Fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. Visit your school's financial aid office once your FAFSA results are processed. Ask them to match you with fee waivers, grants, scholarships, and loans that are designed to help adult learners finance a solid education. Apply for every single financial aid supplement for which your financial counselor thinks you may qualify.
Consider taking classes online through your local community college or University, as this allows you to keep your current career and schedule courses around your work schedule. Ask friends or family members to volunteer regularly scheduled babysitting hours if you have children that need care while you study. Buy a Daytimer and meticulously schedule study times and assignment deadlines, so you never need to turn an assignment in late.
DePaul University urges adult learners to, "have an academic plan with a set end date." It can be extremely difficult to attend school as well as maintain work and family obligations. You need an academic strategy that allows you to see the light at the end of the tunnel, or you are likely to get frustrated and quit school when it gets tough. Visit your academic adviser on campus to create a clear plan that lists exactly which classes you will need to take each semester in order to fulfill the specific educational requirements for your chosen degree or certificate program by a specified date.
Call your close friends and family members and tell them you plan to re-enter school as an adult learner. Ask for their ongoing emotional support during your studies. Invite them to call and check on your progress regularly. Also ask for their patience as you may have to spend less time with them in the near future to focus on your studies. Accept their offers of support in common forms such as finances, childcare, meal delivery and periodic "just for fun" excursions.