<p>My fin aid package has a mishap that may cause my federal aid/federal loans to be cut of in 2 semesters. I'm really not close to graduating at all because I decided to pursue my intial degree of bio/biotech, I switched my major last semester but my heart is not in law school (i won't be continuing with poli sci, which even if I did I would be even farther behind than I am in bio). If by chance they can't fix this problem, I need to find a way to pay for school. I have no help from my family so that's not an option. Are there loans out there for students who don't have co-signers? Any other options?</p>
<p>How many credits would you need to finish your bio degree? Some students have posted that they were successful in getting private loans without co-signers. But, you’d be far better off filing an appeal for an extension of FA, especially if you’re receiving federal/state grants, than taking on private loans…and if you’re not dropping/failing classes it would also be in their best interests to grant one! </p>
<p>Right now, send an email to the director of FA, explaining your problem in a clear, concise manner, and asking him/her to look into it and help you find a solution. Copy in your advisor and the Dean of Students. Then meet with your advisor before you do anything about changing your major and let him/her know you need to be force registered into any required classes that are already full for next semester. Find out if there are any required classes that you can take at another public school in your state (online) during the summer that will help you progress. Yes, you’ll have to pay for those, but it may be worth it…and you do not need to transfer the credits immediately.</p>
<p>It does sound as if you may have received some misinformation, or at least still be confused as to how exactly this all happened…and, from your other thread, the person you were dealing with in the FA office doesn’t sound very knowledgeable either (or at least failed to give you an explanation that made sense). If the FA director is unresponsive, please pursue this with the ombudsman and Dean of Students as kelsmom, who is a FA officer at a large university, suggested. I don’t know if you can petition for the removal of extra gen-ed credits you earned in HS, but it’s certainly worth a try!</p>
<p>Good luck and please keep us posted!</p>
<p>I was leaning towards this option at the beginning of the semester, but luckily people changed my mind.</p>
<p>Private loans should absolutely be the last resort.</p>
<p>If it really is just a “mishap” then there should definitely be a way to fix it to make it right for you.</p>
<p>Otherwise do whatever you need to do to not have to take out private loans! Especially without a co-signer! It’s not something to depend on. Start looking for a job, or multiple jobs, consider going part-time, all those options you don’t want to think about.</p>
<p>Something else people pointed out to me: is this going to have to be a method every year? The last thing you want is years of unfixed interest rates after graduation! The interest alone is powerful enough to sometimes nearly double what you originally own.</p>
<p>But don’t panic too much. My financial aid was messed up too, and it all worked out in the end. It’s a complex, messed up system so there’s always going to be mishaps.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the info Sk8er Mom, I appreciate it. I do have to deal with people who are very ill-informed and its frustrating because everyone tells me to go to some other department that is as equally rude, uninformative and not helpful as the others. The FA officers don’t know whats even going on. It’s really a shame, I worked hard to get into college with the AP/IB credits and they have done nothing but make my life harder.</p>
<p>And yes october, I am aware they are absolute last resort. I appreciate your concern but unfortunately I don’t have many other options. I’m not lucky enough to have a college fund and I already work part time.</p>