<p>I have a friend who was planning to attend an instate college this fall; she was accepted to two good state colleges, one of which has a national reputation (UC-Boulder) and our local community college, and decided on the CC for financial reasons (she knows her parents will struggle to make ends meet). I still think she should have looked harder for a great financial deal somewhere, especially since I think she wants into the medical field, but I've been offering nothing but support.</p>
<p>Even so, her parents told her <em>two days ago</em> that they've decided they can't help her AT ALL.</p>
<p>As in, they're completely withdrawing financial support.</p>
<p>She's already planned to room off-campus with a friend, and she already pays for her car and gas. Right now she has two jobs but obviously that's not realistic during the school year, especially since the CC is all the way across town from one of them (thirty or forty minutes driving). She has no idea what she's going to do.</p>
<p>I told her to call her financial aid counselor IMMEDIATELY and see what kind of late packages they could offer her, but I'm just as bewildered as she is.</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>Oh yeah, and I forgot; she's 17 and can't take out a loan by herself until September or October, when her birthday comes around. I don't know why her parents refuse to let her when they're NOT PAYING FOR ANYTHING but what can I do?</p>
<p>Make sure your friend as applied for the College Opportunity Fund (which is the stipend for Colorado residents attending Colorado schools. Qualifying students may use the stipend for eligible undergraduate classes. The stipend is paid on a per credit hour basis to the institution at which the student is enrolled. The credit-hour amount will be set annually by the General Assembly and I have no knowledge off the cuff what it currently is.
That plus the Stafford should theoretically cover the CC program although she will should work out with the financial aid office ASAP how receive both the Stafford and the COF and how they will be applied. My gut tells me it's too late in the game to try to find a "better deal" but she could certainly get going at the CC, live at home unless her parents are physically asking her to move out. She will be much more saavy about her financial position and about her grades and future posibilities as she navigates this year. She can still hold down a job 10-20 hours per week in addition to her classes and studying, many kids do (including my son) either because they have to or because they want to.</p>