<p>I have recently applied as a transfer to a few schools, and assuming rejecting, will be applying to more for the upcoming spring semester. In speaking with my parents, I have come to find out that I will be bearing the full weight of college (with the exception of books, possibly rent, and help with daily expenses). I have put hours and hours into researching schools that I love but the least expensive of ALL of the colleges I have considered is still close to 20 or 25,000 a year, with the most expensive considered one of the priciest schools in the US...</p>
<p>I have good grades and have worked very hard, have a full time(during summer)/part time(during school year) job but still do not make enough to build up credit through a bank credit card. I have taken honors courses and am willing to work my butt off in order to pay for school. The main problem is, I don't believe I will have anyone to cosign for me.</p>
<p>What can I do to actually get this money? I am planning on and looking at scholarships but that is the extent of my financial knowledge when it comes to paying for school. Where can I find government money, the ways grants work, and somewhere that makes loans to 21 year olds making 10,000$ a year currently? I have worked very hard for my grades and my standings in school, and I don't want it to go to waste by attending a school I despise.</p>
<p>If anyone has gone through this, or if any parents/paying students know where to find the most money (for borrowing or for free!) please help me to start planning.</p>
<p>Need based government aid (grants and loans) are based on parent income and assets as well as student income/assets whether or not the parents are willing to contribute (you are a dependent till age 24 unless you are married or a few other exceptions).</p>
<p>You will need to go ahead and file FAFSA and ask your parents for their information.</p>
<p>swimcatsmom is right. The question isn't whether your parents will pay; it is whether they can pay. Have them file a FAFSA. Also, look at the schools that you're interested in to see if they require other financial forms (like the PROFILE) because, if so, they may have a higher estimate than the FAFSA. Once you know your parents EFC, you will know <em>the minimum</em> you will have to come up with. Schools rarely meet your EFC so be ready for that. </p>
<p>If your parents qualify for a lot of aid, you may get very good need-based aid from your state school or one of the country's top universities, should you be able to get accepted. Don't forget to look at your state's higher education department to find out about state grants.</p>
<p>If your parents don't qualify for much aid and your grades are very good, you should target merit aid by looking for schools where your stats at in the top 25%. (There are some threads about schools that are good with merit aid.) Don't forget to look at the 'academic common market' schools. (There's a thread.)</p>
<ul>
<li>Another alternative is to go to a community college, work and transfer. </li>
<li>Another alternative is to do your research (how AP credits transfer) and amass a ton of APs (and possibly CLEPs) and apply to a state school with advanced standing in a year or so </li>
<li>Another alternative-- especially if you're looking at large universities where students can go part-time-- is to try to look at the employee benefits of people working ft on campus (make sure to see if you have to have held the job for a certain amount of time before the benefits kick in). Then, get a ft job on campus and try to go for free. (Usually, you can take 1-2 courses free a semester. So, if you go year-round-- not too hard since you'll be working on campus anyway-- it'll take you longer to graduate but you would graduate debt-free with work experience.)</li>
<li>Another alternative is to look into ROTC scholarships<br></li>
<li>Another alternative is to apply to Americorps. </li>
<li>Another alternative is to wait until you're 24yo and apply to schools as an independent. </li>
</ul>
<p>And then there are the gems:
* Berea College: If your family income is under $52K for a family of 4 (chart is below), and especially if you're from Appalachia or the South, look at Berea College Berea</a> College - Prospective Students - Admission Requirements Berea</a> College - Prospective Students - Financial Aid and Scholarships
* If you're interested in art, architecture or engineering, look at Cooper Union
* If you're interested in engineering, look at Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
* Don't forget the service academies. West Point, Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy and the Air Force Academy</p>
<p>Also, correct me if I'm wrong, I think you are considered independent of your parents since you're 21. I think you should try applying financial aid using independent status, then only your earnings and savings will be taken into account. According to what you have described above, you should be able to get good fin aid. </p>
<p>
[quote]
I think you are considered independent of your parents since you're 21
[/quote]
Vanita - I'm afraid you are wrong. For financial aid purposes you are considered a dependent of your parents until you turn 24 (with some exceptions - married, a veteran etc).</p>
<p>You cannot choose to apply using independent Status - when you complete FAFSA there are a series of dependency questions starting with the age - unless you can answer yes to one of the questions you are considered dependent.</p>
<p>oh, okay, then. :D Yeah, I'm terrible at remembering things. I knew I saw something like that when I was completing FAFSA, but I wasn't sure about the exact number.</p>
<p>Well, AdamM412, in that case, I still think you should apply for financial aid. At least see what you can get. :D</p>
<p>I was going to suggest Alice Lyod as well but 2collegewego cut me to it with the link. I did apply to one of those work study schools, Berea, this year when my old HS GC (I am in a gap year now) gave me the suggestion. Last year I got into places like Case and Drexel but fin aid screwed me up. I have a 1470/2130 and 3.85 GPA so I never thought I will be collegeless end of senior year.
I can't depend on a family like you as well Adam. So besides applying to the usual scramble of top LACs, I also applied to places where I felt I could get good scholarships or aid. Anyway, now I am in the middle of making choices on where I will go. But to let you know, Berea gave me a full tuition scholarship which they guarantee and since I am high need like you they covered room, food, and books with a laptop as well with additional grants.</p>
<p>I've been speaking with my parents and they have decided to support me some, and take out some sort of specialty parent loan to help with about 10-20% of the annual cost. They do make a fairly high income according to FAFSA but I have a few ideas figured out.
The main issue is, I am going to be paying for this all myself, but my parents DO make the income, so I am thinking private lenders may come down to being my only option to make up the rest of my payments. I don't want to borrow over 20,000$ a year from a private lender though, in addition to my Stafford loans (I should receive 5500 when I transfer, where I should have junior status), I should be able to also match my Stafford loans with money saved from working, and I can hopefully find myself a few scholarships.</p>
<p>With all of these factors, I am assuming between 10,000 - 30,000 a year through private lenders. are there any other suggestions as to more facets to grasp for free/easy money? luckily I have over 60 credits completed so I will be paying for 2 years of college, not 4, so I have some more room to build up debt, but at the same time, I'd like to keep it as low as legally possible.</p>
<p>Graduating with 25,000 in debt is alot, but I have faith in being able to pay it off. 80,000 or so on the other hand...makes me very nervous. I am not sure if I want to be 24 years old with close to one hundred grand in debt.</p>