<p>This could be really long but I'm going to try make it as short as possible. I graduated high school in 2005. In 2005, my family had a decent income but I choose not to go to college because I wasn't giving enough money from financial aid. My dad had just lost his job and it would be impossible. Since 2005, my dad never found a job, got disability, we almost lost our house and finally did... and moved into a cheaper house, my mom lost a leg and became legally blind and my dad got cancer - and that's just the tip of things. Needless to say, it's been a rough few years and we have much less than before. Now my dad has medicare but with cancer bills... it doesn't really help 100% and my mom can't get disability at all because she was at a stay at home mom and doesn't have enough work points (says the government) and she can go into the hospital at any time - and with no health insurance, it's horrible. I've worked from 2006-now, hostess and hoping to save up for college. I managed to go to a year at a community college, definitely did not do my best because of everything that was going on. The majority of my money goes to my family to help them out with bills, etc. I really want to go to college... it's my dream. I'm 25 years old, no college, no car, no money and loans are not an option. I don't think financial aid will give me enough. I feel like the only way to go to ANY college is for it to be free.... I do file my own taxes but I live with my parents (I'm 25). I have a different situation that the average person. My choice of college would be somewhere in NYC (hunter college, fit, etc.) I really do not want to go back to community college - I want to try fresh and I think I can do it this time but I have no idea how. Help!</p>
<p>Go back to your community college.</p>
<p>Sit down with the financial aid officer, and find out what kind of aid is available for a student in your situation. They have a lot of experience with this kind of thing, and can help you sort out the numbers. Some of this information will apply only to that community college, but most of it will apply to any college/university where you might study.</p>
<p>Since you already have a year of college, most places that you would apply to will consider you a transfer student, and there won’t be good financial aid. Sorry about that, but those are the facts. So after your visit with the financial aid people at the community college, stop by the Transfer Counselor’s office, and find out where students from that community college who have stellar grades have transferred. Some of them have ended up at good institutions with good scholarships - not many of them, but some of them, and the Transfer Counselor knows how they managed to do that.</p>
<p>Your parents situation won’t matter for FA since you’re too old to be including their info. All aid will be based on your info alone.</p>
<p>If you’re a NY resident, then go to your local CC or SUNY/CUNY. Commute from home. With a Pell Grant, TAP grant, and maybe a small student loan you’ll have all costs covered.</p>
<p>You can get a small student loan…no credit is needed. Your parents don’t matter for that.</p>