I am a freshman at Santa Clara University. Things have been going great for my first year, except for the fact that I have a bill of a couple thousand dollars just sitting in my financial account… My father is mad at me that I did not get into any Ivy-league schools so he refuses to pay for my college. My annual tuition if I subtract all my financial aid is roughly $20,000. He hasn’t spoke to me since I moved to college and hasn’t provided me with any financial assistance. I am working on campus and my brother sends me allowance once in a while, but it is clearly not enough to pay my debt. Also, I am unable to take out private loans because I do not have any family in the United States (except my dad) that can cosign and even he refuses to cosign it. What should I do? Are colleges willing to help students like me out?
Who paid so far? You can’t be there without having paid some money for first semester. What happened between first semester and now? Why didn’t you go to CC and live at home an commute?
How did you think this bill was going to be paid??
@guamboy, is it possible that your father now regrets cutting you off as he did? Have you done well grade-wise at UCSC? If you approach him again to sign for you to take out loans (taking on your own debt) do you think he would agree?
I re-read some of your thread from last spring when you were dealing with parental pressure t get into Ivy schools “or else.” So many of the posters were advising you to be patient…that your parents were just wanting the best for you and would likely come around eventually. I’m sorry it has come to this situation.
If there’s no chance of any financial support or even help getting loans from them, I think you should go to an advisor at school ASAP. You may need to withdraw completely (if not too late to do so) and work until you save enough money to go to school part time.
This student is at Santa Clara University…which is a private college in CA…not at UCSC which is UC Santa Cruz.
To the OP…again I ask…how did you hope to cover these costs when you chose to matriculate to Santa Clara? My kiddo is a grad of the school…and our financial obligation for the full year was quite clearly stated up front.
Thanks for the correction…I’m not from CA and I made an assumption about the acronym (as well as the type of school.) The main message, though, was whether there could be some reconciliation (and financial support) from the father at this point… and the urgency of withdrawal and another plan, if not.
If you really can’t pay this bill…and you already owe for your first term, perhaps you should request a leave of absence for the remainder of this year…and get your finances sorted out.
You WILL need to pay SCU what you owe them…but it is senseless to accrue more debt with no way to pay.
I’m surprised the school processed your next term registration with an outstanding balance.
It sounds like you decided to play a game of chicken with your father – “I’ll go to college and dare you not to pay for it!” Well, you went off to college, and he still doesn’t have to pay for it.
If it’s not too late to get your money back for second semester, drop out and get those fees refunded to your account. It will make the hole you’re in a little less deep. Will your dad or any other family member or friend let you live with them rent-free? Move there and get a job. Pay off your debt. It is your debt, and not your father’s.
One you’re out of debt, you can try to find an affordable college or job training program. If your relationship with your father is not damaged beyond repair, maybe he will help you pay for plan B.
If he won’t let go of plan A (Ivy League), you will qualify for aid as an independent student at age 24 if there are no schools you can pay for without his help.
What I would recommend is to start applying for some scholarships. I don’t know what else to tell you. I kinda know how it feels like since my parents don’t want to pay for my college, which is understandable. I think you should talk to your dad and other family members.
This student needs this money right now. What scholarships do you know of that will be awarded by next week?
Answer…NONE.
The only other suggestion is to have this student talk to the SCU financial aid office. This student says his balance at SCU for the year was bout $20,000. This means he received about $40,000 in a financial aid package from this college…which is a very generous award from SCU.
@guamboy are you a U.S, citizen? If so…have you ready taken the $5500 Direct Loan for your freshman year?
Looks like your main option now is the following, assuming that you are a US citizen or PR:
Drop out, let your tiger parents wallow in the shame of their kid being a college dropout, go to work (paying off any SCU debt in the process) until you are independent for college financial aid purposes (age 24, married, or military veteran), then go back to college. If you stay in California to become a resident by that time, then the community colleges and state universities will be good inexpensive options.
If this were a year ago, you could have had the option to apply to a full ride merit scholarship school, where you would not need parent funding or financial aid form cooperation.
From OP’s name, it sounds like he’s from Guam… so, a citizen but not a California resident.
Why did you start at an expensive school when you had no means to pay the remaining costs?
Contact your dad and tell him the situation…that you’re going to have to drop out, return to Guam, and work to pay off what you owe SCU.