthy of the financial incentive to continue their education.

One popular source (among many) for these transfer program scholarships can be found through the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. While complete information is available at the website of the foundation (jkcf.org) the basic parameters are
that students progressing from a two year college program (junior college) to a four year college or university can be awarded as much as $30,000 for their continued educational pursuits. The complete process involved with applying for this financial aid can be found at the aforementioned website that is overseen by the foundation.

Continuing education for adults scholarships

Most people are not aware that while a small minority of total scholarship money goes towards continuing education for adults there is a still a significant amount available that is readily accessible when searched for in the right places. Far too many adults considering beginning their college careers are quick to use the excuse that “there is not any scholarship money for someone my age” when in fact that simply is not true. It would behoove those adults considering going to college to contact the local schools that they are considering attending and inquiring about the scholarship opportunities. Many schools around the country are embracing the positive impact they can have on their communities by instituting money specifically set aside for non traditional students. A short list of the many schools on this list includes Providence College, North Iowa Community College, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Consider sports scholarships

For many adults reading this article the very idea of being awarded sports scholarship money may initially sound completely ridiculous. The truth of the matter though is that the majority of sports scholarships are far less competitive and require less athletic prowess than the young athletes playing football on
Saturdays that most people associate with full ride scholarships. Collegian athletes encompass a very wide range of sports that range from swimming, to tennis, to fencing, and golf. A little known fact is that every year hundreds of girls golf college scholarships go unused because primarily second tier universities can not find enough women interested in the sport to fill the available scholarships. Whether a non traditional student is shooting for an archery, handball, or bowling scholarship there is a realistic chance any student can find a sports scholarship in their area that they have a realistic chance of earning.

Conclusion

Someone that is proactive in their search for scholarship money will undoubtedly be pleasantly surprised with the opportunities they find. Active research, continued persistence, and thinking outside the box are the keys for non traditional students to find scholarships.

About the author:
Ben and his wife are the happy end products of finding scholarships for non
traditional students. Now a golf coach and father of two beautiful daughters Ben shares his knowledge on his blog: www.GirlsGolfCollegeScholaships.blogspot.com.

Filed under: Admissions, California Colleges, Campus Lifestyle, College Financing, College Planning, High School, Scholarship, Students, Universities, athletics, ncaa , academic quality, Admissions, Choosing Universities, College Financing, college funding, college planning tips, Grants, money, Scholarships, student financial aid, Universities

College Tours – Thinking About it Yet…..

Student Tours Offer Memories Too Be Made

By Tegan Dawn

One of the most memorable times in a child’s life is going on adventures to different locations to learn and experience a new environment with their friends and classmates. If your school is planning for student tours throughout the year or a senior trip, professional assistance is probably not only necessary, but will be much appreciated by the students and the volunteers. If you know your budget and have a destination in mind but don’t know how to execute if from there, Peak Performance can take it from conception to completion.

Peak Performance has been providing professional assistance to schools, corporations and adults for tours since 1994 and has built a solid reputation on their quality of service and thoroughness. Knowing where to go for your student tour is only the beginning, planning what to do while you are there and where you are going to stay once you are there, as well as figuring out how you are going to get back and forth with your students and where everyone is going to eat their meals is overwhelming at best.

There are music and dance tours to major symphony halls and performance stages or even to nationally recognized Jazz clubs featuring Jazz bands, you can choose to see shows in concert halls, or visit museums and libraries, as well as tours that allow students to take part in clinics with professional musicians and college professors and participate in music and dance festivals worldwide.

Class tours can be taken all over America and even internationally, and you
will be provided with a tour coordinator that will make sure that your student tours are educational as well as fun and full of activities.. Your tour coordinator is there to act as your contact from beginning to end, and in some cases, if timing is right, your tour coordinator will also join the tour along with your class. Each tour has escorts to assist with all aspects of student travel, lodging, and transportation to help make the trip as stress free as possible. The professionals at Peak Performance know great planning is all in the details.

Student travel can be hard for their parents as well. That is why all  transportation that is required is done through reputable businesses for travel by air, land, or water. If travel is done by bus all motor coach operators must carry $5,000,000.00 in insurance, the driver has to have a CDL and medical certificates, and the company must have a program in place for driver drug and alcohol testing. Security at night is also supplied each and every night to make sure that the students on tour are safe in their rooms, allowing the chaperones a night of rest to be ready and alert for the following days activities. If you would like to find out more about Peak Performance and their tours, what they offer, and pricing, please call 800-220-0165 or visit PeakPerformanceTours.com to request more information.

