<p>I am truncating to keep this as short as possible.</p>
<p>29 yr old now Single Father with child.
Few months ago other parent got in trouble emptied accounts and took off to end up arrested in prison.
Took off summer/tried to find work/failed.
Need one more semester to complete Associate of Arts, was going to transfer.
Been staying in shelter with my 2 year old son.
Had enough to cover start of fall and 40 day waiting for school disbursement.
Now I'm in a tough jam.
Fasfa is approved full amount, Stafford sub/unsub at schools limit, both approved in account.
I know I took a risk to begin with going to school (history: week before son born had severe work accident with small water tank truck rollover), but I wanted better than the path I was on. Surprisingly I kept and have a 4.0 gpa.</p>
<p>I don't have any money for a place for us to live, the mother tried fleeing with it.
I had two weeks of work the entire summer through pick-up. I've tried panhandling.
Took loan to cover first year, and this year, but the unbelievable happened.
We won't make it if I go back having to wait for money from school.
I don't have family to go to but I have friends that help babysit and food.</p>
<p>I don't know whether to drop out or try an app-o-rama for a loan to make it till aid and loan disbursement.
I have a 650-690 spread on Fako bureau scores, but I don't have employment, the checks I got were sub-contractor so no ytd.
If I drop out, I'll have 6 months deferment (if summer isn't included) till the 18k Stafford loans come due. If I take that route I won't be able to go back if I can recover till the loans are paid.</p>
<p>So I can either go to my ex-wife a few states over and we can stay till I recover, or I can attempt to scavenge 2k through a loan to get us into some housing till September. I'm cautious over applying for loan because I don't have a cosigner, I've only had a WF secured card for a year that is our $600 dollar last resort. I know this is a little off and probably not the right place to ask, but I was looking for some perspective on what others might do. I've seen some good responses to question so I figured I'd try.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any info or insight, it is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>You need to talk to the counselor at the school as to what can be done with the Stafford loan and the consequences if any of returning the loan and taking off this semester to get your life in better order. I am assuming that you made enough money last year that you are not getting PELL grants, is that so? What could you expect in PELL funds next year with your earnings where they are and even with a bump from employment that you might get? </p>
<p>The fact of the matter is that school is not your first priority right now, and to take the risk of using your limited allotment at such a time when you need to work on so many things, particularly the care and welfare of an infant, is foolish. You need to find a place to live, get some work, care for the baby and some stability without getting shackled to a semester at school to lose.</p>
<p>School doesn’t start till next month. I’m in a family temporary housing at the minute so we aren’t on the streets, I’ve got two weeks left in the apartment. He is happy, healthy, and very much okay, and I take all or as many classes from home at the community college. If I do take one on campus I receive free care aid while I’m in that class, so it’s like an hour of play.
Last year I made squat from unemployment. I was bed ridden for 6 months after the wreck, but I’m fine now and started school last May. I only filled out the fasfa and received the $5550 allotment. I garnered the Stafford loans to carry the rest, it gave a comfortable lifestyle till the theft.
My earning this year total so far are $1600 from work and the funds given after school costs. I’ve gotten refunds every year, as we are below poverty level. As a single parent I have a high write off with federal taxes. I could make 15k more till I owed a cent in tax.</p>
<p>I know leaving is the safer option, but I wanted to be done before he starts school; or close to it. If I made it to my next disbursement we would be more than okay. </p>
<p>I guess I’m procrastinating my failure, caused by the actions of others.</p>
<p>Sorry forgot, I set an appointment for Monday to go discuss dropping out or any other options I am unaware of. It stink the emergency fund is limited to 500 beginning the first day of the semester.</p>
<p>Also, it is cheap in NC as far as cost of living. I know other places the loans wouldn’t go far.</p>
<p>Cranski, only you can make the decision as to what would be the best possibility for you. i have a son your age, and that you have so much that you have to deal with saddens me greatly, though you are truly building your way up to being one strong man when you get through all of this. But it is a painful, painful route. </p>
<p>If you truly think you can balance school, baby, eking out a living, where you are, it’s one thing. But even without college in the picture, you have a lot to handle. There are limits as to how much financial aid you can get, and if you lose this term’s due to all you have going on, it would make it that much more difficult. Do talk to someone at the college and get all of the information you can to make the decision that would make things smoother for you and your baby.</p>
<p>An after thought, how would seeking a private student loan for like 2k, if I found one that payed direct, affect the current level of financing that was approved. If at all. I haven’t had much time to delve through the specifics, but I’ve ran across tidbits that lead me to believe it could cause a decrease in other funding.</p>
<p>Private student loans are made out to the school. the monies are distributed to the student after the school is first paid. You will not be able to get these funds before school begins. In addition in order to get a private loan with out a co-signer, you would have to demonstrate credit worthiness. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that you will be approved, because you lack a permanent resident and a job.</p>
<p>I’ve seen a few lenders that offer no cosigner and no employment verification, deferred till graduation. Mostly online (legitimate businesses), since competition is continuing to grow.
