<p>Greetings. I applied for two colleges (and that ate up a lot of cash as it was), and neither of them gave me anything back. My EFC turned out to be 8800, and my mother makes 50k a year. </p>
<p>Knowing that we don't have a dime to spare, I applied for every scholarship I could. I have a 3.7 GPA, a 24 ACT, and an average amount of EC activities. Still no good. The Public University I want to attend is about 12k a year, but that's quite a hefty loan to take out every year.</p>
<p>Is it too late for financial aid? Is there anything left to do? I should add that my mother isn't contributing to the cost at all, loans or otherwise. It's all me. Seems like all that work in HS was for nothing at all.</p>
<p>All that work is NOT for nothing - only if you let it be nothing.</p>
<p>Some options...
There are some scholarships still floating around...try Fastweb, check your school's scholarship board or counselors for suggestions.</p>
<p>Is there a more inexpensive school you can look into? Something close to home so you don't have to pay room and board? A community college for a year or two?</p>
<p>Take a semester or a year off and work full time somewhere - you could make up a good chunk of that $12,000 working from now till Fall 08. </p>
<p>You can give up or you can continue to work hard - is there a teacher you are close to at school? See if they have any suggestions locally for you.</p>
<p>I can't stay at home, and besides the cheaper tuition, I wouldn't really be in a better position going to a community college. An apartment probably costs a lot more than a dorm room, and I don't have a car to go back and forth in anyway.</p>
<p>I tried to my school's counselor, but all she says is "Take out a loan." She wouldn't help with scholarship info or anything at all.</p>
<p>See if there is anyone available to guide you. Why can't you continue living at home? If that is not an option, you may be out of luck as far as the four- year -full- time -student thing goes. I'd look for some adult guidance (parent, aunt, uncle, neighbor, teacher, ect....) If you come up empty, consider looking at some technical school degrees/certificates - some require very little time and you'll end up with a decent paying job after graduation from the program. Some are designed for people who are already working (so the schedule will be more accomodating). After you are making a living, then you can consider night school or something like that to get a bachelors. </p>
<p>Some good fields for making money and job security: nursing, radiology technology (not as good as nursing), respiratory therapist, EMT - plumbing an electrician also good. There are many options. If you choose nursing and make it through the program, salaries are good and there are many opportunities for advancement including hospitals that will pay for you to continue your education (and to get that bachelors)! Plus there are extra scholarships/loans available to nursing majors (there is a shortage).</p>
<p>Good luck. I know that it is frustrating. Too bad that so many other kids really have no idea how good they have it to have so many choices just put out there before them.</p>
<p>Apply for FAFSA and try to get work-study. With 8800 EFC and 12,000 cost of attendance, you can earn 2000 from work-study and 2000 from summer job, giving you 12,800. If you need more money, the subsidized stafford loans should add another 2500 per year. I wouldn't count on getting grants or scholarship money, although do try to get those.</p>
<p>Have a look into part time jobs where they might help you with tuition. I read that UPS does this and I am sure some other companies do. Ask the school about work study to help cover the portion not in the EFC. Work through the summer. Ask the school about the possibility of RA positions in subsequent years. You will probably still have some loans but perhaps you can reduce them. Good luck. Tough spot to be in.</p>
<p>I know this must be frustrating, but here's something you can do: look at all of the community colleges around you, and find one that has apts and houses within walking distance. GO to this college and look at the bulletin boards for people who want a roommate or people who will let you live for free in exchange for some weekly babysitting or some such.<br>
While you are there, go to the financial aid at this school and get some advice re tuition and how you can pay it.
You can get a part-time job near this college (remember, you can go to any one in your state, so find one that is located near houses, apts., a bus line, and businesses) or maybe AT the college, such as in the library or the computer center. Do you have any relatives you can live with who live near a school?
You can take out a small loan, if need be. This will get you through the first year. (At some point, your mother will not be able to claim you as a dependent on her taxes because you will be independent. Not sure of the timing here.)
But you can get a great start at a community college, and then if you have to, take some loans out for the last two years at a four year school if you do not qualify for aid.</p>
<p>But my point is -- there IS a situation out there that will work for you.</p>
<p>If I were to take out the loans for the first year, what are the chances that I could get enough aid to cover the rest of my education? Since the US Government is unlikely to care much about my finances, I'm not counting on much aid from them.</p>
<p>I've searched my state for Community Colleges and none seem to have housing for students, or any apartments I could afford for that matter. I live in Alabama by the way. Since Graduation is tomorrow, I could probably manage one more college application. Is too late to apply for another school?</p>
<p>"All that work is NOT for nothing - only if you let it be nothing."</p>
<p>Very true.
Why can't you live at home and commute to a community college for 2 years and then transfer to an in-state public? Depending on what state you live in, the public universities may even have nice merit aid for in-state community college transfer students.</p>
<p>Even if your mom charges you rent, you'd come out ahead living at home compared to living in an apartment or dorm.</p>
<p>Another option would be to apply for Americorps (Google to get info). You get paid $200 a week and at the end of your one-year commitment, you get $4,700. You can do up to 2 years of Americorps, getting up to $9,400 that you can use for college (plus the $200 a week stipend that you get to pay for living expenses while you're in Americorps).</p>
<p>Many colleges look very favorably on Americorps grads and give them priority for community service-based scholarships.</p>
<p>The reason I can't stay at home has a lot to do with relationship between my mother and I. I won't go into detail because it wouldn't change anything and would be beside the point. I still don't have a car, and the public transportation system in my area is horrible and at risk of being done away with. </p>
<p>If I saved up enough for a car this year (which is unlikely), I would still have to consider the maintenance costs, gas, and insurance. None of that is going to be cheap either. I've pretty much come to terms with the fact that wherever I go needs to have most of what I need in walking distance. </p>
<p>I thought of Americorps, and while they do pay, a maximum $9,400 for two years isn't even one year of college. The community service aspect doesn't appeal to me enough to do it for two years of my life.</p>
<p>Unless you have some reason for not going out of state, I suggest looking into College of the Ozarks. Tuition there is $0 yes not a misprint ZERO Kids work 15hr/wk plus 2 40 hr wks when school isn't in session. You can also work 12 wks in the summer to pay for room and board. 90% of students accepted are need based. 100% work for tuition. It is a christian school and you are required to attend a certain number of church services(6 a yr or something?). Small price to pay for a 4 yr education. Since you and your mom aren't getting along, it may not bother you to be away from home year round. I'm not sure about books, that may be included too (friend at work went there, and her daughter's been accepted, starts in Aug07) So basically your only expense is getting there. You can take a bus. They don't have every major, but what they have is pretty broad, and all of it transfers into real world jobs. They even have aviation. It seems to be a pretty well kept secret, but it's a good school where you not only learn, you learn values and work ethic. It's near Branson Missouri, so it is a trip for you, but do you want to go to college?
