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You've been answering the phones for the same company for the past ten years, and as you watch people being promoted above you...all around you...you wonder, "Could I possibly afford to go back to college?" Your pay rate certainly does not support that option, but does that mean you'll be stuck in this dead end job forever? People like you are making decisions to go back to school every day. People from all walks of life, from all income levels and they are finding success in universities who are now put more of an emphasis on helping their non-traditional students achieve their career goals.

Today, there are more and more ways for people to afford to go to college. There are student loans, both subsidized and unsubsidized provided through the government, but did you know that many states offer grants to help people gain a higher education? And many universities offer scholarships for students not only for academic performance, but for a diverse range of life circumstances. Everything from being a single mom to a student of Latino heritage, to being left handed. The first step after applying to your university is going to: www.fafsa.ed.gov to find out what options the financial aid office at your school can provide for you. It's easy to fill out, free, and only takes about 45-minutes of your time.

What else can you do to lower the cost of college? Many universities realize that life experience does equal educational experience. There are classes you can receive credit for simply by filling in what you already know. Perhaps you've been working with computers as a receptionist, or maybe keeping your books balanced as a truck driver. Whatever the experience, it never hurts to ask if there are any classes you can receive credit for without ever paying. And what about your Discovery Channel addiction? Did you know you can apply the basic lessons you've learned from television, reading or even listening to the radio toward testing out of certain classes? You can save over 90% of the money you would pay simply by taking a test for the things you already know.

So stop wishing you had a chance to go back to school and embrace your education today! Whether you choose a four-year university or a local community college, receiving a college education has never been more affordable. Between loans, grants, scholarships, credit for what you know, and testing out of what you've learned on your own, you can substantially cut that college bill or even eliminate it altogether.

You know you're smart, and you've certainly done well enough on your own, but don't you deserve the opportunity to advance in your career? Don't you deserve the chance to build a stable financial future for yourself and your family? These days more and more employers are looking for people with college degrees to fill jobs that you've been doing for years. So why let someone else take your place in the workplace? With flexible hours, evening and weekend classes, and the possibility of eliminating your tuition substantially if not completely, there has never been a better time to work toward your college degree.

Learn more about this author, Mary Duncanson.
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