Posted by Jen Zeman on December 8th, 2008
When considering financing options for school, I compared loans from private financial institutions and the U.S. Department of Education. I decided on the Department of Education and completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov. I knew my husband and I made too much money to be eligible for grants, so I secured subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Loans through the Department of Education appealed to me more than a private financial institution loan because the Department of Education offered a better loan rate, better repayment options, and deferral of repayment until I graduated from school. The deferral option is great! Not immediately coming up with the additional funds to pay for school was one less thing to stress about.
The world of scholarships is vast and the amount of money available via scholarships is astronomical. The website www.scholarships.com indicates their database consists of over 2.7 million free scholarships and grants worth over $19 billion. The problem I found with scholarships is that it takes time, a lot of time, to search through them to find ones you are eligible to apply for. During the searches I did conduct, I wasn’t eligible for most of the scholarships offered. I simply didn’t have the time to continue, but if you do have the time, scholarships and grants can be extremely beneficial in reducing your total tuition bill. With enough persistence, you may even accumulate enough to pay all of your expenses! The financial aid office at the institution you will be attending can help you get started in the process. The financial aid office can help you apply for financial aid, advise you of funding available directly through the school, and assist you essentially through the entire process.
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Posted by Sharon Cece on December 8th, 2008
The first thing I did after I was accepted to the Distance Learning program in 2004 was celebrate with a huge hot fudge sundae. The second thing I did was to sit down and research financial aid programs. There were two programs I focused on: financial aid specific to my college (academic in nature) as well as FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid (financial in nature).
My situation was the following: married, two children, one income. Since I had been away from FSU for a number of years (I had originally attended on campus from 1987-89), the FSU financial aid academic aid would not have been applicable to me until I received grades for my first semesters. Therefore, I directed my attention to the FAFSA, which I completed immediately and strongly encourage all students to do so. Since everything is done online, it is very easy to track your financial aid status once you complete all the required online forms and receive your PIN.
Based on the FAFSA report, I was eligible for the Undergraduate Stafford Loan. There are two kinds of Stafford Loans, Subsidized and Unsubsidized. Subsidized are based on financial need and interest does not accrue on the loan as long as you are in school at least half time until six months after graduation. Unsubsidized loans accrue interest from the time the loan is dispersed to the school.
Once I started to build a transcript of grades I was then able to pursue academic-based financial aid through my college. Thus, in addition to receiving the Federal Stafford Loan, I also received an academic grant through FSU. This helped quite a bit in paying for supplies and the added expenses germane to the distance learning student.
Though I did worry at first about paying for college, there are financing options available for most college students regardless of status. As well, there are scholarships available in addition to federal and state college assistance. Your academic advisors can point you in the right direction to get you started. More importantly, research is your best friend. Look into all financing options to make the best choices for you and your financial situation. It might also be prudent to consider one final piece of advice: always eat dessert before dealing with finances.
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Posted by Jeff Davis on December 4th, 2008
I experienced nothing but a positive reply from my family, friends, and employer once I made the decision to return to school. I believe that this is because I had prepared myself in advance, before school ever started, on dealing with all of the potential issues that might have arisen during any discussions about the topic.
I made sure that I spoke with my family about the impact of my return to school and how things might need to be a little different around the house until I am finished with school. My employer also liked the idea of me returning to school since it would provide me with additional knowledge and skills that could benefit the overall company and make me a more valuable employee. However, I am certain that not everyone’s situation will yield the same results as mine. By nature, people tend to dislike change and by helping your family understand the value of this particular change, you can help them to realize that it is a good decision for everyone. In order to do your best academically, you will need to have the backing of those closest to you. These same people must be willing and able to support your efforts to be a student.
Many careers currently require that an applicant have some type of higher education in order to have a chance at competing for a job in today’s market. So, returning to school to complete my degree was a very rational decision. Today’s workforce is continually growing and in order to be able to compete, you must be able to make yourself stand out. Experience is very important, but I think that by having a college degree, you will help yourself to become a more marketable applicant.
