**[Attaining your Asset: Post-Secondary
Education]{.smallcaps}**![](media/image1.jpeg){width="0.8097222222222222in"
height="1.825in"}

So you\'ve decided to go to college.

Maybe you want to finally finish up the degree that you started years
ago, or perhaps you\'ve realized the career boost that a second degree
will give you. Or maybe you\'re going back because you genuinely enjoy
learning.

Congratulations. You won\'t be alone. Today\'s college campuses are full
of people just like you \-- working adults who want to keep learning.
Two out of five college students today are age 25 or older.

**[Step-by-step Guide for Adult Students]{.smallcaps}**

**1. Consider why you want to go to school. Do you want to:**

-   Change careers?

-   Increase your earning potential?

-   Resume your college education and finish a degree program?

By focusing on your motivation, you can better determine your career and
educational goals.

**2. Develop a plan to achieve your educational goals. This plan will
serve as a guide during your educational career.**

-   Do you want to complete your education by a certain date?

-   Do you need to complete some courses (prerequisites) before you can
    begin the coursework for your chosen career field?

**3. Review your plan to determine how it will fit into your
lifestyle**.

-   Will your plan allow you enough time for work and leisure
    activities?

-   If you have a family, are they supportive of your educational goals?

-   Will you need childcare for any children?

**4. Decide which school you will attend.**

-   Do any area schools offer the program of study you need to meet your
    career and educational goals?

-   Are those classes offered at a time convenient for your work and
    family schedule?

-   Does your school offer classes through a distance learning
    environment?

> Many colleges/universities are seeing a greater number of
> non-traditional students enrolling in their classes. They realize that
> your schedule and lifestyle is not that of the typical traditional
> college student. Many offer night and weekend classes, as well as
> distance learning opportunities, to accommodate the needs of the
> non-traditional student. Distance learning programs offer an option
> for some adults who want to continue or complete an educational
> program. Classes may be offered via the Internet, television, or other
> distance learning environments.

**5. Determine whether the school you\'ve selected will require any
prerequisites or entrance exams.**

-   Do they offer a study group (to prepare for the GRE for example)?

-   Have you checked with the local public or college library to find
    out what publications are available?

By finding out what is required and utilizing resources available to
prepare for these examinations, your college career will be off to a
good start.

**6. Determine the cost of education and how you will pay for it. What
are your available sources of funding:**

-   Savings (IDA)

-   Federal financial aid

-   Company tuition-reimbursement programs

-   Scholarships and grants.

Consider how the cost of education will fit in your budget with your
other expenses - such as rent, house payment, car payment, child care,
etc.

**7. Complete all the necessary admissions and financial aid
applications.**

-   Contact the admissions office for the necessary forms to get you
    admitted and registered for classes.

-   Contact the financial aid office for information on applying for
    financial aid.

Make sure you have all of your paperwork accurately completed and in on
time. This will make the transition into college less stressful. The
staff in the admissions and financial aid offices are there to help you;
don\'t hesitate to contact them if you have questions or don\'t
understand the process.

**8. Attend an orientation session offered by the school you have
selected.**

-   Do they offer an orientation session prior to the start of the
    semester?

-   Is a special session offered just for non-traditional students?

-   Does your college offer a \"Survival Skills 101\" class where you
    can learn about effective study habits, test taking anxiety, stress
    management, organizational pointers, etc.?

These orientation sessions or classes will help familiarize you with the
campus and give you guidance on other decisions you may need to make
while continuing your education.

**9. Seek out support groups.**

-   Does your college have a non-traditional student group?

-   Do they have a support group for single parents?

-   Are there organizations related to your major? (i.e. Nursing Majors
    Club)

Some colleges and universities have support groups for non-traditional
students. You will be able to meet other students who have similar
situations and educational goals. A support group may help you cope as
you manage family responsibilities, work, and education.

**[Using your IDA]{.smallcaps}**

**What Your IDA Can Be Used For:**

1\) Tuition and fees at an accredited education or training institution.

2\) Books, supplies, and equipment required for courses of instruction
at eligible educational institutions.

3\) Computer and software. If you would like to use your IDA savings to
purchase a personal computer, you are limited to using \$1,500 (\$500 of
your savings plus \$1000 of your total matching funds) for this purpose.

**Steps You Must Take to Use Your IDA for education or training:**

**1. Complete the program requirements for the Assets for All
Alliance.**

These include attending a Goal Specific Training on Education and the 4
Investor Clubs each year. You also must be saving regularly and be in
good standing with the program.

**2. Get verification of the item you wish to purchase with match
money.**

The match money can only be used for those things mentioned above, but
once you have identified a qualified purchase, you must get written
verification. This could be a tuition bill, an order from an online
bookstore, the syllabus from your professor showing which items you are
required to purchase.

