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So I'm 36 and I've been in the workforce for 18 years. Never went to college. I had a career in management working for a well-known world wide office furniture company. Things were good.
Then last year I became unemployed, and I've been unemployed for a year this month.
About 3 months ago I finally got the fire lit under me to go to school- I had always wanted to be a nurse. So I started doing the research on schools, courses, etc. I finally enrolled at state university, passed my entrance exams (who knew after 18 years I could still read?), and am going to my freshman orientation on Tuesday.
My question is in regards to the availability of grants, or even tax breaks, that would fall under workforce re-investment. Here in Texas we have the "Texas Workforce Reinvestment Act", and I was sent a letter at the end of 2009 stating I qualified for up to $5500/year in a grant (not a Pell grant, however).
I have yet to go back into a Workforce center- they're usually bumblef*cks here (a massive waste of time and tax payer $$). I did call the Workforce commission and they were unsure of any aspect of the program, and the state website defers to a Federal site. Problem: it *seems* that the Federal deadline for grants was this month, but for some unknown reason they pulled back the deadline (noting that they did so, but without reason) to May 2010.
So, finally- does anyone know anything about grants or other financial resources for those going back to school while unemployed for an extended period?
I know a little bit but not sure how accurate my information may be. Your first step is to go to the FAFSFA website and fill out the form. You can submit it online. Yes, you probably have past the deadline but you still may qualify if there are left over grant money.
If you're ready to put the effort into nursing school than I'd say do it. There is a lot of sciences involved but it can be done. I am not sure about tax breaks, as I don't think you'd get any. Good LUck
I know a little bit but not sure how accurate my information may be. Your first step is to go to the FAFSFA website and fill out the form. You can submit it online. Yes, you probably have past the deadline but you still may qualify if there are left over grant money.
If you're ready to put the effort into nursing school than I'd say do it. There is a lot of sciences involved but it can be done. I am not sure about tax breaks, as I don't think you'd get any. Good LUck
Completed the FAFSA ages ago. Entrance exams done. Orientation on Tuesday
I've passed the deadline for them to award me any money, but then they won't give me money until I have courses, and I won't have courses till Tuesday. It's a strange system. Additionally the "late" cut off was June 15, and I submitted in April. However, the school didn't inform me until June 1st that they required additional information, or what the cut off was.
I don't know the size of my financial aid package, but I suspect it's going to be garbage. I just really hope there's money left over to help me.
You might luck out. It might be more than you think since you got everything in on time. I know, it is a frustrating system. Most colleges, if they know you've submitted for financial aid, might not drop your courses if unpaid for. Have you already paid for them? What was your fafsfa score?
Haven't paid for courses because I don't have classes yet- We're not allowed to enroll in classes until the 2nd day of our Orientation. Tues/Weds is the mandatory orientation, which includes (on day 2) the adviser sessions and class enrollment.
I'm honestly not even sure how financial aid packages are awarded- do they wait till we have classes selected, then present a package? If so then I'm on time. And I'm in the 2nd out of 5 orientation groups, so seems good from the stand point of being able to select my classes.
Do schools give financial aid blindly, that is, before courses are selected?
My FAFSA EFC score was 4721, however, I recently learned that the number is not an actual dollar amount for my personal contribution, just a number on an index. Some folks have EFC's over 10,000. Hmmm.
Pell grant notice after my SARS was completed (FAFSA sent to school) stated "up to $800/year". THIS I have a problem with- the President is on the TV last year talking about $5300 Pell grants for the unemployed, I lost my job in May 2009, and my total 2009 taxable income was $18,000. Barely living. And that qualifies for $800 a year? Sheesh.
Haven't paid for courses because I don't have classes yet- We're not allowed to enroll in classes until the 2nd day of our Orientation. Tues/Weds is the mandatory orientation, which includes (on day 2) the adviser sessions and class enrollment.
I'm honestly not even sure how financial aid packages are awarded- do they wait till we have classes selected, then present a package? If so then I'm on time. And I'm in the 2nd out of 5 orientation groups, so seems good from the stand point of being able to select my classes.
Do schools give financial aid blindly, that is, before courses are selected?
My FAFSA EFC score was 4721, however, I recently learned that the number is not an actual dollar amount for my personal contribution, just a number on an index. Some folks have EFC's over 10,000. Hmmm.
Pell grant notice after my SARS was completed (FAFSA sent to school) stated "up to $800/year". THIS I have a problem with- the President is on the TV last year talking about $5300 Pell grants for the unemployed, I lost my job in May 2009, and my total 2009 taxable income was $18,000. Barely living. And that qualifies for $800 a year? Sheesh.
You can get a Pell Grant up to $5550, if you qualify. Then your state may have its own financial aid program. For example, NY has TAP (Tuition Assistance Program). If the college you are going to says you can get a grant and it's not a Pell grant, it sounds a bit off, I must say.
I don't remember how it worked when I first began college years and years ago, but I know that once you are matriculated and submit your FAFSA to your college, they should be able to tell you how much aid they'll give you even before you sign up for courses. Otherwise, how could someone make the proper financial arrangements needed to go to college, or decide not to enroll if they weren't getting any aid? You should definitely go to the Fin. Aid office and ask them.
