A rock and a hard place. ( Help? )

Paying for College
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<p>I need some advice badly at the moment.</p>

<p>To start off, I'm a 22 year old college student. I am enrolled in Purdue University for the upcoming school year. I'm enrolled as an Agriculture student, in the Forestry department. I want to become a zoo keeper, eventually, but I would accept any position working with animals building up to that. Last year, my freshman year of college, I went completely on student loans. I lived in one of the school's cheaper dorms and maxed out my Stafford subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. My mother also took out a Parent PLUS loan to pay for the rest and close the gap. I was able to go through the entire year with that money.</p>

<p>This year, I thought I was going to do fine. I got my FAFSA in early, which was my downfall last year, and I applied for many scholarships throughout the school year, and I was hopeful that I would get some of my education paid for with at least some of those scholarships that I applied for. Turns out, I didn't get any scholarships, but I wasn't completely without money.</p>

<p>I got a University Incentive Grant for $1,260, a Supplemental University Incentive Grant for $280, a Centennial Opportunity Grant for $760 dollars, An Etta Buchman Purdue Loan for $1,700, a Federal Subsidized loan for $4,500, and a Federal Unsubsidized Loan for $2,000. I was also offered another Parent PLUS loan for $9,683, but my mother doesn't want to take another one out because of the $16,000 loan that she took out last year for my education.</p>

<p>It seems like I'm between a rock and a hard place at the moment. I've been waiting forever for my school's financial aid office to approve ALL of my financial aid, and I'm not sure they're quite done processing it yet, but it's a little under two weeks until I go back to school. I asked my mother about cosigning for a private student loan to cover the rest of the expenses, but she is saying that because of the loan she took out, she wouldn't qualify. I've also asked two other family members to no avail. My credit is nonexistent at the moment since I'm unemployed and already have debt from last year's student loans and almost a year of community college student loans prior to that.</p>

<p>I don't know what to right now, since I most likely won't be eligible to apply for a private loan on my own. I had to make some corrections on my FAFSA after tax information came out, so I think that's why they're taking so long to process it, but it's just getting to be too late to do anything. After I made the corrections on my FAFSA, it said that I appeared to be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant up to $1,300. That's a small dent out of what I need, but it's something. It looks like I didn't get awarded any of that in my financial aid.</p>

<p>If I can't get the rest of my money, I can't go back to school in the fall. My tuition is $8,600 dollars, and my room and board is roughly $14,000, plus other expenses. If there's no way for my to get the rest of my money, I was thinking I could go to community college some this year, at least to keep from having to pay off my loans. I just don't know how I would get my aid switched over to the community college, and if I'd lose any coming from a four year university. </p>

<p>If that doesn't work, and I enter my sixth month grace period before I have to start paying off my student loans, could I get them into deferment again for the 2010-2011 school year if I get the money to go back?</p>

<p>Thanks anyone who wants to give me advice. My ultimate goal is to go back to Purdue, but things don't seem to be working that way. I'd also love it to get come constructive, non judgmental advice. I know I've screwed things up badly, but I can't change what has happened...I can only try to work to make it right again.</p>

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<p>Are you an Indiana resident? Purdue should be about $19K total COA for instate and, according to their website, room and board is $8700. If you’re paying $14K for R&B you should look for a less expensive option!</p>

<p>Did you work and save any money this summer to buy books, etc? It seems strange that you’re not being offered work study either, especially if you’re Pell eligible. I would call the FA office asap and find out what, if anything, is still available for aid, what the status of your Pell grant is, and find an on campus job. You might also inquire about payment plan options and see if you and your mom can work out something on a monthly basis.</p>

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<p>The dorm that I applied for is the new one. It’s got 365 single rooms with private baths. At the time, I had no idea that I wouldn’t be able to pay for it and by the time that I figured it out, it was too late to change my mind. After March 31st, you can’t change your housing assignment unless you choose not to go to college, so I’m kind of stuck in that aspect.</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice. I’m planning on calling the financial aid office to see if I have anymore avenues to pursue for aid. I hope that I do, and I do plan to get an on campus job while I’m there. I just hope that it isn’t too late.</p>

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<p>I’m really sorry to say this but unless they cough up some big $, I think you are better off taking some time off. It looks to me like you’re talking almost $20K in loans per year-- and that’s outrageous. </p>

<p>Since you’re a bit older, do you have some work experience? I’m wondering if there are any on-campus jobs you could take (real jobs, not work-study) that offer tuition remission. I wish you would have looked into being an RA; it’s probably too late now. </p>

<p>I look into your program. Are there community colleges that offer those forestry courses? If so, you may be better off there. They wouldn’t “transfer” the financial aid. You would apply there and they would package you. You should, however, get the same amount of Pell and subsidized loans. </p>

<p>One other idea is to look into taking CLEP tests. You may be able to study on your own and it looks like Purdue will give you credit. Double-check that the credit will be useful to you because it looks to me like it’ll only cover a few electives but if it cuts down your time in school by one semester, it would be worth it.</p>