**3. Fill out and submit the matched withdrawal forms to the Assets for
All Alliance.**

There are two forms to fill out, the Matched Withdrawal Request form and
the Matched Withdrawal Release form. You can get these from your
Investor Manual or from your community partner. Fill out these forms,
which tell us what you want to purchase, to whom the check will be
written, and how you would like to receive the check. Submit these forms
as well as the written verification of your purchase to your community
partner. We will contact you if we need any further information.

**4. Receive your check and make your payment or purchase your item.**

Once the withdrawal has been approved, Citibank will process your
withdrawal. You can either pick up the check in person at the Sunnyvale
Citibank, have it mailed to you, or have it mailed directly to the
vendor (i.e. school or bookstore). You will receive the money as a
check, we are unable to provide online payment with credit cards.

**Remember:**

-   **Funds can be withdrawn in installments after being in the program
    for more than 6 months.** For example, after being in the program
    for six months, you could use the money you had saved to pay for
    your first semester at University (\$300 of your savings + \$600 in
    match money = \$900 tuition). You could then continue to save
    towards future semesters.

-   **A maximum of \$4,000 will be provided in matching funds.**

-   **You can save more than \$2,000 in your IDA account (the
    two-signature account, which is jointly held by you and Lenders for
    Community Development). However savings beyond \$2000 will not be
    matched.**

# [Resources]{.smallcaps}

# 

# Books (available at the public library):

# Ask the reference librarian for assistance to show you where theses book are located and (if necessary) how they can be used.

On Career Prospects:

-   [The Top 100: The Fastest Growing Careers for the 21^st^
    Century]{.underline}, by Ferguson Publishing Co.

-   [State Labor Market Statistics,]{.underline} (Employment
    projections, wages and employment for each of the 50 states)

-   [State Occupational Handbook,]{.underline} David Beanes, Ed. (Gives
    the code and description of the occupations referred to in many
    other publications.)

-   [Occupational Outlook Handbook,]{.underline} 2002-2003 Edition. U.S.
    Dept of Labor, Bureau of Statistics (Gives job duties, working
    conditions, earnings, job prospects in various occupations)

-   [Occupation Outlook Quarterly,]{.underline} (Magazine) U.S. Dept of
    Labor, Dept. of Labor Statistics (For current information on jobs,
    career outlook, and employment)

On Career and Technical Training

-   [American Trade School Directory]{.underline}, Croner Publication
    Inc. (Gives school location throughout the U.S. and also lists
    trades alphabetically and where they can be found)

-   [Peterson's Vocational and Technical Schools]{.underline} (Profiles
    5,800 U.S. Institutions of higher education that offer postsecondary
    awards, certificates and diplomas. These programs require less than
    2 years of study. They prepare individuals with entry level skills
    and training required for employment in a particular trade,
    occupation or profession.)

On Two and Four Year Colleges and Universities

-   [Peterson's Guide 2002 (or 2003): 2 Year Colleges and 4 Year
    Colleges]{.underline} (Information about individual schools, How to
    contact, demographics, admissions policies, tests requires, how to
    transfer, paying for college, visa requirements, and much more.)

-   [College Handbook 2003]{.underline}, The College Board (Both 2 and 4
    year colleges included. Similar to Peterson's Guide)

-   [American Universities and Colleges]{.underline}\< American Council
    on Education

( Extensive description of each college or University program, Less
auxiliary information on getting into school)

On Paying for School

-   [Financial Aid and Funding,]{.underline} 1999, Gail Ann Schlachter
    (A guide to sources of financial aid)

-   [College Aid for Dummies,]{.underline} by Dr. Hern Davis and Joyce
    Lain Kennedy (Overall guide to understanding, obtaining and using
    financial aid)

-   [Peterson's College Money Handbook]{.underline}, (Explains student
    financial aid process and programs. Has a chart showing typical
    college costs)

# Web Sites

-   [www.edicationindex.com](http://www.edicationindex.com/) many
    avenues to search various aspects of education and training.

-   [http://moneycentral.msn.com](http://moneycentral.msn.com/) aspects
    of financial aid, planning, other ways to pay for college. Also
    allows you to search for colleges.

-   [www.educationindex.com](http://www.educationindex.com/) site for
    exploring many areas related to education.

-   [www.Petersons.com](http://www.Petersons.com/) access to [Peterson's
    Guide]{.underline}, major handbook for researching two and four-year
    colleges and universities.

-   [www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/eduhome.htm](http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/eduhome.htm)
    access to information on undergraduate and graduate Schools, college
    admissions, financial aid, distance learning, community colleges.

-   \<http://www/cete.org\> Center on Education and Training for
    Employment.

-   [http://www.jobsmart.org](http://www.jobsmart.org/) job ads and
    career information

-   [www.collegeispossible.org](http://www.collegeispossible.org/) a
    resource guide for parents and students