You could be denied a federal grant. BUT, you can appeal this and ask for a Professional Judgment. In the appeal you state why you need the money and why the numbers on your FAFSA for last year's earnings are not what you'll be bringing in this coming school year. I've been turned down twice, appealed, then got a full federal Pell grant both times.
Once you've chosen your college, they should be able to determine the aid they'll give you, plus any potential scholarships you may be able to get. I got a scholarship in my first term of college, years ago, just because I ranked high in my high school class that I had graduated from about 15 years before.
There are a lot of ways to get funds, BEFORE taking out any loans.
I think it's interesting that financial aid administrators aren't trained to recognize unemployment/displaced workers as in 'need'.
I'm having to go in this afternoon to meet with my FAA, hopefully, as a walk-in, because they don't 'do' appointments, so that I can get some idea of what's going on, and ask if they can give me a special circumstances adjustment.
This all started on Sunday when I noticed (I check the college website for financial aid requirement updates religiously) that my FAA had posted requesting a "Corrected ISIR", meaning they made a change. The change: they were putting the $2,400 of untaxed income back into my FAFSA, and removing me from Pell eligibility.
Being that I've been unemployed for nearly a year, it was astounding to me. So I started to research. I mean, after hearing all the hoopla and hype about trying to get the unemployed access to college, especially with the Pell grants, and how Obama was quoting stating how he knew that UI income would be used to determine eligibility for the Pell which he felt was ridiculous.
I discovered that the Dept of Ed. issued 2 statements urging FAA's to utilize professional judgment in making (you are reading this correctly) all unemployment income zero. Then I discovered the SNT, the simplified needs test, which most unemployed will qualify for.
Sadly I do not qualify for the auto-zero EFC because I do not have a child. This is yet another situation in which those with children, again, reap massive benefits, and those without are shunned.
Regardless- my school requested verification last month, and I gave it quickly. It's been 3 weeks now, and 2 months since they've gotten my FAFSA. My concern grew as I noticed that the college has a form for 'extenuating financial circumstances', but that there is no heads-up, or prompting, to know when you fill that out, or what it's for unless you just click on every form available.
It's as if financial aid offices don't want to help you. Seriously. I'm not trying to say they're mean, but it seems to me that financial aid officers resent the changes the government has made, and are actively resisting any 'suggestions' from the current administration to assist the unemployed.
As one financial aid officer on another website explained to me: "Why should you get special treatment since you've been collecting unemployment over a family who works hard and only brings home $10,000/year trying to send their children to college, but they get cut off from the Pell. What makes you special?"
You're gonna' have to suck it up and go to the Unemployment Office --- or whatever the equivalent, if there is one, to the NJ One Stop Career Centers. I can only speak for NJ on this, but there are grants etc out there - you may run up against the end of fiscal years, where the states wait to see what their funding will be for the next one - usually around now. Ask about grants from the Workforce Development Act or Workforce Investment Act.
Nah. Just met with my Financial aid person today. The school's policy is to *zero* all unemployment income. I was told accordingly (after signing some forms and showing my 1099 and W-2) that I qualify for the maximum Pell this year- $5,500, and will be getting 9,500 in loans.
I've already gone to TWC- Texas Workforce Center..er Workforce Solutions. hah. Solutions. Anyway I've been to them. They're a bunch of low-class bunglers, honestly. One day they can't open a Word document, the next they tell me I don't need to change anything on my resume.
Our TWC doesn't give us job leads, they have a website that *any* company can post on with (and this is the part I've been protesting for ever now) no restrictions on their post, and no oversight. The problem is that because there is no one checking what these companies post, and the format is so far different from every other job search site in existence (even USA Jobs- the Federal Job site has it together), that finding a job via their site is a far out experience.
Oh yes, but we're talking about money. Well, I asked them, that's how I/we together found out that the actual main Workforce Investment Act education grant had a deadline of mid-June, but was pulled back to Mid-May, and since we found this at the end of May..well...
Most states send out a letter, or have, for Pell Grants. Obama and the Dept of Ed. have strongly urged financial aid offices to consider UI benefits as zero. I'm lucky in that mine does.
No, sadly, going to the Texas Workforce centers are the last option for anyone, or should be, unless you're in dire need of a computer to use. They're really caretakers who read off cue-cards.
Agreed. Go to your CareerOneStop center and get as much info and guidance as you can on funding.
I've received 100% funding for my return to school - getting an AAS in Health Information Technology - from WIA (Workforce Investment Act). It's a federal program (been around quite awhile) administered by the states.
Initially, I didn't qualify for a Pell Grant, even though I was laid off and my husband hasn't been able to find a job. Unemployment Benefits were too high! At that point I met with my school's Director of Financial Aid, and she got me into a need-based grant administered by the school.
We were poor enough in 2009 so that our FAFSA scores were pretty high, and we'll get some amount of Pell Grant. (He's in school too.)
If I get Pell Grant money, I need to let WIA know, so they can adjust the amount of my funding downward. Those funds can go to some other person on a WIA wait list.
Anyway, leave no stone unturned, and don't get frustrated!
Quote:
Originally Posted by nj185
You're gonna' have to suck it up and go to the Unemployment Office --- or whatever the equivalent, if there is one, to the NJ One Stop Career Centers. I can only speak for NJ on this, but there are grants etc out there - you may run up against the end of fiscal years, where the states wait to see what their funding will be for the next one - usually around now. Ask about grants from the Workforce Development Act or Workforce Investment Act.
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