<p>[Office</a> of the Dean of Students](<a href=“http://www.purdue.edu/ODOS/testingcenter/clep.htm]Office”>http://www.purdue.edu/ODOS/testingcenter/clep.htm)</p>

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<p>I would be very surprised if they refuse your tuition money because you change your housing selection. Most large universities have a waiting list for people who want on-campus housing. I would call the FA and housing office asap. Since you did get enough FA to cover your tuition do you think you could find people to share an apartment off campus? It would probably be easier for you and your mom to come up with your share of rent, food, etc. on a monthly basis and should be much less expensive!</p>

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<p>@2collegewego: I have more of an “act no, think later” personality, meaning, I took my first loan out without thinking about the possible implications of such and have moved full steam ahead because I don’t like to think about the debt I am accumulating. As of now, I don’t have and huge money debts. I have the federal loans that I’ve been taking out for the past three years, but my mom took out the bulk of the loan that sent me to school last year.</p>

<p>I have a little work experience, not nearly enough for someone my age, however. I would gladly take an on campus job if it would help at all with my tuition, but I’m not sure if it would at all. I didn’t know about becoming an RA until it was too late. I don’t think I’d make a very good one anyway. XD</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice. I’ll look into the CLEP tests that you suggested.</p>

<p>@sk8rmom: If I can’t possibly get the money, I’ll look into having my housing assignment changed. I’m not sure if it’s possible, but I’ll see.</p>

<p>I’m also thinking of calling the financial aid office to see if there are any other avenues that I could take. I don’t know why I wasn’t awarded the Pell grant if my SAR said that I was eligible for it, and I want to know if it’s possible for me to get a perkins loan. I’m a bit desperate at the moment for financial aid, because while I WILL take community college courses if I have to, it feels like a step backwards from where I was a year ago.</p>

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<p>You sound much like my son who made decisions about what would be feasible without finding out all the facts. I would strongly advise you to talk to housing and explain that you cannot afford the housing which you signed up for. While it was a commitment, it is quite likely that they have other folks on a waiting list for just that housing and they might easily take care of your request.</p>

<p>If you don’t ask, they can’t tell you no problem:)</p>

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<p>Well, I called the division of financial aid to see if I could figure out any other forms of aid I could take out.</p>

<p>It turns out that they aren’t finished processing my corrected FAFSA. This seems like a normal thing to me. The FAFSA is filed in January…don’t you get your tax information back later, so you’d have to make corrections on it to have the most up to date information? It seems to me like they’d get used to doing this faster. Anyway, they aren’t done and I go back to school next Friday. </p>

<p>She said she’d probably call me tomorrow and let me know what’s up. I can’t help but be hopeful that I <em>might</em> get more aid, including the aforementioned Pell Grant, and maybe a perkins loan. I don’t know much about it, but from what I hear it’s need based, and so is the pell grant, so maybe I’ll get one?</p>

<p>I’ll keep you guys updated if you’d like.</p>

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<p>Yes…but you are supposed to file your taxes ASAP after Feb 1 AND make the FAFSA corrections then…ASAP after Feb 1. If you didn’t file your taxes AND amend your FAFSA in a timely fashion (sometime in February), it is very possible you have missed out on some aid.</p>

<p>The Pell is granted regardless of when you file.</p>

<p>Perkins Loans, however, are of a limited amount at each school. They typically are awarded to most needy candidates on a first come/first served basis. In other words, those who get their applications all done first are the most likely to get them. In addition, once the money is gone…it’s gone.</p>

<p>I agree that the housing office may very well be able to help you out. Yours sounds like highly desirable housing. My guess is there is a LONG waiting list to get into that dorm. The question is…do they have a spot for YOU in a less expensive dorm?</p>

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<p>I made my corrections as soon as I got the tax information back that I needed, it was late, now that I know, I’ll make sure it’s in earlier next year.</p>

<p>What I meant before was that before my FAFSA corrections, I wasn’t eligible for the need based Pell Grant. Afterwards though, it said I was based on my new income information.</p>

<p>I’ve decided that if I can’t get anymore financial aid, but I get enough to pay for a less expensive dorm, I’m going to call the housing office and see what I can do about getting a less expensive dorm. It’s lucky that I chose one of the better ones, because it seems that they might be able to. </p>

<p>If all else fails, and I can’t go back to Purdue in the fall, my adviser said that she would help me pick out classes from the community college that pertain to my major at Purdue.</p>

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<p>You may not be able to control this since your parents are probably required on your FAFSA, but I always file my taxes before I do my FAFSA to avoid just this mess. I file my taxes in January or February and file my FAFSA in February or March.</p>