About the author:
Hi I am Tegan Dawn and growing up I didn’t have the opportunity to travel like kids do today. If you are a teacher or administrator and you are planning this year’s upcoming student tours or student travel you should have a professional company handle all the details.

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, Campus Lifestyle, College Planning, High School, Parental Guidance, Students, Universities, college Tours , Choosing Universities, College Planning, college Tours, Parental Guidance, parents, self improvement, Students, Universities

Financial Aid School – How to Apply for the National Smart Grant

By Thomas Simon

The national Smart grant, also known as the national science and mathematics assess to retain talent Grant is a grant that is available

College Planning Specialists

 

which provides up to $4000 in the third and fourth years of undergraduate study. This grant is available to students that take half-time classes and two are also eligible for the federal program. Here is a way that you can apply for this grant and receive the money.

The main factor to consider is that you must be majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences in order to apply for this scholarship. You could also be going for a major in mathematics, technology, engineering, or a critical foreign language. There are also students that have received this grant that are taking on major single liberal arts programs.

The reason liberal arts is allowed into the picture is because this degree requires teachers to know so much about so many diverse topics, many of which were mentioned above. The student and Roald must take the courses necessary to fulfill the requirements of this grant. Therefore there is a check list of classes that must be attended in order for you to receive the money.

You must also remember that this is considered in regard to how much you get from the Pell Grant. This federal grant must not exceed the student’s attendance costs. Full grant amounts are given, but typically only to students that did not receive the full amount for the Pell or they are attending a college which requires a substantial amount of money for tuition and classes.

As usual, you must be a US citizen, have a designated college major in the areas related to this grant, and be enrolled at least half-time to get eligibility for this money.

The are other brands such as the TEACH grant and the FSEOG grants which are somewhat different to apply for, but if you are going for a liberal studies degree or plan on being a teacher in the future, these can be combined together without adversely affecting the amount you receive from federal funding.

About the author:
Visit our sites for more information on finding grants for college students or obtaining financial aid for college students through the Obama administrations stimulus package.

Filed under: College Financing, College Planning, Graduation, Grants, Scholarship, Students, Universities , academic quality, college expenses, College Financing, college funding, college planning tips, financial aid, Grants, Scholarships, student financial aid, Tuition

Myths about College Applications

Myths about College Applications

Author: K James

Article:

Myths about College Applications

The college application is an integral part of the college

admission process. The admission departments at colleges require

prospective students to complete an application that usually

comprises of general to specific details like their academic

records, letters of recommendation, personal essays and a list

of extracurricular activities. In all this hullaballoo there are

certain myths that follow college application process. I thought

like talking to you guys about the same in today’s post. Check

my list of top 5 common college myths prevailing among students.

Myth #1: Using a Common Application Can Result In Rejection of

Your Application

There will be no negative impact on your admission when you use

a common application. A common application is a single

application form that you can submit to wide variety of

participating schools. Most schools accept the common

application because it makes the admission procedure relatively

straightforward. When a school receives a large number of

applications, they get more talented students. The common

application is very useful for students as they do not need

search for university-specific applications.

Myth #2: Acceptance Is Based On Your Admission Interview

Your admission is not dependent on the interview. Therefore,

even if your interview has not gone well, it does not mean that

you are going to be rejected by the college of your choice. The

main function of interview is to bring prospective students to

campus and give them more details about the school and give the

school personal contact with the students.

Myth #3: You Have Better Chances of Acceptance If You Attended A

Prep School

Your chances of admission do not increase when you attend a prep

school. Colleges are interested in a diverse class of students

so they want to give admission to students coming from a wide

range of schools. Irrespective of the school you have studied,

admissions officers give preference to students who are ready to

accept challenges and take admission in a tough courses.

Myth #4: A High Sat Score Guarantees Acceptance

If your SAT score is high, it does not mean you are guaranteed

admission into a top college. While proper preparation for SAT

tests is an absolute necessity, they are not classified as

entrance exams. Standardized tests are just one piece of the

admissions puzzle. The majority of top colleges look for good

SAT scores but their main focus is on the kind of courses you

have taken, your performance and extracurricular activities.

Myth #5: Your Application May Be Rejected If You Apply For

Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid does not have a negative impact on

your admission. As you need to apply for financial aid in line

with the college application, make sure that there is no error

in either of your forms. To improve your chances of getting

admission unto a top college, it is advisable that you study

daily and try to get good grades. When applying for grants &

scholarships, talk to an admissions officer as they will help

you in filling out the application form properly.

