<p>OP, you can save at LEAST 1/2 of the $$ on college textbooks by buying used ones online. Colleges are now REQUIRED to list the ISBN’s of required text books when students register for classes. that will give you weeks to find them cheap through used book retailers, like half.com or Amazon. We saved thousands of $$ over 4 years and son had every textbook he ever needed.</p>
<p>This may seem like nickel and dime-ing, but in your case I think every nickel and dime counts: there must be an overnight lodging alternative that is a lot less than $100. A Y? A hostel? Perhaps book an overnight flight so you can sleep on the plane? Couch surfing? Without knowing where you’ll be it’s hard to be helpful, but I can’t believe there aren’t better options.</p>
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<p>I’d forgotten about couch surfing. I might also split a room with another student. I’ll check on the overnight flight, but I think that we determined that I wouldn’t arrive in time to catch the bus that I need to. So, I would need to fly in the day before, spend the night somewhere, and take the bus the next day.</p>
<p>There’s also the option of just loading up on coffee and wandering around all night. I love coffee…and sleep deprivation is alright too.</p>
<p>Yes, it is legal to sleep in the airport (lots of folks do it waiting for flights), and I can’t even remember the number of times I did that when I was young. (I once slept outside the Athens airport, on a nice piece of grass, but they turned on the sprinkler at 6 a.m., and…</p>
<p>(At the Frankfurt Airport, they have FREE chaise lounges), in the Brussels Airport, they have the equivalent of a sleeping zone with nice soft couches… Most of the U.S., however, is not so civilized…)</p>
<p>Will you be starting school right after high school graduation? Is that why you can’t work a summer job?</p>
<p>Can one of your parents take a second job part time to earn more money?</p>
<p>I can’t believe I’m saying this but…if your local bank can’t help (and that needs to be a walk-in, personal meeting with as much documentation about the opportunity you can bring with y’all) I’d go to the biggies. Chase, etc. I hate them, but they probably have more “products”.</p>
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<p>I actually graduated high school last year. Right now I’m on a gap year with an AmeriCorps program. In response to the general question though: yes, I will be starting school right after I graduate from AmeriCorps.</p>
<p>I can ask about the second job idea, but I doubt that will culminate in anything. The timeline is just a little too tight. If I need money for deposits, initial textbooks, and a flight by June…I’m just not seeing the potential for either of my parents to secure a flexible part-time job in record time and then clock enough hours to manufacture a solid grand or so. Plus, I would feel terrible putting my parents through that.</p>
<p>They’ve said rather consistently that they’ll make it work, do what it takes, etcetera; I’d just feel terrible if that were to actually happen. They’ve got my brother to take care of, and I cannot imagine asking them to swing a night shift to make this work. I don’t think I would let them do that if they offered.</p>
<p>I’ve effectively paid for most of my school, I’ll pay for the rest somehow.</p>
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<p>Thank you all for your help so far. Most likely this^ is the answer. It’s not pretty, but it’s functional, and that’s exactly what I need right now.</p>
<p>If anyone else has any suggestions, feel free to give them. However, you guys have given me a lot of ideas, so I’ll ruminate on those for a while.</p>
<p>What about contacting either local alum (of intended college) or alum close to the college?</p>
<p>Son just did this with all his med school interviews. He contacted alum of his undergrad in each respective med school or city he was to interview in.</p>
<p>And it was a bunch of interviews around the country. They put him up for the night, fed him, and either told him the cheapest way to get from the airport to school or actually picked him up from airport and brought him to the school.</p>
<p>One school, after he was there, asked about his accomadations and when they discovered what lengths he went to save money, they reimbursed him for the full cost of the airline ticket. </p>
<p>But he had to ask. Either try to locate alums on your own via google or better yet see if the school can provide you with access to their alum emails/locations and possible donors.</p>
<p>Leave no stone unturned. It would only take a few successful alum of your intended school to help you out. They might be able to provide you with other avenues besides the ones I just laid out for you.</p>
<p>Where to obtain the books/supplies you need at a lower cost, previous students who just graduated and no longer need their books. How to get in touch with them?</p>
<p>Coordinating travel with other students going your direction or close to it. </p>
<p>And again explain to your new school what efforts you are willing to go to attend. </p>
<p>And ask, ask ask.</p>
<p>Kat
single mom of 5 very enterprising kiddos</p>
<p>And yes mine have all slept in airports AND when their flights are overbooked have volunteered to be bumped in order to be compensated for vouchers to fly again for free anywhere in the US, they did this numerous times enough to cover airfare back and forth several times</p>
<p>For the sake of other families, can you add more details about Americorp? My recollection is that they provide $5K at then end of the year toward college…</p>
<p>Definitely try to get in touch with other incoming freshmen. Perhaps you could get a ride, or lodging, with one of your classmates. Many parents drive their kids to college-- perhaps you could get a flight to a big-city airport (could be cheaper) then drive with a classmate’s family, who might also be willing to share lodging with you.</p>
<p>You can definitely sleep in an airport. Impecunious travelers have been sleeping in airports since there were airports. Or, as others suggest, couch surf.</p>
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<p>Yes, I can. At the end of your year of AmeriCorps service you can receive the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. You only receive this award if you meet the requisite 1,700 hours of service by the end of your service year (if you only do a half year you have to meet half of those hours and get an award that is half the size of the typical one). Tangentially, if you work specifically for AmeriCorps VISTA you can receive a $1,500 cash award at the end of your year of service, but you have to specify which you want at the beginning of the year.</p>
<p>The award is worth $5,550 as of 2011. I believe that it will hold at that amount for a while due to the recent cuts in funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service.</p>
