-- Find the money. Nontraditional students often have the misconception that financial aid is designated only for high school students entering college for the first time, and luckily, that's not the case. "All the books and media attention tend to be focused on the traditional high school student going to college, but financial aid doesn't care how old you are. It's an ageless system," explains Gen Tanabe, co-author of 501 Ways for Adult Students to Pay for College. In fact, as an independent student, you're eligible for higher limits on unsubsidized Stafford loans -- an additional $4,000 per year as a freshman and sophomore, and $5,000 extra per year in your junior and senior years. To get this money, you need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which the Department of Education uses to determine your aid eligibility. If you want to start school in the fall of this year, now is the time to submit your form. Even if you think you're not eligible, it doesn't hurt to try. And if your circumstances change down the road, it helps to have a snapshot of your history.
One thing to note: In order to receive aid from the Department of Education, you need to attend an accredited school that participates in the federal aid program.
-- Look for scholarships. Many have no age requirements. Start by looking on search sites like FastWeb (www.fastweb.com) and the College Board (www.collegeboard.com). Then ask around at any organizations or professional groups you belong to, which often budget money for scholarships for members and the children of members. If you have a job, your employer may offer tuition reimbursement, as long as you are getting a degree that relates to your position.
-- Use the economy to your advantage. The first part of the financial aid system -- the one involving the FAFSA -- is purely mathematical. It crunches numbers about your assets and income to come up with what's called your expected contribution, or how much you can comfortably afford to pay for school. But the second part of the system - the part that involves each college scrutinizing the numbers and working out a financial aid package for you -- is very human. "Most college financial aid forms have a blank space for you to describe anything that they should take into consideration. That's where you can explain your personal situation, including a layoff in your family," says Tanabe. Because financial aid counselors tend to be numbers-oriented, it helps to include actual figures as backup.