<p>Hello, new here so bear with me if I begin to ramble. I am currently a student at a community college. I didn't finish high school and have been working since I was 16. I'm 20 now and finally decided to go to school for journalism or history (undecided). I'm really aiming to get my bachelors degree at the University of Maryland and I really want it by the time I am 24 so I must stay a full-time student. Problem is, I'll be 22. I don't want to stay at home with my mother and go to school because 1.) It'll be a hassle and waste of gas driving 30-40 minutes a day to school alone plus. and 2.) I'll be 22 for Christs sakes! I know its not uncommon for people to live at home at that age, but I really need to get out of here for a while. So I initially figured I'd stay on campus in a dorm but now that I think about it, a just off site apartment that's meant just for the UMD students, would be a better fit for me. Now how would I pay rent is the question. Its about $900 a month per roommate. Do federal loans/grants cover apartments? Are there certain scholarships that a student with a GED, who excels in a 2 year college can obtain? Any tips would be great and sorry if I dragged this question out longer than necessary. </p>
<p>You are 22, so any fed grants you might get would be based on your parents’ income. If your parents are low-income, then you could get a full Pell Grant…which isn’t much. The most you’d get is a grant for about $5700, which won’t even cover tuition. You can also borrow $7500 as a junior, but as you can see, the total won’t pay for tuition, books, housing and room and board.</p>
<p>As for scholarships, there are far less for transfers, and usually the amounts aren’t high. You need to talk to your CC transfer adviser. Maybe UMaryland offers some small amounts for transfers. </p>
<p>To expect that you will be able to cover all costs with grants and loans is very unlikely. Your intended majors don’t pay a lot as a newish grad, so don’t borrow much…otherwise you WILL be back home living with mom when you are 24…cuz you won’t be able to afford rent and loan payments. </p>
<p>It is unreasonable to think that you won’t have to work at all. You will likely need to work…many/most students do. You should expect to work about 12-20 hours a week, and a lot more in the summer. </p>
<p>Run the NPC on UMaryland’s website to see how much you will be expected to pay.</p>
<p>Many, many, many students, I would say MOST, would prefer not to stay with their parents in terms of living arrangements; heck, not just students but those working full time jobs want their own place To live. And if they could get someone to pay for it, it would be wonderful. </p>
<p>Here is the way it works: Until you are 24 or meet any number of other conditions, which you can look up, but are not what most young people qualify for, you are considered independent for college financial aid purposes. I don’t personally agree with this and wish it were challenged on a class action basis, but for now, “them’s the rules”. So when you fill out FAFSA (or other fin add application) your EFC , Expected Familiy Contribution, includes the assumption your custodial parents will be paying and their financials go into the equation. </p>
<p>However, in many cases it does not make a whole lot of difference. THough your COst Of Attendance, which is the number a school reports as what it costs to go to that school for a year may be a given amount, there isn’t a school in the country that guarantees to meet full need for that using FAFSA EFC. So even if you end up with a zero EFC, it is highly unlikely to come up with a school that is going to give you that money to live at the school Any financial aid package is likely to include any federal and state entitlements and go right towards your tuition and fees first. </p>
<p>As a dependent student you can borrow up to $5500 freshman year, $6500 Sophomore year, $7500 thereafter to the maximum whereas the limits for independent students is about $4-5K more per year. The money is put towards the tuition and fees first. Getting enough out of financial aid to pay for your room, board and discretionary expenses, that is a full ride, is nigh impossible when not living at home You can try, but it’s not an easy go, and rare to happen.</p>
<p>It’s also not a smart thing, IMO, to be borrowing to live away from home while in school since as Mom2 says, you will have to then pay back that money later and may end up having to live at home when you are much older to pay back this freedom you borrowed to get when you were in college> That can really limit your employment opportunities. I know a lot of kids in that situation. With school loans to repay, a job that doesn’t pay enough, they are living with parents after college when they really would like to be living on their own, and in many cases would benefit them greatly, but they can’t afford to do so. A lot of student loans is often one of the reasons for this. </p>
<p>Our state schools tend to meet full need for Tuition and fees only. The rest is up to the student, and there are state universities and colleges within commuting distance for nearly anyone. You want to go to sleep away college, you come up with the money, and those Direct Student loans are applied towards need for tuition if there is such need, so many students can’t even borrow to subidize living away.</p>
<p>I know some students who have done just as you propose to do. They did get enough money through grants, scholarship, etc and by borrowing and working part time, they lived on their own instead of commuting. In some cases where the tuition, fees, cost of living were low enough, they actually could make a go of it using school aid to live apart from parents during those college years. But they will have to pay back the loans they took to do this which is not always a good idea, and some of those young people are struggling more, are back home with folks because of this move they made. </p>
<p>I’ll bet you can find several people with whom to share commuting expenses. If you live less than an hour away there are almost certainly employees within a few minutes of your home. </p>
<p>And sure it stinks to live with your parents BUT it’ll stink even more living with them after you graduate. I have many nieces and nephews who have moved back home after graduating. The reason: Massive student loans. Some of them have very good jobs too. Just not good enough to pay the loans AND commuting costs and buy suitable wardrobes and go out occasionally with friends. </p>