Pulling my hair out.Completly frazzled.Please help :(

Paying for College
1

<p>Unfortunately I've found myself in a huge bind,and I'm pulling my hair out here.
I'm completely frazzled. :(</p>

<p>I started trying to figure out entering college way to late.(a few months ago)
I've been out of high school for 6 years now and can't find a college adviser who knows whats going on.</p>

<p>I was REALLY hoping you guys could help me out.</p>

<p>I would REALLY like to go to AAU(Academy of Art University) or RMCAD(Rocky mountain College of Art + Design) however when I look at their tuition costs
I can't figure out how ANYONE could get the funds to go there.</p>

<p>AAU's price calculator says $37,888!!!.I assume that's for the year.
RMCAD says $10,860 per term! I assume there's 3 terms in a year? So about the same price as AAU!!
I can't really understand how anyone who didn't have their parents save gobs of money could afford college.</p>

<p>Is their any way to make that work?!?!? I really want to go to these art schools!</p>

<p>I can't even pay AAU's $100 application fee.I'm FLAT BROKE.</p>

<p>Even the community colleges seem to expensive!</p>

<p>Please help!!!!</p>

<p>I'm flat broke.I can't find a job.My mother of whom I live with isn't even employed.
Which is why I don't think they would give me a private education loan.</p>

<p>Should I just go? Should I just go to the more expensive art colleges or mabe just community colleges and just try to figure it out while I'm there?</p>

<p>Could you PLEASE answers some of my questions?I would be VERY appreciative:</p>

<p>1:I just sent off a FAFSA to AAU and it said it was processed but it doesn't show any thing about how much I would get?
Will it show up on the FAFSA webpage at some point?</p>

<p>2:Is fafsa payout every year? every term? Or one time only?</p>

<p>3:Is work study guaranteed? (I assume work study is where they let you work at the college to help pay the tuition?)</p>

<p>4:Is there financial help for traveling to the state where the college is?I MAY be able to get up the money for a
Greyhound bus ticket to Colorado.But I really wanted to go in California.</p>

<p>5:Is their application fee waivers other than asking the college if they'll waive the application fee?</p>

<p>Thankyou so much for taking the time to read this.
I would REALLY appreciate some help.</p>

2

<p>Go up to the threads stickied at the top of this forum. Read them. You can’t afford either of those schools but the info in those threads may allow you to attend a local community college. Good luck.</p>

3

<p>What have you been doing for six years?</p>

4

<p>you won’t be able to afford those schools.</p>

<p>Aid from the FAFSA app will be small. Too small to make a dent.</p>

<p>Go to your CC. If you get a pell grant (5600), that will cover those costs.</p>

<p>No, you can’t just go to the expensive school and then figure out how to pay. That’s a recipe for disaster. You’ll end up with a debt you can’t pay. Crazy.</p>

5

<p>You’ve picked colleges you can’t afford and that probably can’t afford to give you enough aid. Even a campus student job isn’t going to be enough.</p>

<p>Agree, first question is why you are flat broke. Many, many community colleges have fine art programs.</p>

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<p>You need to read up on financial aid and how it works. I’ll give you an overview to start.</p>

<p>Most schools do not meet financial need. Most do not give more than what the student can get from “entitlement” funds. Those are the Pell monies and the Direct Loans. If the Cost of Attendance (COA–official one) and your need as established by FAFSA Expected Family Contrubution (EFC). Maximum Pell for a zero EFC is $5600 a year, maximum Direct Loan for a freshman independent student is $9500 a year. Some of the interest might be subsidized depending on EFC defined need. Anything else you get is dependent on the college, and most colleges don’t have anywhere enough money to go around; many have none.</p>

<p>If you have no money, very little income, your best bet is to start out with the local public colleges and community colleges. The financial aid office there should be able to help you. As for private schools, like the ones you mention, you can talk to them and see what GRANTS they can offer you, not LOANS which you would have to repay. </p>

<p>’</p>

7

<p>As much as you would like to go to an art school, unless you get a big merit scholarship you will not be able to afford it. There are good art programs at state schools. Check the public schools in your state to see if there are programs for you … and my advice is to wait until next year. Do not jump into this quickly. Plus, aid is generally better if you apply early.</p>