<p>My schools financial aid office is very busy so ill give them the benefit of the doubt on this one, but since they no longer have an office phone, or return emails, or are willing to talk to me for more than 5 minutes after I stand in line for an hour *sigh. I have a few simple questions for you guys.</p>
<p>So right now im in my first year of community college, the expenses are not outrageous but I am in definite need of financial aid. I need around 10k(in financial aid) for this year (rent,bills,tuition) as my dad is able to give me 6k for the year in a few semi-monthly installments. So I completed my fasfa, was eligible for the standard 5,500 stafford. Unfortunately it is not enough, I applied for a parent plus loan on behalf of my dad and it was denied. Ive been told that this could increase my stafford limit by an additional 4k? That would almost meet my total need so Im hoping that is the case.</p>
<p>If not are there any real options other than private loans (and ive already tried and been denied for every one).... My dad makes decent money, but he only recently found work again after struggling for the past couple years, so while the income is decent, the credit is bad and he needs as much of his money as he can keep because the nature of his business involves paying a lot of the costs up front to be re-imbursed later. </p>
<p>I have a weekend job valeting cars for tips (didnt qualify for work study...dont know why)
but unfortunately even if I get that initial 5500 I wont really have enough time to save up enough on min wage to pay the 2nd half of the years living expenses.</p>
<p>Are you helping your dad pay for your family living expenses, or do you have your own apartment?</p>
<p>If you have your own apartment, why? Can you move back home and save the rent?</p>
<p>If you can’t afford to live and to study, you should work full time and only study part time. $10,000 is too much to borrow just for a year at CC.</p>
<p>Could you live with your dad to save on rent? Might help your dad financially too if you did. Bills would be lower sharing with dad too for utilities, food, etc. Might help…</p>
<p>Living at home is not an option. I would if I could but im stuck up here for at least this year. And not to be snarky, but my question wasnt whether or not you though 10k was too much, its already been established that is what I need to finish out the year (already in housing, paid for classes), but it was rather whether or not you knew if being denied a parent plus loan increased the stafford loan amount.</p>
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<li>I understand there are a lot of times when you just want to tell the kid posting here that he needs to aim lower ect… but replying to a thread without answering it is completely useless…If I say that I am in need of 10k for the year, do you really think Id be ignoring my BIGGEST expense, which is rent, just so that I can live closer to my COMMUNITY COLLEGE…No unfortunately this is the situation I find myself in, hopefully Ill be able to move back near or to my home after this year (possibly aim for a close state school)</li>
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<p>edit- yes I am helping my dad pay my living expenses, my total expenses are around 1200 a month.</p>
<p>You are all just trying to help and give you the best advice possible. Find out the procedure from your school to get the additional $4k. You usually have to show the denial letter.</p>
<p>And I appreciate the replies, but im not a moron…I wouldnt take on 10k in loans if I could save 65-70% just by driving a little farther to get to school…Im not entirely thrilled with it either, but its the situation I find myself in currently.</p>
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<li>Thanks for the answer, ill figure out where that is</li>
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<p>Ask the fin aid office to increase your COA because you have to pay rent for your place near campus. They might have you still in the living-at-home group for COA.</p>
<p>Also, if you can get out of your lease, it might make sense to try to transfer for the second semester. Run the numbers on that and see if it would be better for you.</p>
<p>You and your parents are permitted to borrow up to what is your school’s official Cost of Attendance or COA. THose schools that are primarily commuter, may have that COA number with only tuition, fees, books, one meal a day, average commuting distance, school supplies included in there since few if any students may be on their own if they are down as dependent. So you need to talk to your financial aid officer and let him know that your father was turned down by PLUS so that you are now eligible to borrow another $4K, and for the financial aid office to process the additional loan amount to cover your living expenses since you do not live with your parents, but on your own. You are not considered a commuter in the sense that your parents are covering your living expenses.</p>