Help

Paying for College
1

So, I just finished up my first year at a private college in NY. Obviously, private colleges are expensive, so I’m there on scholarships. I’m a music education major, and my first semester, I was a bit overwhelmed, but I pushed through all my music classes with good grades. Now, the non major classes are where my problem starts. I was placed into an Italian 2 class, not having taken Italian since 9th grade. I thought I could do it, so I pushed through, and finished the semester with a D. I kind of freaked out, and my GPA suffered. I was literally .02 points away from what it needed to be.

I called financial aid, and they assured me that as a Freshmen, I can’t lose my scholarships. I took a deep breath and told myself everything would work out next semester. And it did-- my grades were good and everything. I was going to be just fine.

Finals week hits, and guess who gets the stomach flu.

I had to cancel one of my finals, but the other 3 I rescheduled once I stopped vomiting. Needless to say, I was exhausted, weak, and dehydrated, and I bombed them. My grades in those classes dropped significantly. I have two C’s at the moment, and an Incomplete for another, because I have to Skype my MIA ear training professor and do the oral part of the final that way. My GPA is a lost cause, at this point. I can kiss my scholarships goodbye.

So, after backstory, my question is this: I KNOW I can bring my GPA up next semester (as long as I don’t get deathly ill during finals week again) but with no scholarship money, that’s a lot of student debt waiting for him. I’ve thought about withdrawing, or even transferring, but what college is going to take grades like that? I love my school and the music department, but at this point, is it worth it?

Basically, what would you do?

2

Are you the student or the parent?

3

I’m the student-- sorry, misspell

4

You can only borrow $6500 sophomore year. That’s not alot of debt. Can your parents pay the difference?

5

At the moment, we have a Parent Plus loan that my dad cosigns on. He’s been paying it off while I’m in school. If I lose this scholarship, we’ll have to take out an even bigger loan, and I don’t want to do that to them. It just doesn’t seem right. It’ll be around 50k for the year in total.

6

You need to get a meeting with a Dean ASAP. None of us can advise you as to how “holistic” your college’s policy is on whether you are actually on academic probation, losing your scholarship asap or if there is a one semester grace period, etc.

Get moving.

7

Does the school put you on probation for a semester and lets you earn back your scholarship? You need to ask them.

8

You are already in debt to the tune of 50K after your freshman year?

9

^ Boy, I sure hope not.

10

I received a grace period my first semester, as does every incoming freshman at my college. Second semester I was supposed to bring it up, but then I got sick.

11

I’ve sent about 5 emails and no one has gotten back to me definitely. The Incomplete on my transcript won’t even be changed for weeks. The 50k is what I’ll be paying with no scholarship-- for freshmen year I paid about 20k

12

You need to pick up the phone and make a call.

The response to sending “about” five emails and getting no response is not to send out another email- you need to call the Dean of Students and/or your freshman advisor, and/or the department head of the music department and/or every single professor who gave you an incomplete.

Don’t wait. Every single person I mentioned has a voice mail box.