<p>I'm going to a community college this year, and there is NO way my parents can afford to pay for my classes + books. More than 3/4ths of our money goes to rent and living expenses (such as home (water, power, you name it) bills, insurance, etc). The other 1/4th left pretty much goes to my parent's credit cards (they were thisclose to filing bankruptcy but they're trying to work their way out). If it is of any help, I live in california.
I'm really really freaking out right now. Does this mean I should scope out a job and work full time and be a student full time? :/..there is no way at all my parents can give 3000 bucks..much less 300 :[.</p>
<p>Community college in Cali is pretty inexpensive, you ought to be able to earn enough over the summer to pay your tuition and even books. A part time job ought to keep you in gas and car insurance. If you can live at home you can do it.</p>
<p>I have no clue about aid given at CCs if you are needing aid to live away from home, but if you have a CC nearby, I would highly siggest you stay home, earn all the money you can vis 1-2 jobs over the summer and part time work year round. Don’t take on student loans for the romantic dream of living away in your first year of school; instead do a seriously amazing job in CC and transfer to a great UC and wait until the UC experience to take on loans and more aid. If your EFC is $3000 at a UC, you can earn that over the summer, even at a minimum wage job.</p>
<p>What about Cal Grant? Do you qualify? see income below:</p>
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<p>You can also work part-time and go to school part-time. It may take you a little longer to finish but it’s not a big deal.</p>
<p>Columbia, good thinking on the CAl Grant, I think the Pell grant would also apply, but if the EFC is $3000, I am not sure what the COA is for a community college? Also, the Cal grant functions differently with community colleges, you would want to check that out thoroughly and not waste any terms of eligibility on CC years at a lower rate, when it could take you 5 years total, if you are not careful on the transfer stuff</p>
<p>what you do is work a part-time job. Making $7.50/hour and working 20 hours a week will give you more than enough to cover 3000k and you will also have some left over.</p>
<p>Or work summer job. My daughter made a little bit more than $3000 in the summer. She gets paid a little more than $8/per hour.</p>
<p>Shaky…I don’t understand your post. Are you saying that your parents have $30,000 after taxes to pay all of their bills? Everyone has bills. I agree that $3000 is an amount that most students can earn during the summer. Getting a part time job NOW will give you some additional money. Some students actually work two jobs in the summer to make ends meet in the fall. At many universities, this is the amount expected to be contributed by the student anyway. What kind of costs are you looking at? Agreed with others that the cost of a community college in CA is nominal if you live at home.</p>