<p>This award can be applied to all “qualified loans and institutions”. A qualified institution is any school granted Title IV status by the Department of Education. A qualified loan is one that is backed by the federal government (specifically via Titles IV, VII, and VIII); I’m fairly certain that if you have to fill out the FAFSA to get the loan, then it can be repaid with the grant (Don’t quote me on that).</p>
<p>The issue that I have with Title IV status will not be a problem for 99.99% of grant recipients. The nature of my school simply means that it would not be a worthwhile use of their time or resources to complete the rather lengthy process schools have to go through.</p>
<p>A simple rule is probably: Have you heard of the school? Yes? Then it is a Title IV institution. I would double check, but if your school receives Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, and the like then it should be eligible.</p>
<p>A few things to keep in mind about the Segal Grant: It may take a few months to become available, and then a while longer to process. You will also have to pay taxes on the grant in the year(s) that it is used. It expires after seven years (but I believe that you can apply for an extension). It can be transferred to another person if you like.</p>
<p>Also, very important in the college search, there are some institutions that will match your Segal Grant, effectively doubling it. Those can be found here: [AmeriCorps.gov</a> > Institutions that Match the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award](<a href=“http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/benefits/ed_award_match.asp]AmeriCorps.gov”>http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/benefits/ed_award_match.asp)</p>
<p>That’s about all that I can think of right now. Most of this information is pretty easily searched for, and if you have really complex questions they do have a rather helpful helpline (never redundant when discussing helplines…) that you can contact.</p>
<p>If you have any questions about my service in general I can answer them.</p>
<p>*I actually graduated high school last year. Right now I’m on a gap year with an AmeriCorps program. In response to the general question though: yes, I will be starting school right after I graduate from AmeriCorps.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>This may not be likely, but is it possible for you to ask the school to delay your matriculating by a year (or even a semester) to give you a chance to earn the money?</p>
<p>LTB, you should call the school and discuss this with them. You are probably not the first student they have seen with this issue. They are likely to have suggestions.</p>
<p>Also… have you exhausted all local scholarship options (Rotary, Lions, things like that)? A lot of those scholarships are small (a few hundred dollars), but every bit would help you now.</p>
<p>Are you limited from working evenings and weekends while you are in Americorp? Could you advertise in the neighborhood you live in that you would babysit, help with lawn care, pet sit, etc. between now and when you leave for school? Again, even a few hundred bucks will help.</p>
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<p>There is no option to defer admission. Even if there was, I’d doubt that I’d jump at it. Honestly I’m chomping at the bit to do some real academic work after my yearlong hiatus from from book reports and their ilk. I figure that I’m lucky that I’m sweating bullets over taking a few thousand out in loans when others are burdened by far greater financial obligations.</p>
<p>The big question is why you haven’t contacted the school yourself.</p>
<p>I understand wanting to remain anonymous, but you keep pressing for more specific information about loans, yet have not yet stated why you will not or cannot contact your school. They’re the ones with the more detailed information that you will not share here. They’re the ones who will have suggestions that will probably apply the most to your specific situation.</p>
<p>But you’ll never find out if you don’t approach the financial aid office.</p>
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<p>I am not limited from working evenings and weekends, at least not entirely. It’s a matter of finding a job that would fit in my schedule. I have to wake up for work by 6am and I’m usually back somewhere in the range of 7pm or 8pm, but this can vary wildly in terms of necessary after hours work.</p>
<p>My father would say that I’m arguing for my limitations. I would say that I’m being realistic and then sulk before begrudgingly trying anyway. </p>
<p>So, I’ll look for another job on the off chance that I’ll find one and not kill myself working more than 80 to 90 hours week.</p>
<p>I’m also not entirely sure how to find a job in NYC (I’ve bummed around craigslist before with little success), especially in the sort of timeline we’re talking about. Again I’m going to be in the city for another two months and then I’m gone. Nonetheless, I’m sure there are oddjobs all over the place that I have yet to find, so that is definitely something that I will look into.</p>
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<p>I have contacted them.</p>
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<p>They suggested looking for local grants and scholarships like a few other posters. So, I’ve been looking for those over the past few days.</p>
<p>They also provided a second option that I would only take as a last resort.</p>
<p>Does your school have a work-study program? How about finding a job near campus? </p>
<p>Since this is in NYC, you could bus tables for a while. The money isn’t great but it’s something.</p>
<p>There are also small scholarships through fastweb. A few hundred dollars here and there should be enough to get you going.</p>
<p>For books look at dealoz.com. The site compares all other sites that sell books and tells you which one is cheapest. After you use your books, sell them. Also check if any libraries have your books and your professor might lend you one.</p>
<p>If you are flying within the U.S…I have to wonder why each way of your plane trip as expensive as you quoted on your other thread. Is there any other way for you to get to this school?</p>
<p>If you are paying your own rent/support right now, is there any way for you to cut your expenses (move in with friends or family) so that you can use the money you have earned to pay for your college expenses?</p>
<p>Ahhhh I know what school you’re talking about OP, I have a friend who went there. I wish you so much luck.</p>
<p>I don’t have any real advice to offer, but to all those heckling the OP: the situation really is as impossible as it sounds. From what I understand, holding a job during the year would be quite difficult.
That said, I don’t imagine that anyone there would begrudge you for making this post, so I don’t totally understand why anonymity is so important to you. Have you explained your situation to them completely? If they don’t have your fafsa, they don’t necessarily know your complete financial situation.</p>