Adult Students and Financial Aid

Presented byDavid Pearlman, D. Ed.

Who are adult students?

http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/about-us/video-stories

Who are adult students?

• Veteran

• Married

• Parent

• Employed

• Active Military

• Single parent

• Unemployed

• Underemployed

• Widow or widower

• Living at home

• Employer Educational Assistance Program

• Employed full-time

3

Who are adult students?

• Returning to the labor market

• Mental or Health issues

• Displaced worker

• Displaced Homemaker

• Incarcerated (or recently released)

• Facing legal challenges

• Retired

• Older adult learner

• Senior Citizen Program

• Graduate or professional program

• Career Change

• Life Changing Event

4

To do: • Look into getting a General Educational Development (GED) certificate

if you don’t have a high school diploma; try searching online for “GED certificate” and your state’s name.

• Research careers and the need for various jobs in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Or, for an interactive tool, try the U.S. Department of Labor’s career search.

• Use College Navigator to find the right school for your career intentions. Get tips on choosing a school.

• Check the Yellow Pages and ask employers to recommend schools that provide training in the skills you will need for the career you choose.

5

From: College Preparation Checklist, US Dept of Education

To do:

•Ask your employer if assistance is available to help you pay for school.

•Use the U.S. Department of Labor’s scholarship search to find scholarships.

•Apply for federal student aid by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

•Get to know the financial aid staff at the school you plan to attend; they can help you with aid applications and explain the types of aid available.

6From: College Preparation Checklist, US Dept of Education

Counseling Adults

• Bad Stories

• What did you (we) learn from this?

7

Counseling Adults

• Good Stories

• What did you (we) learn from this?

8

Financial Aid for Older and Nontraditional Students

• According to data from the 2007-08 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), nontraditional students are more likely to receive the Pell Grant than traditional students, but less likely to receive private scholarships.

9From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Pursuing a Bachelor's Degree (Age 24-29)

• Represent 13.8% students pursuing a Bachelor's degree

• 20.9% of Pell Grant recipients

• 4.7% of private scholarship recipients

10

From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Pursuing a Bachelor's Degree (Age 30 and above)

• Represent 14.4% of students pursuing a Bachelor's degree

• 17.2% of Pell Grant recipients

• 4.8% of private scholarship recipients

11

From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Likelihood to receive a Federal Pell Grant – Bachelor degree

• 40.5% of students age 24-29 receive the Pell Grant

• 32.0% of students age 30 and above receive the Pell Grant

• Compared with 23.1% of traditional students who receive the Pell Grant

12

From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Likelihood to receive a private scholarship - Bachelor

• 3.0% of students age 24-29

• 2.9% of students age 30 and above

• Compared with 11.1% of traditional college students

13

From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Certificate or Associate's Degree

• Age 24-29 represent 20.8% of students

• 25.3% of Pell Grant recipients and 16.2% of private scholarship recipients

• Age 30 and above represent 29.1% of students

• 27.8% of Pell Grant recipients

• 27.6% of private scholarship recipients

14

From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Likelihood to receive a Federal Pell Grant –certificate or associate degree

• 37.0% of students age 24-29

• 29.0% of students age 30 and above

• Compared with 28.4% of traditional students

15

From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Likelihood to receive private scholarship – certificate or associate degree

• 2.2% of students age 24-29

• 2.6% of students age 30 and above

• Compared with 3.1% of traditional college students

16

From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Likelihood of pursuing a certificate or associate degree

• Nontraditional students are more likely to be pursuing a Certificate or Associate's degree than traditional students, and less likely to be pursuing a Bachelor's degree.

• 35.8% of nontraditional students are pursuing a Bachelor's degree

• 58.6% of traditional students are pursuing a Bachelor’s degree

17

From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Federal Student Aid

• Nontraditional students should submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid just like younger students.

• A student who has already earned a bachelor's degree or first professional degree is no longer considered an undergraduate student and is ineligible for the Pell Grant.

• (There is an exception for postbaccalaureate programs necessary for teacher certification or licensing credentials as required by the state.)

18

From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

Additional Federal Aid

• An additional $4,000 per year during the freshman and sophomore years and an additional $5,000 per year during the junior and later years.

• "Professional judgment"

• Counseling for over-borrowing

19From: Financial for Older and Nontraditional Student retrieved Oct 11, 2012 from www.finaid.org

P.A.W.S.

• Perseverance + Ambition + Will = Success• PAWS sought to improve the rate at which adults

on public assistance pursued and completed post-secondary education.

• PAWS was a free program developed in 2006 under the Altoona Community Outreach partnership.

• Fairview Hills Public Housing was selected for the program.

• Funded with H.U.D. grant

20

Why P.A.W.S.

21

From: P.A.W.S. Manual, pg 10Source: National for Children in Poverty (2006).

Need for P.A.W.S.

22

From: P.A.W.S. Manual, pg 12Source: National for Children in Poverty (2006).

Resources of P.A.W.S. Program

• Peer Mentors (three)

• Faculty coordinator (and researcher)

• Meeting space (community center of public housing)

• Technology (two computers and printers)

• Social Services (how does going to school effect welfare payments)

• Career (participants attended local career fairs)

• Expertise of high school guidance counseling staff

• Program dinners with topics (and pizza)

• Mini college Fairs (all local schools)

• FAFSA Completion session

• Group and individual follow-up

23

P.A.W.S. Mentors

• Starting the conversation

• Establish Goals and Interests

• Struggles with education

• Adjusting to education

• Financing an education

• Career goals

• Resource person

24

There were 32 P.A.W.S. Participants

• 9/32 did not complete the application process (28%)

• 23/32 enrolled in post-secondary education (72%)

• 13/23 enrolled at Penn State Altoona (56%)

• 10/23 enrolled at other schools (44%)

• 78% of participants were women

25

Adult Students and Financial Aid

Thank You!

26