Do Colleges Accept Felons?

January 10, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: College for Felons 
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Are you a convicted felon struggling to find a job?  Do you want to further your education in an area of expertise?  If so, you are on the right track.


For many people with felony convictions, the complications with finding work often comes as a result of little to no background that is competitive against those people who have a clear background.  The key to finding work lies in your ability to make yourself unique and the “better” applicant for the job.

 

So, how do felons do this?  For many convicted felons, this requires that you return to school and get an education in a degree that is closely associated with the type of work you want to pursue.  I’m often asked if felons can go to college and the answer to this is, yes, you can.  While some private colleges may limit your opportunities, the majority of public colleges will accept you into their programs.

So, why don’t felons go to college?  Many convicted felons simply do not attend college because they are struggling with the financial burden of attending.  College for felons doesn’t cost any more or less than other college student but oftentimes felons are concerned they will not qualify for grants or other financial aid.  While it is true that some government financial aid programs are limited to those with a fraud or drug conviction, there are ways to get around this.  To find grants for convicted felons to attend college, you have to first fill out your FASFA form online.


Within the FASFA form, you will be asked about your criminal background but do not let this deter you from completing the form.  Even if you don’t qualify for grants or programs through the government, you may still qualify for private funding for school but you’ll never know what you can get if you don’t fill out the FASFA form first.  So, get busy, fill out the forms and remember that colleges do accept felons and this is the best way you can ensure that you are on your way to finding a job with little to no resistance.

Do Colleges Accept Felons

Sources:
FASFA online

Technorati Tags: College for Felons, Grants for Convicted Felons, School Grants for Felons

Minority Scholarships: Unique Places to Find Them

December 28, 2011 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Minority Scholarships 
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Are you a convicted felon looking for scholarships for school or education grants for felons?  If so, you may want to consider how your minority status will give you unique opportunities to secure a scholarship.  Even if you aren’t an “A” student, there are plenty of opportunities for securing scholarships without regard to your status as a first-time student or a returning student to school.

Most students with felony convictions make the mistake in believing they are not eligible for grants or scholarships for school.  When looking for scholarships, we also often make the mistake in believing that we do not quality for funding because we did not perform well in prior college courses or in high school.  When looking for scholarships, you have to think outside the box.  For example, if you are a person who enjoys art, there are many art scholarships you can tap into without even majoring in art.   Typically, these scholarships only require that you take an art class or that you pursue a trade and have trade school grants as well.

To find unique scholarship opportunities for minorities, always look at the financial aid office in the school you plan to attend.  In addition, reach out to local organizations that provide services based on your interests.  For example, if you have a passion for art, contact local art schools as many of them will provide a small scholarship to help with your school expenses.  Even places that offer international horticulture jobs will offer scholarships and, in most cases, you only need to take a gardening or landscaping class as part of your school curriculum.

Hobbyist groups, community service organizations, local businesses, unions, minority groups and fraternal organizations also offer scholarships that you may be able to take advantage of as well. It is important to really look around and weigh your options, because you never know where you are going to find opportunities for scholarships until they appear.  As a convicted felon, no matter what your plans may be for school in the long term, always consider options for finding scholarships where your passions are and do not limit your search only to the scholarships based upon grades.

Minority Scholarships

Technorati Tags: Grants for Felons, military spouse scholarships, Minority Scholarships

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