Are you an adult who has spent time out in the working world and now has a hankering to beef up the education section of your resume? If so, you're not alone. More than a third of all college students are over age 25. The following tips can help you pursue a college education without spending too much.
By Times Staff Writer
Published July 27, 2003
1. Be decisive about your career direction. Know what you want to accomplish before you disrupt your life and the lives of your family members by attending school. Meet with a career counselor if you don't know which major to pursue.
2. Remember your local community college. It could be your least expensive and most convenient option for earning college credits, especially if you haven't decided on a major. It's easy to transfer your credits to a four-year university when you're ready to do so.
3. If you plan to keep working full time, look for a school that offers an abundance of evening classes, and find out whether your employer offers a tuition reimbursement plan. Note that in most cases you won't be reimbursed by your employer until after you've completed a course and earned a satisfactory grade.
4. Apply early for financial aid and scholarships. This should be your main priority if you plan to attend school as a full-time student. Most schools allow you to apply for financial aid if you take at least six credits per semester.
5. Clarify your family's financial situation. Ask a financial-aid counselor at your school whether your needs can be assessed based on your coming year's projected income rather than the past year's income. This is key if your income will drop significantly after you begin attending school.
6. Borrow as little as possible. If you aren't careful, your student-loan debt could balloon to the point where your monthly loan payments exceed your mortgage payments. If you must borrow money for college, opt for a low-interest student loan rather than charge your college expenses to a credit card.
7. Ask about installment plans. Find out whether your college or university offers an interest-free installment plan that allows you pay off tuition with multiple payments over the course of the school year.
8. Cash in on real-life credits. Many colleges and universities allow older students to trade in their career experience and other skills for college credits. Contact the school's adult-degree division for details.
9. Test out of courses when you can. You can earn three to 12 college credits by passing an inexpensive, 90-minute College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test.
10. Consider distance-learning options. Many colleges offer courses over the Internet, on local public television channels or via videotaped lecture classes. Students majoring in business or technology can learn about scads of distance-learning courses by consulting the free guides at GetEducated.com (www.geteducated.com) or paying $49.95 to access the database at Educational Advisory Services (www.e-a-s.com)