I relish the idea of continuing to attempt finding a job without even an associates. I’ve had a tough time as it is.
Where is the guy who going to come say, I was able to do…
I dunno, Thanks for the reply guys. You two rock.</p>
<p>I have not yet seen such lenders either, Cransky. Despite all of the bad luck you have had this year, it appears that you are making steps to get back on your feet. You have a plan and are caring for your child. You are looking at various avenues. My concern is whether you are spreading yourself too thin and incurring too many obligations at a time when things are very shaky. College is not that important in the big picture when care of self and child, getting self sufficient, getting just on even keel is on the line.</p>
<p>I know, I will find out more Monday. I did not want to lose the scholarships I was offered to transfer to State. Maybe the financial aid office will have something. Their retention and graduation is so low they have to want to be flexible to retain those excelling in academics. </p>
<p>Don’t look at this as a sign that the school will do anything to make it doable for you to attend. The # 1 reason for low graduation, retention rates is because the money does not work out and the school becomes unaffordable in subsequent years (this includes students who were excelling in academics upon admission and then losing merit $$ and the family not in the position to make up the gap).</p>
<p>Emergency Financial Aid
The #1 reason students cite for dropping out of college is lack of funds. At an average age of 30, many of our students work a full-time or several part-time jobs while balancing family, community and personal commitments. Most attend Wake Tech with the assistance of government grants, loans, emergency financial aid and scholarships. ***** Tech Foundation focuses its emergency funding on students who have maintained good academic records, but who experience crises that threaten to erase months, even years, of progress toward a degree. The Foundation has rescued hundreds of bright, but financially strapped students from the brink of dropping out and put them back on track toward academic progress and success are often the only means for some students to continue their academic pursuits.</p>
<p>If you can work out something doable, that is fine. That such an emergency fund is needed is because of that #1 reason for dropping out, Be aware that such programs and funds are always on the edge of going bankrupt and that the funds are rarely enough to meet the demand. If you can get enough for your needs, good for you. But it is a tough go and will be. Please don’t think otherwise. Getting enough money, not just for school but for living expenses while going to school is a major challenge, even to cover a student’s needs, much less a dependent in the picture.</p>
<p>Did you try to work with any agency that provides emergency assistance? In my state one in your situation can get up 2 month rent and utilities paid. If you dont know where to start, look up united way charity. They will point you in the right direction and might even help you find part time employment. </p>
<p>One more thing, you really need to curtail borrowing - 18k is a lot of debt for incomplete associates degree. Really look into part time employment and state aid.</p>
<p>It’s 13.5k in Stafford so far. I included the semester I’m trying to take. I had 4600 left from the loans which when added to what was coming next I would take no more loans. The next egg was larger but I bought a 2009 car with very low miles for 5200. The car was totaled by someone, and the insurance does not want to cover it, so its in litigation. I’ve got full scholarships for my transfer to the Bachelors program to cover everything plus. I participated in some extra programs and honors to prepare for the higher expense and it turned out more than beneficial.
I ran through NC’s social welfare programs. United Way was not very helpful at all, although nice and even called back, I can’t go there employment assistance route having my son.
I am currently in the temporary independent housing, we have had a apartment for two months. That where I did get the work I was able to.
I qualified for Work Study but never pursued it. I like keeping a strong bond with my son because some <em>gah</em> family issues that occurred.
The next egg got stolen so it was an unexpected blow.
There are not many other programs available. North Carolina is broke, the parks are closed, the layoffs are immense, bill assistance was stopped, and homelessness is out of control. I hate to say it but being a healthy white male really put me at the bottom of the assistance list considering the overwhelming amount on Hispanic and African American poverty stricken residents.
I was looking for an easy route as 2-3k would get a beater and apartment till September. I make extra money through a home business as well making playsets and furniture so catching up isn’t a problem (obvious reasons non-reportable income).
After Monday if there is something available I haven’t found that would be great. If not I’ll sell everything and rent a car. So either way its not the end of the world. Taking a year off will allow new residency and time to pay back the loans to try again.</p>