Today, I could not be more satisfied with my decision on returning to school and doing it online. I remain more than satisfied with this life choice that will forever shape my future.
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Posted by Jonah Mytro on December 3rd, 2008
Laureate Education announced it has launched an international scholarship initiative named in honor of Richard W. Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education during the Clinton Administration, and a champion of making higher education accessible to those in need. The announcement was made by former President Bill Clinton and Douglas L. Becker, chief executive officer of Laureate Education at the Clinton Global Initiative Asia meeting in Hong Kong. Laureate will award 1,000 Richard W. Riley scholarships to deserving teachers around the world to help them earn an advanced degree in education, business or information technology.
“These scholarships are named in honor of Richard W. Riley for his global contributions to the field of education and to Laureate,” said Mr. Becker. “Our global network of universities will grant more than 1,000 scholarships to teachers around the world because we know that teachers have a tremendous impact on the lives of students and families and the positive development of society. Providing highly deserving teachers with advanced education empowers them to effect positive change and to make their communities stronger.”
Richard W. Riley served as United States Secretary of Education from 1993 to 2001. He previously served two terms as governor of the state of South Carolina. Recently, Mr. Riley was named one of the 20th century’s “Ten Best Cabinet Members” by Time Magazine. During his tenure as Secretary of Education, Mr. Riley spearheaded initiatives to improve academic standards and expand college grants and loans programs. In 2008, Walden University, a member of the Laureate International Universities network, named its College of Education after Richard W. Riley. The Riley College of Education and Leadership at Walden University is one of the largest and most prominent teacher education institutions in the United States.
Laureate Education will award the scholarships as part of a broad initiative to further educational opportunities throughout Laureate International Universities, a network of 42 institutions of higher education in 20 countries serving nearly 500,000 students. The scholarships are primarily focused at the master’s degree level, but will also be awarded to some undergraduate degree students. Each participating university will be supported in this initiative by the Riley College of Education and Leadership at Walden University.
President Clinton announced Laureate’s Commitment to Action initiative before the CGI community, which included world leaders from government, business, and the nonprofit sector such as Lee Kuan Yew, minister mentor and former prime minister of the Republic of Singapore; Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, president of the Republic of the Philippines; and Yuriko Koike, member of the House of Representatives of Japan.
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Posted by Sharon Cece on December 3rd, 2008
For many years I had toyed with the idea of returning to school, so most of my friends and family were not surprised to learn that I had finally put my goals into gear and in fact were very excited for me. My husband and children, on the other hand, had a mixed reaction. Naturally, they were very proud that I was finally going back to school to finish my degree. Their initial excitement wore off, however, as soon as it was made clear that everyone would have to “pitch in” with housework and family matters now that Mom/Wife would be spending more time studying and testing. To say this statement brought cheers of delight would be stretching it a bit, yet when push came to shove the family did adapt well to dividing up a portion of the household duties that were displaced by my studies.
One reaction that I did not anticipate came from my kids. They LOVED that mom was now a student, with all of the concerns, moans, groans and cramming that come with student life. They thrilled over my new position as “one of them”, with my nose in a book, brows furrowed over a problem I had trouble solving. One night they helped quiz me for a very tough test–this particular course was like studying a second language (and in fact, we were studying music in other languages!). I was experiencing quite a bit of testing anxiety, and the kids immediately flew into action as taskmasters, right down to imitating my mantra to them, “Now, keep studying and you’ll get it eventually, and no dessert until you finish”! I made it a point to watch what I said to them regarding their own schoolwork from then on, knowing most likely it would be used on me.
Looking back, there was not one person in my life who wasn’t excited and proud that I had made the decision to return to school. I think most of my friends and family expected it to happen, but when it finally became a reality there was a sense of “wow, good for you!” from all.
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My family of four loves computers and the online environment. My husband likes to play online games, and my son also plays games and constantly downloads files. When and if my son decides to do his homework, the computer is a necessity. My daughter craves music and burns CD’s with mixes of her favorites.
