<p>I am 22 years old and recently moved to Illinois from Iowa, where I lived all my life. I have my own apartment, where I live with my boyfriend, and I work as a sales agent for Filterqueen (he is unemployed, and I support all of his expenses). Unfortunately, sales is not where I excel, and I'm regretting the decision I made to withdraw from university when I was 19. I would like to return to college, and start pursuing my biology degree again. I'm miserable working the jobs I have had (call centers, data entry, generally low-level office positions that at or barely above minimum wage). Paying the bills is tough.</p>
<p>To my dismay, my parents are refusing to help me with this (considering how badly I screwed up the first time). It was really distressing to me to learn that I still have to depend on their income despite being self-sufficient for a year now. My mother recently declared bankruptcy and can't help, though my stepfather's income is too high. My father's income is very high as well, but it's a no from them - no aid. </p>
<p>I'm not really certain what to do. I don't want to attend a four year, just the community college down the street, but as of right now, I don't even qualify for enough to cover that. I certainly can't afford the classes or save up, my bills are too high (and I'm not exactly living the high life over here, it's a miracle when I can pay the electric). I know that if my boyfriend I got married, we would qualify, but I don't want to take that step in the name of financial aid. I don't know that he qualifies as a dependent, either, as he didn't qualify as such on my taxes. I'd be happy even getting enough aid to cover taking the CNA courses at the college. Do I just have to wait until I'm 24?</p>
<p>You will be able to get financial aid when you are independent, at 24. Tell the boyfriend to pay half the bills and rent and food or move out. Get a roommate instead, or move into a cheap rent situation, then you should have some funds for CC at least.</p>
<p>Yup, dump the boyfriend and you will have money for college. This is actually a no-brainer – he is taking advantage of you, and isn’t going to help you move forward to a more secure life.</p>
<p>The thing is, even if I dumped my boyfriend, and even if I got a roomate to help with costs, that would only slighten lessen the troubles I’m having trying to pay for college. I still wouldn’t qualify for financial aid until I was 24. I’d be saving money for a very long time to cover the costs.</p>
<p>If you can file the FAFSA, you can take out a student loan. At many community colleges, that will cover full-time tuition and fees for a year. You would still need a job to pay your living expenses, but if you get rid of the boyfriend and find a rent-paying housemate, that would slash your housing and utilities expenses.</p>
<p>The other issue to resolve, is whether or not you are eligible for in-state tuition and fees at the community college in Illinois, or if you need to study in Iowa. Pay a visit to the admissions office, and find out.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>ask your parents if you can at least live at one of their homes while commuting to college. that would mean dumping the free loading boyfriend and moving back to your home state.</p>
<p>The absolute worst thing you can do for yourself to improve your situation at this time would be to marry your boyfriend. DO NOT DO THIS. Get a roommate, save for 2 years and then you will be 24 and can apply as an independent.</p>
<p>How can your parents believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself? If you believed in yourself, you’d know you could do better than a loser sponge for a boyfriend. As I see it you have two options, get a roommate who will actually pay half the bills or ask your parents if you can move home. </p>
<p>^^I apologize for my previous post. Sometimes a poster awakens my mother bear instinct and that’s what you’ve done. I said to you exactly what I’d say to my daughter. I don’t know your situation. I don’t know if your boyfriend is a loser. I’m sorry I said that without knowing the details. If he’s disabled, then he should be on disability. Or maybe he’s contributing to your household in other ways that I can’t imagine, but from across cyberspace it sure sounds like he’s taking advantage of you. If that’s the case, you deserve better. Please get some perspective on your situation. See if you can (at least temporarily) remove yourself from the situation and make an honest assessment of it.</p>
<p>I agree with the advice you have been given so far. Have you checked to see what the cost per unit is at the local community colleges? This would give you an idea of where to start with your budget. With a paying roommate sharing your living expenses, I would guess you would have funds to set aside for your education. Are you the type of student who might succeed with an online education? There are more and more regionally-accredited universities offering online courses, but if you are the type who knows you need to be in a seat with the professor in front of you and surrounded by fellow students, this would not be a good option.</p>
<p>You find out what it takes to take ONE course at your local CC or other state school. You tell you boyfriend, you can’t afford current place, or any place without a paying roommate and find a room share. Use what you save in expenses to pay for your college, course by course, bit by bit. When you are 24, you will then qualify for fin aid and can maybe even have half your freshman year done by then or the whole thing if you just take a course or two for the next two years. That’, by the way , is the way most people do college. Work full time or part time and take their courses one or two at a time. </p>
<p>The other solution might be if you went back to live with either parent. Would they permit you to come back home if you decide to go to college there? You would qualify for up to $5500 in loans for freshman status full time and if you find a part time job, and live with parents, you could swing full time school. But you have to separate from the boyfriend. Happens all of the time; we did so for DH to go get his MB–separated for two years, got married. </p>
<p>The cleanest way to get out from the burden of the unemployed boyfriend is to convince a parent to let you live with them while commuting to the local college near their home. you could offer to pay that parent a couple hundred a month towards utilities…and promise to do some chores…and be away as much as possible (school, job, studying in the school library) to minimize impact to them.</p>
<p>another reason to move home is because you dont have residency in your current state for instate rates.</p>