I just applied for some scholarships for the first time.

[Tobin S.]

They were all local deals and I was wondering if there are any more generalized types of scholarships that people can apply for on a national or statewide level. I did an internet search, but the main kinds of sites I ran across seemed to be into marketing more so than guiding you to available scholarships.

I did the FASFA deal today, too. When I was finished it showed that my school had a 19% graduation rate. That seemed incredibly low to me.

Another thing about going back to school later in life and paying for it yourself is that there are now tax credits available that offset the cost of tuition. I did my taxes yesterday and I got back nearly everything I paid in tuition. I do go part time, but it's still a lot of money.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Sounds like a smart move, my dear Tobin...

FASFA? What is that?

Glad you're taking advantage of what's available. A lot of people don't know about these scholarships.

[Tobin S.]

2. Free Application for Federal Student Aid

That's how the government determines what kind of loans and grants you qualify for. I only qualify for a Stafford Load which is a standard government student loan.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. Are you involved in sports or any special clubs?

Sometimes the schools have special grants provided by alumni. You won't know if you don't call the school.

[Tobin S.]

4. The school has all of the scholarships offered locally on its web site

You put in one application and then someone determines which scholarships you are eligible for and forwards your information to those making the decisions on who they are awarded to. Some of them require extra information to be provided by the student, but for the most part I just need the one application.

I was wondering if there were more generalized awards offered outside of my community.

[Baitball Blogger]

5. Gotcha.

Check out the resource books at the libraries. They are thick, like SAT prep books. There might be some that will list scholarships. Look in bookstores first since they have the most current offerings. Once you have a title you can go to the library to see if they have a copy.

[RILib]

6. decades

It's been decades since I was in school, but back then we had high school guidance councilors who knew of scholarships. Also colleges had financial aid offices that had leads.

There also were very specialized scholarships, like for children of veterans, or people whose grandparents lived in DonutBox, Georgia, or people who planned to major in certain fields. You might web search for scholarship and any such terms that apply to you. Also if you plan to enter a profession, the national professional group might have leads.

[RebelOne]

7. Have you checked into grants?

My daughter got a grant so that she could earn her master's degree in education, which she received a few months ago.

[Tobin S.]

8. Yes, I don't qualify for any.

I'm a middle class white guy. Since I'm not in a minority group and I'm not poor, I can pretty much forget about grants and some scholarships, as well. I know why and I'm cool with that. But a lot of scholarships are based on other factors, the main one being your grades, and I've gotten nothing but "A's so far so that gives me an advantage in the running for the scholarships I do qualify for. And, believe it or not, there are a few scholarships being offered in my community that are specifically for returning, married students.

[dpoly]

9. locating scholarships

Dear Tobin,

It's true that a lot of the scholarship websites out there are efficient marketing machines that want your details before revealing any scholarships to you.

The advice to check with your high school counselor is very good. Also check with your parents' workplace and any professional organizations to which they belong or would be eligible for. It is also a good idea to check with your local church and community organizations. Any of the places where you have been involved in community service, volunteer work and been employed are also good places to look into. In addition, check with all the colleges and universities for which you are applying and especially the specific department of your major.

There are also some scholarship websites that provide some scholarship information, advice, and list some scholarships for free and without requiring you to register first, such as college-scholarships1.com.

Good luck with your scholarship search.

[Callalily]

10. I'm sure I'm not going to tell

you something you don't already know, but talk to your Financial Aid officer at your college. They may be able to point you into the right direction. I'm sure there are scholarships/grants for non-traditional students!

And great to hear about your tax return bonanza. At least our government is doing something right with some of the tax deductions/laws.

Kudos to you on your grades! And sending big applause to you for going back to school. I know it's not easy, as I did the something many years ago!

[a la izquierda]

11. Be wary of loans.

I mortgaged my future to go to university, and getting three degrees is exceptionally expensive.

[Tobin S.]

12. I'm willing to go in the hole a bit.

I'm not making any headway working as a trucker. I grossed 35k last year and I'm 40 years old.

I'm a business major. I know that's no guarantee of a good income, but my odds are probably significantly better than if I were going after a 4 year liberal arts degree.

Anyway, I'm a junior and I think I can finish up going part time by the end of 2015. Seven semesters on loans at about $1500 a pop, if I don't get any scholarships, is probably worth it. I don't plan on using more than I need.

[JPZenger]

13. www.fastweb.com

Yes, there are many scam sites that show up with a straight web search. The more legitimate scholarships and contests show up on www.fastweb.com It is a well-organized site, that shows you deadlines and allows you to screen various types of scholarships so you don't waste too much of your time.

If you enter any contests for scholarships, make sure you use an alternate email address with a spam filter as well as a phone number with caller ID, because you will get lots of spam and annoying phone calls.

Keep in mind that the local scholarships are typically the easiest to obtain, although they are often smaller. The most grant money by far is offered directly by colleges. Apply to a wide range of colleges, and be willing to attend a college one tier lower if you want large amounts of merit money.

Also, see if you can be admitted to some colleges that promise to meet 100% of need (or a close percentage). They typically are highly selective colleges in admissions. However, that promise will also likely involve federal loans and a work study job during the school year (which you can turn down if you don't need it).

Much more advice about the college process is available on the public discussion boards at www.collegeconfidential.com Many of the people who participate on that site are extremely well informed. Among other parts of that website, it includes a section with extensive discussions of financial aid matters.