Then I come along with online classes. Needless to say, the classes suddenly created fierce competition to use the family computer. My household didn’t realize the added time I would need on the computer.
Let negotiations for computer time begin! My high school-aged son volunteered to use the computer late at night. Nope. That meant I would have to drag him out of bed the next day and throw him on the bus for school. We already broke his habit of staying up too late by installing a toggle switch on the phone line dedicated to the computer.
I outsmarted my young electronics wiz by putting the switch under the bathroom sink, behind the tampons, a place where he’d never look. He would go downstairs and try to trace the path of the phone lines from where the line entered the house. He would leaves the lines dangling…leaving evidence of his search.
Later at night wasn’t an option for me either. I was usually tired by 8:00 p.m. If I sat down to watch a little TV waiting to use the computer I would fall asleep before the end of the first half hour sitcom. This is how my son’s late night habit started in the first place; he knew I was sleeping and was generally oblivious to what he was doing.
Going with the rhythm of my body, I started setting the alarm for 5:00 a.m. With a Diet Pepsi to help wake me, I could get in two hours of work on my online classes. And, it was blissfully quiet at that hour
Deep down, I’m sure my family enjoyed it when I left the house to take classes; one less computer hog!
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Posted by Nicole Acosta on December 1st, 2008
I decided to return to college this last august. Upon my decision I spoke to several friends/family who would know about what I was doing. One in particular friend decided to take a shot at going back to college as well when she had heard I was taking courses online rather then in class. She has a wonderful job she has been employed there for several years and a great career. The reasoning for her to go was to have a goal, compelete it and have an accomplishment she would be proud of, a degree.
Recently several things have begun to surface in her life that has cause her much grief and frustration. She has always been a strong individual in my eyes, but seeing her this way has made it difficult for me to understand how a person can let so many things destroy her as a independent person. She’s tried to stay caught up with her online courses, which has actually kept her life pretty simple. Communication between her and her professors is constant. She’s able to deal with her difficulties and continue on with class, because she’s not having to travel anywhere for them. I can relate to her as well as others who have struggles in life which doesn’t allow us to enter a classroom to learn.
She was so close in giving up and taking a failing grade that I about screamed on the phone to her. I told her that the drop date has passed and that if she took one assignment at a time, before she knew it she would be caught up and able to pass. Spring semester she is only taking one course online until the dust settles. I told her before letting her go on the phone after this conversation, to not give up and to just breath. I told her, ‘at least your not having to go into class and miss lecture notes on tests.’
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Posted by Jen Zeman on December 1st, 2008
I was a late bloomer to college – I didn’t start my associate’s degree until I was 24. When I was half-way through my associate’s degree I made the decision that immediately after graduation I would continue on for my bachelor’s degree, even though it meant tacking on another two-years of school work. I would be 33 when I finally received my B.S. Working for a community college at the time, my employer was very enthusiastic about me obtaining higher education. Friends were supportive, as was family, including my husband. However, that’s not to say I didn’t suffer through some minor road bumps (i.e. stress) over the decision to pursue three classes a semester and work full time.
While friends were supportive, it took time for them to get used to the fact that I wouldn’t be available to socialize with them anymore or even have the time to gossip on the phone for hours on end. They were lucky if I could call them once a month. My husband expressed his support but would be visibly annoyed when I told him I didn’t have time to help him around the house or to socialize with our friends. I was determined to complete my bachelor’s degree in two and a half years and I expressed to everyone, husband included, that this was my goal. I knew going in I would be making sacrifices and I was comfortable with doing so. I also explained to my husband that this sacrifice was only temporary – it wasn’t as if I would be going to school for the next ten years. He finally empathized with me when he started his online bachelor’s degree this summer. After two five-week courses while working full-time he said: “I now know what you had to go through when you were in school. I’m sorry for being such a pain in the butt during those years!”
Tips to make the transition to school easier on everyone:
- Be upfront to everyone about your time constraints. You will have a few people who try to invade your time for school. Be consistent with your firmness and eventually they will understand your dedication.