<p>As a side note, just browsing through the Purdue website, it appears that you selected the most expensive possible housing that you could’ve picked (most of the other housing appears to be around $8,000). You have probably learned this, but I am here to tell you that this is NOT a good idea. A lot of college upperclassmen put a lot of emphasis on getting a better room their second through fourth years, but trust me, it’s not worth $6,000 extra per year. I lived in community bathrooms-type living all four years of college. It goes by way faster than you can imagine, you don’t mind it that much, and really, how often do you use the bathroom in your dorm anyway? Most of the time you’re out of it. I do think that having a single is important, but having your own bathroom really isn’t. It’s just part of college and you more or less move on when you graduate.</p>

<p>$14,000 for 9 months is insane. That’s more than I pay in rent + utilities + food for a 9 months, and I live in Manhattan! West Lafayette is very cheap.</p>

<p>In any case, I think the housing is where you can cut the most costs, and I propose that you be very assertive (almost aggressive) in calling the financial aid office and the housing office in the hopes to negotiate this. March 31 is an insanely early deadline for backing out of the contract – most people don’t even have finalized financial aid for the new year by this date. At my alma mater, it was in June! Tell them that your financial aid is being renegotiated because of a change in your status, that you can no longer afford the housing option you picked, and wouldn’t they rather get $17,000 as opposed to $0 from you next year.</p>

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<p>There’s no time like the present to start being realistic. In your situation, you simply can’t afford the best housing on campus. If you take more loans to do this you will undoubtedly have financial problems for years after you graduate.</p>

<p>Since you know you tend to act before thinking, you should be able to turn this around.</p>

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<p>Wolfsong some poor choices made on your part. You always need to be looking ahead! Do whatever you can to get a part-tme job to help with these expenses. If you can get out of the housing do so. Try:
-room in a private home near campus (cheapest),
-share an apt (cheaper),
-get into a less expensive dorm (cheap). </p>

<p>Once you are settled for this year start planning for Jr year. I would strongly suggest that you apply to be a RA for the '10-'11 school year. Most schools give RA’s a private room and cover meal plans. You would have some responsibilities to deal with on top of your school work but you’ll also gain valuable experience you can point out to future employers. Good luck.</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone for the advice. </p>

<p>Yeah, I really got myself with this one. I’m not really a people person, and while I had a room mate last year, it was less than desirable, because we could never get on the same place. I was upset at her for being on the phone until two in the morning and she was always mad at me because I would forget to turn the light out, or I would leave my alarm clock on too long. Which is mainly why I opted for a single room this year, to avoid room mate hassle and just have some privacy to myself. It seemed ideal because not only would I not have to contend with a room mate, but I wouldn’t have to worry about dirty bathrooms.</p>

<p>Once the financial aid office calls me tomorrow and I see whether or not I have enough funds to cover my housing, I will decide whether or not to call the housing office and see if I can get another room. I’m pretty sure it won’t be too late, because I didn’t get my housing assignment last year until the day I got to school!</p>

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<p>A pell grant is not going to cover the cost of room and board! It’s very unlikely any Perkins money would be left at this point and you already seem to have more than enough debt! Oaksmom is right - you need to be off campus in a less expensive situation and you must get a job to help cover your living expenses. The school likely maintains a list of off-campus housing as well. </p>

<p>Is there some reason why, at 22, you’re not working anyway? Borrowing to cover things you want, but don’t really need, is not a good plan!</p>

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<p>I know. I’m really trying to think positively about this. Maybe there’s some other kind of financial aid that I can get that will help. I just really think I need to stay in college. I would love to get an amazing job one day and really do what I love. I don’t think I can unless I go to college. </p>

<p>And yes, there’s a reason why I don’t have a job, but I don’t want to go into it here. It’s kind of a personal reason.</p>

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<p>Well, it’s over. </p>

<p>I didn’t get the money I needed.</p>

<p>Sorry for wasting the time of anyone who tried to help.</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.</p>

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<p>Wolfsong…I’m sorry for your financial situation for this year…but you did post the above. It’s not “all over”…you just need to regroup and go to Plan B for the time being. Once you catch your breath, go and talk to this advisor and get registered for those CC courses. Your route may be a little more round about, but you CAN attain what your goals are. Good luck and let us know what happens!!</p>

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<p>Community College is an excellent choice. Stay in school and pursue your dream. There are many other colleges that are much more affordable than where you were going. I don’t know if it was your “dream” college or not. I would not be able to help my children with that price tag either. They are doing 2 years at community college first and then transferring. Luckily, in Va where we live, they have guaranteed articulation agreements with all the public colleges. It makes it smooth and so easy and affordable to transfer. Perhaps your state does the same. Hang in there. Now more than ever you need a college education. Work as much as you can in the summer and save your money. Keep in mind these little setbacks will make you stronger and want it that much more. Hope to see you at the zoo!</p>

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<p>Not over, just a change of plans. I know you are disappointed, so take a few days to feel glum and then take the next step towards your future goals. </p>

<p>Best of luck to you.</p>