Adult Students and Financial Aid Presented by David Pearlman, D. Ed.

1. Adult Students and Financial Aid Presented by David Pearlman, D. Ed.

2. Who are adult students? http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/about-us/video-stories

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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. From: College Preparation Checklist, US Dept of Education

6. 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. From: College Preparation Checklist, US Dept of Education

7. Counseling Adults • Bad Stories • What did you (we) learn from this?

8. Counseling Adults • Good Stories • What did you (we) learn from this?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20. 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

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

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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. Adult Students and Financial Aid Thank You!