Back to School? Scholarships and Women Over 50
Are you thinking about going back to school, but you know you're going to need scholarships? Women over 50 are eligible for a whole slew of different awards, so don't worry about paying for your education! But how can women over 50 find the scholarships that are geared to us? First, you need to know the best search terms to use-"non-traditional student" and "scholarships" or "returning student" and "scholarships" work best.
This will sort the results for you so you're not looking at scholarships for women who are just starting their college careers right out of high school.
And what kind of scholarships can you find? That's where your search gets interesting.
There are scholarships specifically for people over 50, specifically for women, and specifically for women over 50.
But that's just the tip of a very large iceberg.
Before you start your online search for scholarships, think about your current group associations.
Are you a member of a union, or a member of any service group or trade association? If you are, look at those organizations to see if they offer scholarships to non-traditional students.
Next, think about the reason you're going back to school.
Are you changing careers, finishing a degree you had to leave earlier in life, or just taking classes because you want to become a better-educated person or pursue a particular passion? There are scholarships available for all of these purposes, though the larger awards are generally reserved for women finishing degrees or changing careers.
Another thing to consider is the particular major you want to take up.
Professional associations, civic organizations, and even federal and state governments have scholarships available depending on what career you plan to pursue with your degree.
Finally, think about the other things that make you unique.
There are, of course, scholarships available depending on your ethnic or racial group, whether or not you have a disability, or membership in a particular religion.
All of these kinds of things can come into play when you're qualifying for scholarships.
And if you're thinking that scholarships are only for covering your tuition and books, think again.
While the majority of scholarships can only be used for those fees, there are scholarships that will help you with other costs that could make it difficult for you to attend school! Once you've found the scholarships you want to apply for, it's time to get to work.
First, be sure you know the deadlines for turning in your application materials for each of the scholarships.
Then read the application materials very carefully, and follow the directions for each of the scholarships to the letter.
Some common information and materials you may be required to provide include proof of your age, proof of income, recommendation letters, and transcripts from other schools you've attended if you've had some post-secondary education.
Then, of course, there's the part of applying for a scholarship that many people fear-writing the personal essay.
Be sure to start on any writing you're required to do early and have other people proof and edit it for you.
But also, don't worry!-you wouldn't be going back to school if you were a professional writer, and scholarship committees know that.
There is no reason for women over 50 to hesitate to go back to school.
Scholarships and women over 50 have a long history together, and more scholarships are going to become available as more of us start our second lives with a second shot at school!
This will sort the results for you so you're not looking at scholarships for women who are just starting their college careers right out of high school.
And what kind of scholarships can you find? That's where your search gets interesting.
There are scholarships specifically for people over 50, specifically for women, and specifically for women over 50.
But that's just the tip of a very large iceberg.
Before you start your online search for scholarships, think about your current group associations.
Are you a member of a union, or a member of any service group or trade association? If you are, look at those organizations to see if they offer scholarships to non-traditional students.
Next, think about the reason you're going back to school.
Are you changing careers, finishing a degree you had to leave earlier in life, or just taking classes because you want to become a better-educated person or pursue a particular passion? There are scholarships available for all of these purposes, though the larger awards are generally reserved for women finishing degrees or changing careers.
Another thing to consider is the particular major you want to take up.
Professional associations, civic organizations, and even federal and state governments have scholarships available depending on what career you plan to pursue with your degree.
Finally, think about the other things that make you unique.
There are, of course, scholarships available depending on your ethnic or racial group, whether or not you have a disability, or membership in a particular religion.
All of these kinds of things can come into play when you're qualifying for scholarships.
And if you're thinking that scholarships are only for covering your tuition and books, think again.
While the majority of scholarships can only be used for those fees, there are scholarships that will help you with other costs that could make it difficult for you to attend school! Once you've found the scholarships you want to apply for, it's time to get to work.
First, be sure you know the deadlines for turning in your application materials for each of the scholarships.
Then read the application materials very carefully, and follow the directions for each of the scholarships to the letter.
Some common information and materials you may be required to provide include proof of your age, proof of income, recommendation letters, and transcripts from other schools you've attended if you've had some post-secondary education.
Then, of course, there's the part of applying for a scholarship that many people fear-writing the personal essay.
Be sure to start on any writing you're required to do early and have other people proof and edit it for you.
But also, don't worry!-you wouldn't be going back to school if you were a professional writer, and scholarship committees know that.
There is no reason for women over 50 to hesitate to go back to school.
Scholarships and women over 50 have a long history together, and more scholarships are going to become available as more of us start our second lives with a second shot at school!
