as a white male who is 56 years old and a disabled vet it really infuriates me that even though i served and am now disabled there is no financial aid available for me. i have talked with several other vets who are in the same boat. our country has the money to pay for illegal aliens and others but not vets.

It's sad that many financial aid articles only pertain to the young people who still are somewhat dependent on their parent's income rather than many of us in the middle-aged group who are just starting over, have always lived under the poverty level and just want to put ourselves through college so we can begin to thrive instead of just survive. There are thousands of scholarships for the young, but a very limited amount for people who are middle-aged. I thought by signing up with FastWeb that I'd qualify for at least thirty scholarships. Instead, I get a few intermittent scholarship matches in my inbox, many that don't pertain to me or my situation. It's frustrating.

I live in the state of Michigan where we have the "No Worker Left Behind" program that will pay up to $5,000 a year for two years of education / training, but you have to attend several workshops, make a resume online and on paper of your work history, and pretty much have to beg and jump through bureaucratic hoops just to get two years worth of little more than a community college education. Then after that, you're on your own as far as financing any further education. I did write my first essay for a women's scholarship offer through AARP, but the competition was fierce this year and I have no idea how to write a good essay. Needless to say, my essay was not chosen, so I lost out. Now, I'm back to begging and pleading and attending ridiculous workshops with the No Worker Left Behind program. It's tough out there, folks.

Can someone explain to me what happens if I am already enrolled in college and want to apply for scholarships, how will this help me. Would the scholarship cover my previous loans or would it assist me in future loans? I am a little confused, since I am alreay in college.

I have almost maxed out the amount of money I can borrow for Aid. I have a masters degree and want to work on my phd.. But applying for GSL wont be made available to me. Any suggestions?

Sorry to hear that you are having trouble paying the bills, but good to hear you got some scholarships. Wow, working 3 jobs must have been tough, but you had the determination to make your goals happen.

I disagree that everyone is in the hole. We were. Between braces, a second mortgage for home repairs and a car, we owed over $50k. That was 16 months ago. Now we are debt free except the house, have an emergency fund, ramping up to putting away 15% of our income to retirement and will be able to focus on saving for college beginning next month. Yes we have an above average income that helped to get us out of the hole fast, but we had about the same above average income when we were $50k in the hole. Then we had a total money makeover. Our new view of money meant we had to plan and prioritize. And to make, agree on and follow a monthly budget so we told our money where to go before it was spent. It meant prioritizing now so we stopped borrowing and planned for all the different stuff that comes up each month. It meant doing a mid-month change in the budget because the car needed $350 in repairs instead of $150 that we budgeted. We still don't have the budget process down pat, but now we will use the money that we had been using for loan payments to go into the college fund. We do care about our kids going to college. One is looking at a Big 10 school. We didn't think we could afford it two years ago. It looks possible today and without any student loans. We may even pay off the house before the second one gets to college. That will make college for number two and retirement easier to pay for. I know this is not the typical American way any more, to save and pay up front, but I prefer to be in control of my money.

The problem with these comments in this forum is that our kids are in or will be in college soon. We needed the advice when they were in daycare. And we needed the government to stop changing the rules for college savings every few years (use a UTMA to save for college; no, use an ESA for college; no, use a 529...).

I am totally committed to sending my child to college, even if I go in to debt. Who cares? at least I was a parent who cared enough about my child and their future, and you KNOW they won't have the SAME future if they don't get a 4 year degree, especially in the Northeast..... And there are ways, but I may die before I finish paying those PLUS loans....... Planning- yeah, RIGHT!!! We were too busy paying for DAYCARE to save any money, then it was a car, then it was "whatever..." Plan all you want, college is headed in the six-figures and only for the RICH the way it is going.......... I can barely pay my bills, just like everyone, but MY KID IS GOING TO A 4 year college, pays a LOT of their own way, and we ALSO have scholarships and loans up the wazoo! I acturally worked all year long (especially summer, 3 jobs, etc. ) and (in my day) you could pay for almost your whole college year that way. What kid makes more than $5,000 - $6,000 a year????? How can a kid pay for college now? Everyone is in a hole, so get used to it.....