Website is cofo.edu Check it out and good luck. Let us know what you find and decide. btw, I joined this forum specifically to reply to you, though I'm interested in lots on here. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>" thought of Americorps, and while they do pay, a maximum $9,400 for two years isn't even one year of college. The community service aspect doesn't appeal to me enough to do it for two years of my life."</p>
<p>There are colleges that will match what Americorps gives. You can find a list on the Americorps site. There also are colleges that will give major merit aid to students who have done Americorps.</p>
<p>$9,400 is enough to pay for 2 years of community colleges in most places. You'd still have to pay for room and board, but you could take out a loan to cover that. Many 4-year publics have nice merit aid for in-state transfers from community college.</p>
<p>Many students who are short of funds share apartments or even rent rooms for themselves. They also may be able to trade babysitting or other domestic duties for room and board. Some parents are happy to provide room and board for a responsible college student who's willing to take care of their kids after school and on some weekend evenings. </p>
<p>Many community colleges still are taking applications.</p>
<p>If you are motivated to go to college, you can, if not this year, then next year. You have many options.</p>
<p>Well, I'm definitely motivated. As tough of a situation as this is, I think I'll probably go ahead and try to take out a loan for this year. I've already started working on my financial aid plans for my sophmore year, which may mean transferring schools if need be. </p>
<p>I looked into College of the Ozarks, but the site suggests that I would be in the 10% of students that don't have financial need, so it would probably be competitive, but I'll still look into it, especially if they'll take me as a transfer student. I'm not too worried about the distance, especially since I'm also looking into some programs that sponsor American Students who are willing to live and study in Japan (which is quite far off...very far off.)</p>
<p>I may be poor, but I'd never live with someone in exchange for doing chores or babysitting. It'd make me feel like some kind of servant around the house, and there's always the chance of the plan falling through and being thrown out into the streets. I just can't give anyone that kind of power.</p>
<p>I thank everyone for their advice though, and if anyone has any advice on what I can do to make next year a lot less painful, I'd love to hear it. I'm not really counting on Government Aid (learned my lesson the first time), but I'm still writing essay after essay for Scholarships. I'm working a job this summer and Work-Study during the year.</p>
<p>I just want to say that when I was a senior in college, I lived with a family [one of the parents was a graduate student at the college] free in exchange for 9 hours of babysitting a week when the parent-student had a lab. I lived for free in a beauitful house in my own room and private bathroom; I could come and go as I pleased. Their home was also within a block of the campus, so I ride my bike to class. The family with whom I lived were great and often included me in their meals and plans. I did not feel like a servant.<br>
So keep an open mind! </p>
<p>"I may be poor, but I'd never live with someone in exchange for doing chores or babysitting. It'd make me feel like some kind of servant around the house, and there's always the chance of the plan falling through and being thrown out into the streets. I just can't give anyone that kind of power."</p>
<p>I do hope that you follow Linda's advice and keep an open mind. Most of the people who offer room and board to students in exchange for babysitting are well educated people who are looking for a responsible, intelligent person who would be good with their kids and a good role model for their kid. Most such people want someone like a college or graduate student, whom the parents see as being similar to themselves: education minded and headed for some kind of professional career.</p>
<p>The parents are not looking for someone like a high school drop out to look for their kids. The parents also tend to treat their babysitter like part of the family -- being included in meals, taken on vacations etc.</p>
<p>Often the parents are well connected (may even be professors or administrators at the university the babysitter attends) and are wonderful mentors who become lifelong friends.</p>
<p>It is very hard to find a trustworthy person to take care of one's kids, and such parents are not likely to toss one out in the street on a whim. Indeed, they fear that the babysitter would leave them on a whim, leaving their family in the lurch and the children heartbroken because kids get very attached to their babysitters.</p>
<p>When I was at Harvard, one of my friends (a doctor's daughter, BTW) took a spring break job going to a resort as a babysitter to some well off family who wanted a responsible person to watch their kids when they were on vacation. That's why they listed their job with the Harvard career services. My friend had a great time, and was not treated like some kind of second class citizen.</p>
<p>It's great that you're working a job this summer. Given the job market, you probably can add another part time job doing it evenings or weekends. I did that when I was in college, working 60 hours a week over the summer before I started college.</p>
<p>My friend whose daughter is going to College of the Ozarks worried that they wouldn't make the "need" catagory too. The cutoff is somewhere in the $50000 to $55000 range. Of coarse there are 3 kids in her family, not sure if that's taken into account or not. If there's no fee to apply (I'm not sure about that) go ahead, what have you got to lose!
I agree with Linda, most people would treat you like family. Of coarse you'd want to visit with them to get a feel for them first.</p>