<p>I have read some of the postings in this thread…so I do not know if this has been mentioned.</p>
<p>From what I have read, you are married, have 1 children already and are pregnant with your 2nd child…correct?</p>
<p>If so, then on your FAFSA, you should be listing 4 people in your household. FAFSA regulations allow for you to claim your unborn child as a member of the household. This may help to decrease your EFC and increase your Pell eligibility some.</p>
<p>A word of encouragement…from someone who married at 17, had my first child at 18 and am about to graduate with my 1st Bachelor’s degree at 34 (I started working towards my Bachelor’s at 29). I’ve been dirt poor (supported myseld, husband and two children on $10k and less per year for most of my adult life). DO NOT get discouraged! Even if you have to slow down your education a little, with the upcoming delivery of your 2nd child, you CAN achieve your dreams. Talk to the Financial Aid Office at the school you wish to attend. They may be able to help you locate outside scholarships (ones not associated with the institution) that can help with tuition and books. Financial Aid Offices have a wealth of information at their fingertips and are always ready to help someone who is working to improve their life.</p>
<p>“24 is not young, that is normal. Having kids over 30 or 40 and wondering why we have an increased rate of genetic problems is wrong not having kids when it is age appropriate… i.e 24.”</p>
<p>The difference is that people having children over 30 or 40, while they may be at risk for more “genetic problems”, are not whining about it. They know it comes with the territory, just like the fact that being young, trying to go to college, work, and raise babies on a limited income usually means something’s gotta give. It’s the ranting and the “why meeeee?” and the-world-owes-me-this that gets on people’s nerves.</p>
<p>Whining is free, raising kids with genetic problems is not… this is getting quite off topic. Infertility and having kids late , etc, i doubt is really the place for this discussion…plus hit up some infertility boards-trust me those women are whining. </p>
<p>NikkiL- I did do that a few hours ago, i changed it to 4 and the EFC went down thankfully so it should make things easier.</p>
<p>SMART grant is for full time, i just read that
I guess i have to go full time to class then.</p>
<p>It is the system you should be angry at! No, parents should not go bankrupt to pay for their children’s education. Neither a college student should work 40 h/week to pay for tuition. The government should be responsible for assuring affordable education for its future tax payers, for the people who will lead this country to prosperity. In case you dont know all universities in Europe cost not more than about $1500 a year including Oxford and regardless of family income. Yes, Europeans pay a little more taxes but do not graduate with a loan the size of a mortgage. But, no , blame your parents for their high income brackets. Take as much loans as you can, be patriotic and help this economy move.</p>
<p>rentof, you must be really proud to live the “American dream”…with all this exorbitant consumerism in US where were you raised to live so frugally? …this country would have been a paradise if everyone was like your family.</p>
<p>Maybe my remark was over the top–I do apologize. </p>
<p>There’s never a good time to have a baby, but the combination of school plus an infant plus an older child plus limited funds is probably trying to juggle one plate too many. I entirely understand that postponing your own degree means lost wages down the road. It still sounds like a bargain to take a short break from school, in order to take advantage of in-state tuition and save your sanity.</p>
<p>I wrote it wrong, i already lived in NYS for over a 1 year. I have been here since 10/07 not 08. I technically moved here on Sept 25th 2007. But i can not prove residency until this upcoming lease period, which is i think march / april for us. Then i will have had a lease for 1 year with my named added to it. </p>
<p>Off Tpc, few young adults and some adults will face infertility issues, unless someone tells you at 19 or another young age that kids are not happening for you, it is very difficult to understand how that would change priorities in another persons life. Most people go through life with plans of school then work then meeting their partner then having kids. However not everyone has a life like that, and I am very thankful that i found out early on about my issues and at least attempted to have kids asap . Most young people do not consider having kids a priority becuase they think it is a given. </p>
<p>And I agree, the American system has to change. What exactly does the average middle class taxpayer get for their taxes if we can not even get an education or health care?</p>
<p>Malishka, for our taxes we get war, roads, (frequently mediocre) public schools, and farm subsidies to mega-agribusiness. Surely you know that! ;)</p>