- Schedule time with friends and loved ones. Look at the month ahead and when major projects are due. Decide to spend an evening out with friends or your significant other as a celebration once the project is completed.
- Stay connected. Even if you are not able to go out with friends, allow yourself time once a month to reconnect over the phone.
Read more of Jen Zeman's blog.
At the same time I was taking online classes, my husband and I were exploring financing for our two children’s college education. Both of us work full time in K-12 public education and wanted to pay at least half of the expenses for both children. My husband’s education was paid for by his father, and I was able to secure grants, loans and work study to pay for my four-year degree. My mother was a widow and I was able to tap into sources for low income students. Both of us obtained master’s degrees and paid for them ourselves, working full time and going to school at night.
We both thought our children would appreciate their education if they contributed towards their degree. We balanced this appreciation against having them pay for college entirely on their own, or perhaps graduating with a debt the size of a mortgage. The first FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid ) we filled out revealed that at our income level, we were “on our own.” We didn’t bother to fill out any more FAFSA forms.
As it turned out, my son spent four years in the Marines and is now able to attend college on the GI Bill. My daughter lived at home greatly decreasing her costs and we were able to fund her education using our savings and paying as she went. They are both seniors in college and soon the expenses will be over. My son wants to go to law school and estimates he will need $50,000 dollars to get this degree. He has asked us for help and points out that we did not have to contribute anything to his bachelor’s degree (siblings always keep score!) I’m mulling over how, so close to my own retirement I can appreciably help him.
I either paid cash for my online courses and took free courses paid for by a large urban school district. Many courses were underwritten by organizations who want to improve the education of inner-city children.
In the back of my mind, I would like to get an E-learning certificate from an online university based in Wisconsin. It would provide more knowledge to teach online. I can’t afford tuition if my son needs help with law school. Graduate tuition has skyrocketed in Wisconsin and is out of reach for me. Yet, my son’s dream of law school looms upon the horizon.
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Posted by Sharon Cece on November 28th, 2008
I had a number of fears prior to enrolling online, some relating specifically to online mechanisms and format, and others that dealt with the more with typical fears of a returning college student.
In regard to the first, though I had a general knowledge of computer applications, I certainly was no tech whiz. At first glance, being hit with the numerous course websites and academic pages as well as ”blackboard”, the online education platform, gave one the impression a new student might require a preliminary degree in “learning how to be an online student” before becoming an online student! Thankfully, this is not the case. There are numerous support vehicles in place to assist distance learning and online students, and after a few days of trial and error you soon become quite adept at maneuvering the various course sites, finding out where you need to be and gaining the information you need to have. Advisors, professors, mentors, and TA’s are very helpful; moreso, my fellow students were invaluable in pacifying e-course apprehensions.
I also was concerned that learning online would sequester me socially compared to attending a brick-and-mortar classes, where social interaction is a virtual inevitability (no pun intended). However, I found that online learning can offer similar social benefits, and soon “clicked” with a number of students with shared ideas and similar family circumstances. One student, who happens to be from Tallahassee where Florida State is located, was following the same course schedule as I and we became fast friends as well as study partners. When I drove from North Carolina to Tallahassee to walk for graduation, she was right there in the bleachers cheering me on. Our friendship continues, and I hope to do the same for her when she graduates.
Another fear I entertained was, quite frankly, that I would not be able to test well after so many years of being away from school, or find time to study with two small children to care for, or devote myself to coursework the way I did when I was the quintessential 18-21 year-old college student. My fears were unfounded. As an older student, I found I was more disciplined, more determined and–well–smarter than I used to be. My grades as a young, fresh-from-high-school student were varied, A’s to C’s (okay, a couple of D’s too). When I returned to FSU as an online student, I received straight A’s from my first class straight through to graduation. I mention this not as a bragging point or to minimize the scope of difficulty regarding online classes; on the contrary, some online courses were the most challenging I have ever had. Rather, I hope to highlight the possibility that our fears can in fact drive us to be more successful. That you have a fear at all means that you care, and to care makes you work harder to succeed.
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