Long version:
I took forever at the community college level: I moved four times, father got sick for three years then was in danger of being deported, mom was recovering from shoulder surgery during my first semester. I finally transferred to a four year institute and I passed three out of four classes (mom had to undergo a second surgery on the same shoulder and my grandmother had kidney cancer) and i dropped one which is the only class I’m taking this semester. Well, this semester my financial aid was cancelled due to lack of Satisfactory Academic Progress due to the high amount of credits I brought over from my community college time. Here’s the email:
"Thank you for submitting the SAP Level 2 Appeal. The SAP Level 2 Appeal Committee has reviewed your appeal and after a thorough review, the Committee was not able to approve your appeal for continued funding and the SAP Level 1 appeal decision was upheld.
The Committee determined that you did not provide sufficient extenuating circumstance as defined by the Federal Department of Education. The inconsistent pattern of your academic history did not correlate with the events and circumstances that you shared in your appeal. Therefore, the Committee was not convinced that an exception would be warranted nor justified.
Please be advised the Committee’s decision is final and you are not permitted to submit another appeal for the current academic year. Further, you will be required to clear all obligations owed to the university and/or must make payment arrangements with the Student Financial Services Office in order to continue your enrollment at XXX XXXX. You may regain financial aid eligibility only after you have re-established Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid or you have graduated and started a new degree objective.
The Center for Student Financial Aid in accordance with federal regulations has published our current Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy on the web at."
I went on Wednesday to find out if I was eligible for loans at this point and I was told I wasn’t eligible for anything. I have already started a payment plan using my tax refund money and I have two $600 dollars payments to make by May since I’m only taking a six unit class this semester.
My question is how do I pay for the next five semesters??? I’d have to take two classes this summer in order to graduate by Spring '19. Summer will be a three unit class; Fall '17 will be 13 units, Winter if available 4 units, Spring '18 15 units, Fall '18 9 units and Spring '19 12 units…
My plan was to graduate with a BS in Microbiology and apply to their Clinical Laboratory Science program at the same school, according to the letter I can only regain eligibility until I graduate with a degree.
My concern now is how to find loans for this? I’m already applying on fastweb.com for scholarships and I’m a LSAMP student which helps look for internships, research opportunities that might award money for school. Yes, I’m working a full time job but that’s not going to be enough for everything last semester I took 16 units grants covered me for $2,908 and i still had to pay about $170.
Ideas???
TL;DR: Not eligible for Financial Aid due to excess of credits from community college. Not eligible for Financial Aid until I graduate with a degree. Already applying for scholarships on Fastweb but I don’t think I stand a chance because I’m older… What type of loans can I get? Will they cover me until Spring '19 which is when I’m expected to graduate? I have a job but I don’t think I can cover $3,000 per semester for the next five semesters (Fall starts in August ends in December) (Spring starts in January ends in May)… Yes, I’m willing to use my tax refund and that’l cover me in the Spring but what about Fall? I’m under pressure due to the time requirement for the Clinical Laboratory Science program, classes need to be within the last five years…
Thank you for reading!