Education Guide Number 5 [text only]
Scholarships
Many parents who have children getting ready to attend college spend a substantial amount of time and money trying to find scholarships for their children. However, most adult returning students assume that because they are adults, they are not eligible to apply for scholarships. In fact, there are many scholarships that have no age limitations if you know where to look.
The process used to obtain scholarships by adult students is very similar to the process used by high school seniors looking for scholarships. Important aspects to a successful search include planning, information gathering, screening, time management, and good record keeping. Throughout the entire process, you must be ready to make decisions and to rely on support and assistance from others.
Persistence and Information Gathering
The most important quality you will need to obtain a scholarship is persistence. To begin your search, start getting information locally as soon as you know when you will be going back to school. Talk with financial aid officers at local colleges as well as librarians to get information on local scholarships. Local scholarships may not be as lucrative as some of the national programs, but you may have a better chance of landing one since there is less competition. Also, don’t forget that the college or colleges you are considering attending may have specific scholarships earmarked for adult students or returning adult women students.
The following is a partial list of the types of local organizations that may fund scholarships:
§ Service organizations — local chapters of groups such as Kiwanis, Elks, Rotary, or Knights of Columbus may have small scholarship programs.
§ Local professional associations — groups of professionals such as engineers, social workers, or teachers.
§ Labor organizations — some CSEA locals sponsor their own scholarships, although most of these are for the children of members.
There are thousands of scholarships offered from private sources. The eligibility criteria, application procedures, deadlines, award amounts, and annual number of awards vary greatly from program to program. While some base their awards on financial need, most use other criteria or some combination of need and other criteria. The other criteria used may include the following:
§ academic achievement
§ religious affiliation
§ ethnic or racial heritage
§ community activities
§ artistic talents
§ leadership potential
§ athletic ability
§ career plans
§ field of study
§ hobbies or special interests
§ employer
§ membership in civic groups
Most of us can claim to meet some of the above criteria, so it may seem relatively easy to find scholarships for which we could apply. Unfortunately, many scholarships using some of the above criteria are affiliated with a particular college or have some very strict eligibility requirements. Nevertheless, it is still important to check out all possible funding sources for which you may be eligible. In researching established scholarship programs, you may find new types of programs offered by some established sources or by new sources.
Printed Resources
In addition to contacting local professionals, there are guidebooks available to help you find scholarships for which you may be eligible. These guidebooks usually have scholarship programs organized in categories such as the following:
Ø General
Ø Specific populations (e.g., women, disabled students)
Ø Fields of study
Here is a list of some of the guides available:
The College Blue Book: Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Loans. Sources of financial assistance are listed for high school students through students studying in advanced professional programs. Macmillan Reference USA , Thomson Gale, P.O. Box 9187, Farmington Hills, MI 48333. Internet: www.galegroup.com/macmillan.
The Scholarship Handbook. This resource is developed by the College Board. It lists private, federal, and state funding sources. It also includes eligibility indexes that match you to scholarships based on various categories. Contact: College Board, 45 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10023 or call: (212) 713-8000. Internet: www.collegeboard.com or www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/scholarships-and-aid/index.html
Need A Lift? An annual publication from The American Legion that lists sources of scholarship and loan information for all students, with special emphasis on programs for veterans and their dependents. Order from National Emblem Sales, PO Box 1050, Indianapolis, IN 46206 or (317) 630-1200. Internet: www.legion.org. Click on Americanism; Children and Youth Programs.
Internet Resources
Internet sites are now one of the easiest ways to get information about scholarships that may be more specific to your unique situation. Many of these sites are free and require you to enter specific information to search large databases for programs for which you may be eligible. Here are some free sites for you to try:
College Board Scholarship Search. A search service requiring you to complete a questionnaire which allows you to search their database of more than 2,000 undergraduate scholarships, internships, and loan programs. www.collegeboard.com or www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/scholarships-and-aid18936html
fastWEB. Create a personalized profile that can be matched against their database of over 600,000 scholarships. Subscribing to fastWEB gives you free monthly updates on new programs and other relevant financial assistance information. www.fastweb.com
CollegeNET MACH 25. Searches over 600,000 awards using residential, personal, academic, and other criteria. You can also pick scholarships by keyword search or designing a profile search. www.collegenet.com
Applying
Application deadlines can be as early as January 1 or as late as August 1 prior to the fall term for which you would like to enroll. Some scholarship programs have a priority application deadline and a final deadline. Unfortunately, if you are interested in starting school in January, you will probably not be eligible to receive scholarship money until the following fall term.
When you do apply for any scholarships, make sure that you submit all of the paperwork required including transcripts, recommendation letters, and responses to any essay questions. Incomplete applications are usually not even considered!
Keep track of your scholarship inquiries and applications by setting up your own chart. Start keeping records as soon as you make your first inquiry. Include the following information in your records:
1. Scholarship name/sponsor
2. Address
3. Contact person
4. Telephone number and e-mail address
5. Date you requested information
6. Application deadline date
7. Date you received information
8. Date you mailed your application
9. Comments
This record keeping system will allow you to plan your time effectively and follow-up with sponsors for more information or to make sure that all your materials have been received.
Union-Sponsored Scholarships
There are CSEA-sponsored statewide scholarships available for dependents of members. Applications for these are available at your Region Office. Also, some CSEA locals and units offer scholarship programs for members and/or dependents. You should contact your local or unit president since many locals may be in the process of developing their own programs.
There are also AFSCME and AFL-CIO Scholarships for which you or your children may be eligible. AFSCME can be contacted at (202) 429-1250 or on their web site at www.afscme.org. Information on state AFL-CIO scholarships can be obtained from New York State AFL-CIO, 48 East 21st Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10010 or at (518) 436-8516.
Tax Credit Programs
As of 1998, two tax credit programs, the HOPE Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit have been available for full or part-time study. For students in their first two years of college attending at least half time, the HOPE Credit is worth up to $1,650. The Lifetime Learning Credit is for students beyond their first two years of college or for those attending school less than half-time. You can claim 20% of the first $10,000 paid for tuition under this credit. For more information see Education Guide No. 4: Tax Credits for Education. On the Internet, check out www.irs.gov or www.studentaid.ed.gov or call the NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training at (800) 253-4332.
New York State also offers a tuition tax credit for full-year state residents. The eligible student does not have to be enrolled in a degree program or attend full time for the expenses to qualify. Only undergraduate enrollment or attendance qualifies. You would complete form IT-272, or check out the web at www.tax.state.ny.us/forms.
Financing Your College Degree: A Guide for Adult Students, David F. Finney, College Board Publications, Dept. WWW, Two College Way, Forrester Center, WV 25438, 1997.
(800) 525-5562.
College Costs and Financial Aid Handbook, 25th Edition, College Board Publications, July 2005.
Scholarships, Grants and Prizes 2006, Peterson’s Guides to Colleges and Universities, 7625 Empire Drive, Florence, KY 41042, June 2003. www.petersons.com
Development of this guide was jointly funded through
the negotiated agreement between the State of New York and the Civil Service Employees Association, Inc.
and the negotiated agreement between the State of New York and the Public Employees Federation, AFL-CIO.
Program administration and additional funding are provided by the Governor’s
Office of Employee Relations.
Danny Donohue, President
Civil Service Employees
Association, Inc.
Local 1000, AFSCME
AFL-CI
Gary Johnson, Director
New York State Governor’s
Office of Employee Relations
Kenneth Brynien, President
New York State
Public Employees Federation,
AFL-CIO
No. 5 Copyright © February 2008, NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training.