THen have them write their checks to pay for you to attend Temple for the next 4 years. Go ahead, I wait; don’t think any one is coming forward.
If they are not paying, who cares where they want you to go. You need to have an affordable option and Temple is not it
“Average yearly rent is $3000”. Really? Where is rent only $250 per month?
Did grandma save any of your monthly social security payments?
Sorry to upset you. In my two posts I didn’t suggest other colleges. I just asked why you would need a car for a suburban school.
I am not against student loans, but the amount borrowed over time adds up very fast and can financially burden your lifestyle.
Believe me, I know the cost of college. We are Pa residents, as well. Our son attends Penn State Main and we pay full tuition.
You say she isn’t eligible for a Parent Plus loan, so did she actually apply and get turned down? If that happens you can take an additional $4000 unsubsidized federal loan.
But you also say she has good credit.
So which is it? Good credit or can’t get a Parent Plus loan?
If I do get the $6,000 scholarship I’m a semi-finalist for (will know in the coming weeks), then I would have enough for tuition and fees and wouldn’t have to take out the federal loans even. And like I said, I can pay $3,000 for the apartment rent and I will be working part-time in college for food and possible utilities.
Here is a link to just one of many apartments near campus: http://www.edgeavenorth.com/rooms-and-rates/rooms-and-rates/Shared-Suite.html
Rent is $529/month, with one roommate, the cost would be $264.50 each x 10 month agreement = $2,645 for the year
@Madison85 I don’t know exactly. She is very private about her finances and hardly tells me anything about them. She won’t even tell me how much is in my college fund, just said “it’s not very much”. I have friends whose financial aid letters suggested Parent Plus loans and my didn’t so that leads me to think I wasn’t eligible. Considering she is not employed, I don’t see her being eligible for something like that. I asked her if she had good credit and she said “yeah”. She said she doesn’t have credit card debt and her car is paid off. But I know our house isn’t paid off and the mortgage is like $1,000-something a month and she’s always talking about being afraid of loosing her house and is actually looking into buying a small rancher after I leave for college.
I have a small extended family and they gave me money when I was younger and she put it in there and when my grandfather died, she asked for donations for my education fund and said hardly anybody gave but one woman did give $300. She also told me she has taken money from it in the past to pay for bills.
Are you 100% certain that it is $529 per month per unit and NOT $529 per month per person? You should call and ask…because from looking at the other units and prices I highly doubt the shared suit is $529 per unit. (A small studio of 170 square feet is $1099 and appears to have an identical Floorplan to your shared suite idea).
Also, those prices do not include air conditioning or heat.
@Madison85 I don’t know. My head is spinning doing this by myself. I haven’t even looked into this much because I I was told I’m not allowed to live in an apartment the first year. I haven’t looked for a new roommate because my dorm roommate wants to stay in the dorm and everyone I know is in a dorm. As I said, I’m set up to be in the dorm. And even if it winds up being $529/ a month, it is still HALF the cost of the dorm for the year AND it has a kitchen which means I don’t need a meal plan which is $3,000 a year for 8 meals/week.
So basically, you have everything covered but your room and board. Is there a FB page or student housing site where people find off campus roommates? You can’t afford an apartment on your own. Is there a Coop that requires work duties but is cheaper than on-campus? My local state university has a couple of these.
I’d call a Temple back and ask about your eligibility for the the increased unsubsidized federal loans.
Did your grandmother file correct FAFSA paperwork? Can you look at it?
If you be someone’s roommate who already has the lease, you would not need to sign a lease! No co signers…there must be kids mKing who already have the apt!
We filed them together. They are correct. My EFC was 0. I already wrote an appeal to the university, which led them to give me a $1500 grant. That was included in the total number I already gave. I have maxed out on federal loans. Yeah, I can find a roommate through roommate sites and some of the apartments have their own sites too. It makes me anxious because I would love to room with my friend.
I know the apartment is smarter than the dorm but I don’t know if I can do it. I know it will be my money but I have no support, the dorm is easier because utilities and such are already factored in, there’s RAs, etc. and I’d be rooming with a really close friend whose lifestyle habits are extremely similar to mine (we both eat pretty healthy, both go to the gym, both go to bed at around the same time, both committed to school, etc.) for a stranger.
@HRSMom are you sure about that? It seems like each kid signs their own lease on these university apartments and are only responsible for their own payment, that way if one kid doesn’t pay, the others parents arent forced to fit the bill.
The fact that the PLUS loans were not in your package doesn’t necessarily mean anything; it definitely doesn’t mean that you get the increased Stafford loan eligibility. The Parent PLUS loans have to be applied for separately regardless of whether or not they are in your package since they aren’t awarded automatically.
[url=<a href=“https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/plus%5DHere%5B/url”>https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/plus]Here[/url] are the federal rules for Parent PLUS loan eligibility. The main thing they look at is adverse credit history, which is a very lenient standard to meet even for some lower-income families.
Try to swing it to stay in the dorm for smoother transition to college life. But, get grandma to apply for the Plus loan so she can get turned down and then you can get an additional $4000 in federal loans (and that much less in Sallie Mae).
She really needs to give you access to your college savings account and stop raiding it when she is short on funds (especially since she is also using your social security money too?).
If it is your account as a minor with her as guardian, you should try going to the bank to ask for a statement reprint or get electronic access set up. You need to know what is going on with your college savings money. If you get access, look at the withdrawals…
I know a high school senior who had a college savings account (her social security checks were in the account). Her elderly noncustodial parent secretly used the money against what had been verbally agreed to with the custodial parent.
Studentloans.gov to apply for a Parent Plus loan
@mel159 - The rental amounts indicated for the shared suites are PER PERSON (not per unit). You are only paying for the rental of your particular bedspace and when you read the contract they have the right to reassign you to another room or reassign another roommate. http://www.edgeavenorth.com/Media/docs/TMPL-Residential%20Lease-15-16-Lease%20Package-7171e552-66e6-4aab-8646-daeb7ad70c70-0.pdf
@mel159 I think you should talk to the financial aid and/or housing departments at Temple. Maybe there is something they can do to help you out, or at least point you in the right direction. You are in a tough situation and there is a lot of “need” on your part, for both financial and emotional/logistical support. Also, your grandma sounds like she is being a bit unreasonable…it probably comes from genuine concern for you, but the fact is that you are in bind financially and you will need to make whatever decisions get you to where you need to be (into affordable housing). Soon you will be over 18 and will be able to make these choices on your own (while hopefully maintaining a good relationship with her of course), but I’d look for advice from some other adults, at those departments at the school. Even a guidance counselor might have some insight. Good luck! 
@mel159 <<<<
Rent is $529/month, with one roommate, the cost would be $264.50 each x 10 month agreement = $2,645 for the year
<<<<
NO! You do not get to split the rent. there are two beds and the cost is $529 PER PERSON, double occupancy.
The lease clearly indicates that the rent is for ONE bed, ONE person. Each person in a shared suite pays $529 a month.
Also…do you have a guarantor? If not, then you’ll have to pay a larger depositl
Guarantor information (name, social security number, driver's license & contact info) This is optional and if not provided could result in an additional security deposit.
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Are you aware that you will also have to pay for electric? that can be another $100+ a month (but split)
Dorms include this stuff.
Ask about internet…on one page it appears that internet is provided, but another it mentions “packages” (which sounds like you pay for that)