About the author:

The admission departments at colleges require prospective

students to complete an application that usually comprises of

general to specific details l

By K James

The college application is an integral part of the college admission process. The admission departments at colleges require prospective students to complete an application that usually comprises of general to specific details like their academic records, letters of recommendation, personal essays and a list of extracurricular activities. In all this hullaballoo there are certain myths that follow college application process. I thought like talking to you guys about the same in today’s post. Check my list of top 5 common college myths prevailing among students.

Myth #1:

Using a Common Application Can Result In Rejection of Your Application

There will be no negative impact on your admission when you use a common application. A common application is a single application form that you can submit to wide variety of participating schools. Most schools accept the common application because it makes the admission procedure relatively straightforward. When a school receives a large number of applications, they get more talented students. The common application is very useful for students as they do not need search for university-specific applications.

Myth #2:

Acceptance Is Based On Your Admission Interview

Your admission is not dependent on the interview. Therefore, even if your interview has not gone well, it does not mean that you are going to be rejected by the college of your choice. The main function of interview is to bring prospective students to campus and give them more details about the school and give the school personal contact with the students.

Myth #3:

You Have Better Chances of Acceptance If You Attended A Prep School

Your chances of admission do not increase when you attend a prep school. Colleges are interested in a diverse class of students so they want to give admission to students coming from a wide range of schools. Irrespective of the school you have studied, admissions officers give preference to students who are ready to accept challenges and take admission in a tough courses.

Myth #4:

A High Sat Score Guarantees Acceptance

If your SAT score is high, it does not mean you are guaranteed admission into a top college. While proper preparation for SAT tests is an absolute necessity, they are not classified as entrance exams. Standardized tests are just one piece of the admissions puzzle. The majority of top colleges look for good SAT scores but their main focus is on the kind of courses you have taken, your performance and extracurricular activities.

Myth #5:

Your Application May Be Rejected If You Apply For Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid does not have a negative impact on your admission. As you need to apply for financial aid in line with the college application, make sure that there is no error in either of your forms. To improve your chances of getting admission unto a top college, it is advisable that you study daily and try to get good grades. When applying for grants & scholarships, talk to an admissions officer as they will help you in filling out the application form properly.

About the author:

The admission departments at colleges require prospective students to complete an application that usually comprises of general to specific details like their academic records.

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, College Financing, College Planning, Essays, Grants, High School, PSAT, SAT, Scholarship, Students, Tuition, Universities , Admissions, Choosing Universities, College Applications, College Financing, college funding, College Planning, financial aid, Grants, PSAT, SAT, Scholarships, student financial aid, Students, Universities

College Admission Essay Tips

By Francis Murphy

This article contains some easy college admission essay tips for you to follow. The first tip is to explain why you are suitable for education in that particular institution. This is because different colleges have different areas of concentrations or different programs that are offered. For instance, a college may have a program in Business but not necessarily one in the field of Communication. Therefore, the student should take this into consideration when writing the college admission essay.

Then, two other college admission essay tips are; the student must be able to explain the fact that he or she is ready for college in the first place and explain why he or she is wants to go to college. The reasons that students give may vary. For example, they may say that they have successfully finished secondary school and wish to pursue higher education to better their chances of getting a job.

Another tip is to make sure that the college admission essay contains information on what program you wish to enroll in, why you have chosen that program, details about the your background, previous education and work experience as well as achievements
in any particular area of life. Other than that, some other college essay admission tips are that the essay should also include interests and hobbies as this will show the admissions committee that the student is active in extra-curricular activities and the student is brilliant in all aspects of life, other than studies.

Finally, it is a blue print of success for the student. Therefore another tip is to show that you are diligent, intelligent, mature, focused and disciplined. The college admission essay goes beyond simply knowing that you are bright. It can encapsulate your character, personality and demeanor in just a few words. It can also be a way of knowing how you will do in college.

About the author:
At the end of this article, I’d like to share cool websites with more tips on topics like
cheat and tips for ps2 and best cheat codes for ps2. Visit for more information.

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, Bay Area, California Colleges, College Planning, Essays, Students, Universities , Admissions, Choosing Universities, College Applications, college planning tips, college students, Students

How To Find About Online Scholarship Programs

By John Goldman

With college costs skyrocketing uniformly, scholarships prove to be an effective measure to make your education more economical. But you can’t get scholarships if you don’t apply under defined parameters. You need to be smart while applying for scholarships.

Online scholarship websites are an immense source of information. Some websites supply databases and you can hunt for the most suitable scholarship. Some accumulate lists according to fields such as scholarships for Law, Nursing, Teaching and Military studies.