<p>imgdoc… hey, I’m not living the “American Dream” but I am living the life I have. Frugality isn’t a principle, it’s just practical reality… the consequence of circumstance and the accumulation of choices, of course, just like everyone else’s life!</p>
<p>Secondly, how is 24 young or early in life? </p>
<hr>
<p>Please save this question & refer back to it in 25 years.</p>
<p>SMART does not require full time next year (you must be enrolled at least half time). However, it will be prorated just as the Pell is prorated if you take less than a full time class load. Your major will count, but you also must be enrolled in at least one course that counts directly toward your major each semester. You gpa must be at least 3.0 & is checked before each payment period. </p>
<p>Putting down the old folks is not very nice, by the way. Most of us who post advice in this section are of the bad-gene-pool age. We do take offense.</p>
<p>In 25 years i will be 49 and thankful that my kids are grown and i can travel and do what i want. It would be awful to be at my kids high school graduation at 60.</p>
<p>Awful for you … not awful for the next gal. Personally, I would NOT have wanted kids earlier than I had them. But what’s good for me is not what’s good for you. It doesn’t serve anyone well to believe there is only one best way.</p>
<p>I am 49. I have no complaints about my life whatsoever. Oh, and for you Sharpie folks - go to your local beauty supply shop. They can set you up with very inexpensive dye that will let you look gorgeous at a fraction of the cost of the beauty salon. If I can do it myself, I know you can! :)</p>
<p>Wow, I was keeping out of it until that last post.</p>
<p>Malishka, your entitlement issues are something I hope you don’t pass on to your kids. Who gets to have young kids, go to school full time while a spouse is doing so and make all ends meet? Something has to give and I am concerned it will be the care of your children.</p>
<p>My DH and I would never have dreamed of going to heavy duty schools at the same time while trying to parent young children.</p>
<p>What parents here who’ve tried to do it all or have watched others try are telling you is that it’s not possible to do it all and have all turn out well.</p>
<p>And you’re pipe dreaming if you think you’ll be traveling and kicking up your heels at 49 when the kids go to school as you’ll still be working to pay the tuition, even on an actuary and lawyer’s salary unless you plan to stay in the studio apartment.</p>
<p>my parents were 50/55 when my brother and I were grown and completely financially independent from them. They have spent the last 20+ years traveling the world. They have been to every continent except Australia (Dad just doesn’t want to go there). yes, they have been to Antarctica.</p>
<p>those of us that had kid’s in our late 20’s, 30’s and 40’s are now in our (very) late 40’s, 50’s and even early 60’s. We don’t feel like we have one foot in the grave (except for when the alarm goes off at 5:30am :-)</p>
<p>Um well being 24 then your own parents should be about 50ish or maybe in thier 60s perhaps you can ask them for a small loan. I am only a high schooler so please don’t think my advice is the best, but i would think that the best thing you can do is to get an education. Sure it will be VERY hard for a few years but you will eventually have the ability to pay for your kids to go to school. </p>
<p>Also do you have the option of supplementing your education with community college courses and summer school? If it is possible to shorten the time it would take to be in school it would also shorten the amount of money that you have to spend. And although your husband has 100K student loans I would advise you to get loans of your own. A heavy debt will hinder you for many years and not allow you to have many luxuries but through a loan you could get an education that can get you a job to provide for your children. </p>
<p>Again I AM ONLY A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR, so if other older posters give you advice you should probably take it over my own. But taking on additional loans could be what you have to do to get an education, it is going to be hard but the educational payback you would get and the potential to provide for your children could be invaluable. Also depending on who the lender is they may allow you to defer payment until you finish school.</p>
<p>And 24 REALLY IS YOUNG so even if debt limits you for 20 years you would only be 44. So by the end of your life 60 or so you can really start enjoying yourself. This is not the most ideal path, but life is tough and most of it is working just to feed and provide for a family. And sometimes sacrifice is neccessary. </p>
<p>If you don’t agree then certainly disregard the advice, but I wanted to at least give some constructive advice as many older posters are just attacking you which is not what the OP needs.</p>
