<p>Okay, VSU is pretty darned affordable - I’ll give you that. Tuition, room, board, & fees for 2012-13 was just over $13k for non-residents. Between your Pell grant and federal loans of $5500, you can almost afford that. Add in work study or a part-time job, and perhaps a summer job, and you should do just fine. (Keep in mind, though, that you’ll have additional expenses for books, incidentals, travel back & forth to college, and possibly health insurance.)</p>
<p>So, the only question you need to ask is whether there’s a cheaper option within commuting distance of your home in Columbus. If there is, you should seriously consider it. If you can eliminate the cost of living in a dorm, that would eliminate the need for federal loans . . . and you want to get rid of those loans if you possibly can!</p>
<p>So, what’s nearby? Could you start at a community college and then transfer to Virginia State in two years? That would save you two years of federal loans . . . and that’s an important savings!</p>
<p>Okay, found it:</p>
<p>[Columbus</a> State Community College](<a href=“Page Not Found | Columbus State Community College”>http://www.cscc.edu/)</p>