Some of the popular websites who provide exclusive information about getting online scholarships are Fastweb, CollegeNet; a scholarship acts as a benefit or a fiscal aid to support the candidate to carry his or her studies.

One source of acquiring scholarships that is unnoticed are online colleges and universities. As these institutions are not considerably established, many people are under the wrong notion that they don’t have any scholarships available. Even though
some colleges may not offer, they should never be neglected.

Nowadays, all the signs indicate that the internet will play a very crucial role in education; it becomes important for students to ensure they put some efforts in browsing the internet for online scholarships. The internet has been the most advanced modus operandi to get any information. It has numerous advantages.

More scholarship information can be stored via internet as compared to any physical library. To get scholarship online, the foremost thing is to use a scholarship search engine. This facilitates to filter scholarships which are not suitable to the individual. This would enhance to make research easier, accurate and much faster. In addition, several colleges and universities are allowing students to gain their degree online. The internet has played a pivotal role in getting scholarships easily and allow you to obtain degree without borrowing a great deal of money.

As an example we can see how feasible it would be to get an online scholarship for a Law school. One of the easy ways to obtain a Law scholarship is via internet. First, visit relevant website. Then scroll down until you find “apply for a law scholarship”
and then click on it. Once you have clicked on it you will be taken to a page that says – download the school reference scholarship kit and you will get to see the next available dates for law school admissions.

Once you click the download button the second page will open in Adobe Reader. Now, fill the application carefully and print once you are done with it. Then mail the application. Ensure that you keep phone numbers and address of the school in case you need to get in touch with them.

Scholarship can be obtained via any one of these source too:-

Guidance counsellors: Before starting to explore possible scholarship available one must consult guidance counsellors. They can be a rich source of information for local scholarships.

Non-profit organizations: Many non profit organizations facilitate meritorious students by taking responsibility of their education funds. Community foundations: They have a provision of giving fiscal aid in the form of grants and scholarships to people in the area.

Labor unions: Labor unions play crucial role by pumping funds for education for their members and dependent children.

Houses of worship: Members of local house worship can be benefited. But religious organizations may have some available.

Chamber of commerce: This is a boon for students who wish to pursue their career in business and public service. Sometimes you can get small scholarships to local students.

About the author:
John Goldman is one of the foremost advisors in matters relating to Government Grants,Scholarships and Financial Aid.For more information on how to locate scholarships, view our CollegeScholarship Guide

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, College Debt, College Financing, Grants, Law Schools, Med School, Mothers, Nursing, Nursing schools, Online Universities, Scholarship, Tuition, Universities, single parent families , College Applications, Choosing Universities, College Financing, Scholarships, College Planning, Grants

Tips on the Process – Choosing a College: How to Compose a List

By James Maroney

First, evaluate the 5 factors outlined in the article here. Most importantly look at your Geographical Interest and your Academic Major interest; we will use these two criteria to start our search. We will start by plugging the criteria into a search site, such as Usnews, Gocollege,Princeton Review, Petersons, or the College Board. We will use these two factors to generate an initial list. We will then want to narrow this list down by using an additional two factors: your academic profile, and the desired size of schools.

I think it is always a good idea to include some schools that will stretch your options, such as a school that may be larger or smaller than you initially wanted, or a school that might be in a different geographic region if it matches on all the other factors. You will want to use your academic profile to determine if you have a chance of admission at the school. Remember, you want to be able to comfortably handle the workload at the college so that you can fully participate in and enjoy college life. If you are trapped in the library all the time, you will miss out on the whole college experience. On the other hand, you do not want to go to a college that is too easy and does not challenge or stimulate you intellectually.

You will want to use your academic profile to break the list into 3 categories: Reach; Possible; Highly Likely. There are a few ways to try and determine your admissions chances. First, compare your SAT score to the 25-75 split of the school. You can get this number from the US news website, the College Board website, the Princeton Review website, by calling the school, or from some of the “insider’s guides.” If your SAT score is below the lower number of the range, this school will probably be a reach. You will also want to check your GPA against the 25-75 split for GPA, if available, and against the average GPA. Another method is to determine if your high school tracks the results of former students at your school and look at their admissions success rate at the schools you are interested in. If your school does not have that information available, you may want to compare yourself against the data from Amity High School, which is available online. The web address is:http://apps.amityregion5.org/colleges/CollegeApp. Remember, this is only statistical information, and other factors such as extra-curricular activities, essay, interview, and recommendations, enter into the total admission decision.

