28M Returning to College with <2.0 GPA

Hi everyone,

I’m a 28-year-old student returning to community college after more than 5 years. I have a tough road ahead, as I need to retake several classes that I failed earlier in life when I was making poor choices. Now, I’m focused on turning things around and am looking for local scholarships that may be more interested in my story rather than my GPA or test scores.

I’ve had some difficulty so far—when I went to my local Chamber of Commerce to ask about scholarships, the office was closed and dark, even though it was during their business hours.

Does anyone have any recommendations or strategies for finding scholarships that consider personal circumstances more than academic performance? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Most scholarships will have a GPA requirement, but you might have better luck by searching for terms like “returning student” or “non-traditional student” along with your specific interests. There are also scholarships available for individuals who have overcome challenges like addiction or mental health struggles, especially if those factors impacted your GPA.

If you’re unable to find scholarships right away, one suggestion is to focus on financing your first semester through a payment plan or a small loan. Then, aim to get all A’s to demonstrate your commitment and show that you’ve made a significant change.

There are scholarships based solely on financial need. Given that you’re 28 and likely considered independent, you should be eligible for Pell Grants, depending on your income.