I might have to transfer schools and I am in need of some advice.

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi,
I just found out that I might have to move suddenly in a couple of months. I currently live in Florida and I might have to move to Rhode Island in May.
I am currently attending the University of Central Florida but I would have to transfer to a new school in Rhode Island. I don't have a lot of time to plan this and I also don't have any money.</p>

<p>I am only 20 years old and I can barely afford the school I attend right now.
If I move I would have to pay out of state tuition in Rhode Island which is about $25,000 a year. Currently I am paying $5,000 a year and so that is a major change for me.
I depend on financial aid to pay for my tuition/housing/books.
I am classified as a dependent student but my parents only help me by paying for my car and my cell phone bill.</p>

<p>I have to move, there is no way I can stay in Florida, so I need to figure something out.
I am thinking of going to Rhode Island Community College for a year because I still have a year left before I can get my AA Degree so I could do that there for $10,000 a year.
Then I would have to go to Rhode Island University for 2 years before I can get my degree in either Anthropology or Environmental Studies.</p>

<p>I only qualify for about $10,000 in financial aid right now. So if I have to move I would have to take out a loan of somewhere between $25,000-$30,000 dollars per year in order to attend the school.</p>

<p>The problem is that I am only 20 years old and I haven't built up any credit. I would probably need a co-signer, I think? My parents have low credit because they recently went bankrupt so they probably won't be able to co-sign for me.</p>

<p>I am asking anyone who has some information or some experience in this are to help me. I feel really lost and I need to figure this out soon because I would have to move in a couple months.
Can I take out such a large loan without a co-signer? Or if my parents have such a low credit score, is there anything they can do in order to help me take out this loan?</p>

<p>Should I consider filing to become an independent student instead of staying dependent? Would that give me more financial aid, enough to cover what I need? And how could I go about doing that? How do you become independent? I don't know if that's possible unless you're over 24, am I right? I would be interested in this if it could help me pay off these expenses?</p>

<p>It's either this, or I was thinking of doing an online program at the school I currently attend.</p>

<p>I am currently studying Anthropology but I was thinking of changing my major to Environmental Studies.</p>

<p>However, I just found out that my school offers online programs that I would be able to do out of state. But then I don't have to apply to a new school and I will probably have the same tuition I have now. It would just be online.
I would only be able to take a Political Science major or an Interdisciplinary Studies major because they are the only things I would be interested in taking.
I would much rather study Environmental Studies but what if I can't take out a loan? I wouldn't be able to afford the tuition. </p>

<p>Should I study something that I don't really want to study but be where I want to be? Or should I study what I want but be unhappy in Florida? Because if I stay in Florida I will be unhappy.
Since I don't have much time to plan Are online programs worth it? Or are they a waste of time?
If I stick to going to a school in Rhode Island then I have to probably take a semester off because I don't see how I will figure all this out in time. Is taking time off from college a bad idea? </p>

<p>I am very stressed out about all this because I have to figure it out so quickly. If there is anything you can help me with and if there is any advice you can give me then please do.
I would appreciate it so much.</p>

<p>I am just worried about being able to pay for it and not getting enough loans due to my parents poor credit.</p>

<p>I know this was very long but I just had so much to say, if you read everything I appreciate it so much!</p>

<p>Thank you for your help.</p>

2

<p>Your choices seem to be:</p>

<p>1) Finish college in Florida because it is (barely) affordable.</p>

<p>2) Finish at your current university in an online program because you would still be in-state for tuition and fees, and it seems to be (barely) affordable. Nothing wrong with on-line programs, but you need a lot of self-discipline to stay on top of the work because you are on your own so much.</p>

<p>2) Move to another state, work for a year or two so that you can establish in-state residence for tuition and fees, and then go back to college in that new state. BUT be sure to read the information about qualifying for in-state status there because some states won’t consider you in-state if your parents live in another state. You are absolutely correct that you won’t be considered an independent student for financial aid purposes until you qualify by the rules used by the FAFSA.</p>

<p>There is nothing whatsoever wrong with taking time off to figure out how to make your life work, and to find the right place to study. Don’t worry about that at all. If you must move out of Florida, take a leave of absence from your current university in case you decide to go back there in a year or two.</p>

<p>Do not borrow more than what is permitted under the Stafford Loan limits if at all possible! If that means you have to study in a Florida program, so be it. Don’t put your parents into debt that they can’t afford (and it sure sounds like they can’t) for your education. For good ideas on getting your education in an affordable way, pop on over to the Financial Aid Forum and discuss your situation with the experts there.</p>

<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>