To add some additional schools to your list, you may want to look at Rugg’s Recommendations On The Colleges, and add some more schools that are strong in your major. Remember, there is a good chance that you will change your major, so if possible choose schools that are strong in a couple of your areas of interest. Once you see the schools listed in Rugg’s, cross reference them with a larger college search engine or the school website itself to determine the important statistics for the school to fill in on your list (Size, SAT 25-75 Split, Admissions Phone Number, Web Site). Your goal should be to arrive at an initial list of 25 schools.

Over the course of your search you will add new schools to the list, and of course, eliminate a number of schools. From the initial list, through your research, you will want to narrow it down to 10 to 12 schools that you will visit, and from there try to get it down to 6 to 8 schools to which you will apply. The goal should be to apply to 1 or 2 highly likely schools (schools where you are almost 100% certain that you will be accepted), 2 possible schools (schools where you have a better than 50% chance of being accepted) and a few reach schools. If you are going to be applying to the most competitive schools (Ivy League, Swarthmore, Haverford, Amherst, Williams, Wesleyan, etc), you should consider applying to more than 2 reach schools. These schools are so competitive now, that I would consider them a reach for almost every student.

Once we have our initial list of schools based on the first 4 factors, you will need to do additional research to narrow that list down to 10 to 12 schools. How should you go about conducting that research? * Look through the school website to try and get a “feel” for the school. Look at the pages of clubs and organizations that interest you. Look at student’s personal web pages, and ask yourself, “Do these seem like people that I could picture myself becoming friends with?” Email professors in the department that interests you to ask detailed questions about the department and the program in general. Look through the online course catalogue to see the classes that are required for your major, and also browse for other classes of interest to you. You will want to note how many classes are required for your major, how many classes are required for the “core curriculum”, and how many electives you are allowed to take. Also, you may want to find out how difficult it is to double major, or minor, if that is of interest to you. Finally, are there concentrations offered within your major? * In addition to the internet, look through some of the “insider’s guides” and read their reviews on the colleges. Does this sound like a school that you would be happy attending? * Contact friends you know who are attending the school. Ask their opinion about the school. Find out what they like, and what they do not like. Remember, just because they feel one way about the school, you might not necessarily feel the same way, but nonetheless, it is valuable information. * Finally, the best way of learning about a college is through a school visit. Planning the visit, and what you should look at while you are on campus are discussed in a later chapter.

The visit is so important, it warrants a section of its own. * In addition to having academic safeties, you will want to locate a financial safety. We always recommend applying to at least one of your state schools. With recent economic trends, however, state school admission has become increasingly difficult. Another way to locate financial safeties is to look for schools that would offer you an academic scholarship. One good site for this is www.collegetreasure.com. You can search for colleges where you are eligible for scholarships based on your geographic preference and academic profile (SAT and GPA). It is not enough to find a school where you know you would be accepted, a good safety is a school where you know you could be accepted and you know you would be happy if you had to go there. You need to research these schools as well in the same manner discussed above.

About the author:

James Maroney, is an educational consultant from Milford, Connecticut. He has been helping students with all aspects of the college search since he founded First Choice College Placement in 1999. He is a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association, Education Industry Association, National Association of College Admissions Counselors, and National College Advocacy Group. He is also the publisher of www.collegetreasure.com, www.admissionhook.com, andwww.firstchoicecollege.com.

Filed under: AP Courses, Admissions, Applications, College Financing, College Planning, Grants, Home Schooling, Universities, single parent families , Choosing Universities, Scholarships, academic quality, student financial aid, Universities, financial aid, Admissions, college planning tips

College Planning Specialists TV Interview with Dan Evertsz

Dan Evertsz owner of BayCollegePlanners.com has the answers to the difficult questions parents and students face when considering the choices and expenses of a college education: “How do we find the money for college?” The following is an introduction to Dan and his Bay Area College Specialists consulting business in the form of a television interview on the Northern California Comcast show “Reference Point” with host Dave Korcharhook.

If you are having trouble qualifying for student aid, finding funding for an education, or if you are in need of consultation about these expenses please consider Dan Evertsz your go-to source for action:

Filed under: AP Courses, Admissions, Applications, Bay Area, California Colleges, Campus Lifestyle, Career Search, Classes, College Financing, College Planning, College Workshops, Consultants, Graduate School, Graduation, Hiring, Internships, Junior College, Major, Out of State Tuition, Parental Guidance, Public Service, Recruitment, Scholarship, Students, Tuition, Universities , Admissions, Choosing Universities, College, College Applications, college expenses, College Financing, college funding, College Planning, college students, economic forecast, financial aid, money, parents, Scholarships, student financial aid, Students, Television Interviews, Tuition, Universities